R11 2025 | Reserves vs Hawthorn
Round 11 of the season brought Melbourne High back to their home turf, as they welcomed Hawthorn Reserves on a temperate Saturday morning. Whilst both sides had experienced vastly different seasons, the Unicorns buoyant atop the ladder and Hawthorn at its foot, the visiting side were the proud holders of the greatest upset to date, a stunning victory over premiership contenders West Brunswick some weeks past.
Sensing their counterpart’s desire to take another scalp as proceedings commenced, Melbourne High strove to put their best foot forward as quickly as possible. Hawthorn fought to slow down the speed of play in the midfield, but Dexter Ryan took his share from the ruck, his deft touch supporting his midfield movers in Matthew Giarracca and Luke Stone. When the ball did go the other way, the pressure was soaked up by the back six contingent for the Unicorns, including a rare reserves cameo from Cleve Westley, a veritable man mountain.
In the forward line, the Unicorns were sharp in front of their big sticks, as Byron Gunn and James Lake traded goals, both teammates looking towards the hotly contested Goalkicking award. The former was also lucky enough to bag his second on the quarter time siren, threading the needle from an acute angle to his and his teammates’ joy (but mostly surprise). Taking their collective breaths, a sound full ground display from the Unicorns brought with it a 3-goal buffer, leading 5.1 31 to 2.1 13.
The second term resembled more of an arm wrestle, both sides finding goals to be at a premium. The relative lull in the scoreboard’s gears trundling did not signal a downturn in the intensity of proceedings, with a determined and strong Hawthorn side giving no inch against the Unicorns all around the ground. The defensive press and counter of the back half of the ground did provide opportunities to build on and praise, Tom Sears unrelenting in his lock-down play, and flanker Gordon Beet ranging between the arcs. Beet was unlucky not to have a scoring opportunity for himself, but full forward Byron Gunn shouldered the responsibility and kicked the side’s solitary major for the term. With four behinds tallied, the output was a near inverse of the first, the side kicking 1.4 to 5.1 just a period prior. Despite this, Hawthorn was limited to just 1.1 of their own (undeniably the term being a great result for them), and the hosts went to the rooms with their noses in front, 6.5 41 to 3.2. 20.
Lachie Dowling looks to extend the margin. Image courtesy of Jim Wilson.
Hawthorn were determined not to let go of their chance to be potential kingmakers at the top of the table, and effectively slowed down play to limit the firepower of their opponents, who at the time had kicked the most points in the league. A meagre nine points for the Unicorns was their reward, but both sides were wasteful in front of the goal, with 10 combined scoring chances garnering just the solitary major for each side. With the plaudits rightly belonging to the defensive players on both sides, the lone Unicorns major for the term went to Byron Gunn once more, the beneficiary of good fortune as his shank whipped right with all the curve of a Mitchell Starc outswinger to squeak through.
Winning the quarter, Hawthorn had every reason to believe in their chances, but they would have to add on three terms’ worth of goals in just the one to come, trailing the Unicorns 7.8 50 to 4.7 31.
With it all to play for, the home side delighted their supporters by turning the screws when it mattered most. A defensive masterclass escaped the blushes of the favourites, with Hawthorn’s forwards effectively a non-factor. A lone behind was all the reward they could muster, and the Unicorns made good use of the dominance to ease away in their 50. John Crilly continued his superb season, the newly minted goal sneak adding another to his account, with mainstays Mason Fennessy-Kent and Byron Gunn putting the outcome out of doubt to their side’s great relief.
Despite a spirited and hard-fought effort from a Hawthorn side who should be rightly credited with their display, the Unicorns were able to find the next gear when it mattered, thirty-seven point winners.
Final Scores: MHSOBFC 10.9-69 defeated Hawthorn 4.8-32
Goals: Byron Gunn 5, James Lake 3, John Crilly, Mason Fennessy-Kent.
Best: Byron Gunn, Dexter Ryan, Mason Fennessy-Kent, John Crilly, Matthew Giarracca, Cleve Westley.