R6 2025 | Seniors vs Aquinas OC
Bernard Pretty rallies the troops before the first bounce. Image courtesy of Jim Wilson.
Round 6 saw us host Aquinas at home in a special round dedicated to raising awareness around family and domestic violence. The entire club donned orange socks as part of our commitment to supporting this important cause. A huge thanks goes to the committee for organising Thursday night’s impactful education session and creating a meaningful weekend for all involved.
Heading into the game, MHSOBFC sat 5th on the ladder, with Aquinas still searching for their first win. Recent history had been kind to us in this fixture, and we were keen to continue that trend, despite the first signs of a Melbourne winter (yes, in Autumn), with consistent drizzle falling across the morning and afternoon.
The 2’s set the tone early with a dominant win, and the pavilion was packed as supporters enjoyed a lunch and braved the cold to cheer us on. We started the first term well, though a few lapses let Aquinas stay in touch — just four points separated the sides at quarter time.
Coach Bernie’s reset at the huddle worked wonders. We lifted across the ground — Nick McKinnon bobbed up for his second, Hellier provided a strong presence up forward, and the back six tightened right up, holding Aquinas to just one goal for the quarter. Five majors to our name gave us a 31-point lead at halftime.
Will Suhr made a welcome return in his first game for 2025, offering strong ruck support and a key target around half forward. Down in the forward line, Matt Pereira continued doing what he does best — bagging multiple majors in the third. Rumour has it he even dished off a handball (we’ll check the tapes).
By the third quarter, we held an 8-goal lead. Jimmy Lees and Lucas Judd added their names to the scoreboard, and Al Clarke was everywhere, controlling the midfield like it was his playground.
We finished strongly in the last, piling on five goals to one. Nick McKinnon pickpocketed a loose ball to stroll in for a goal, and Liam Littore slotted a beauty from deep. It was a strong, spirited performance on an important day for the club.
A final thank you to our incredible volunteers who filled roles across the day, and again to the committee for their efforts in bringing Orange Socks Round to life.
Next up, we’re on the road to take on Old Yarra Cobras — let’s keep the momentum rolling.
Final Scores: MHSOBFC 19.20.134 defeated Aquinas 9.6.60.
Goals: Will Hellier 5, James Lees 4, Matt Pereira 4, Nick McKinnon 3, Lucas Judd 2, Liam Littore.
Best: Allister Clarke, Will Hellier, Nick McKinnon, Liam Littore, Mitch Wilson, Ben Field-Pimm.