Premier League Teams in Finals

For the first time ever, Southern United Hockey Club teams have qualified for the finals in the premier league competition in Victoria. Although one re

Junior Finals

The junior home and away season has finished.  Southern has ended the season with three minor premiers – Under 12 Girls Shield, Under 14 Girls Shield, and U16 Mixed Shield South East. Congratulations. We will have nine junior teams in finals next week.

As details of the games become known, we will let you know. It would be great to have lots of support for our juniors in the finals.

Umpiring

Congratulations to Nick Davey who received his community umpiring badge on the weekend. Thanks to Sue for her help and work with these young new umpires coming through the ranks.

Doncaster visited us at Farm Rd for the final match of the season, Southern has a bye for round 18. Following the result of the Saturday matches, the finals spot for the men’s firsts were secure, but that did not mean the pressure was off. In a very high scoring match, the Southern men finished 4-7 down.

The women’s premier league played a brilliant game to finish with a 1-1 draw with Doncaster. This result is even more impressive when you add in that Doncaster is second on the premier league ladder. Ninth position for the girls, but great to finish with such a great result.

The men’s reserves played a blinder of a game to finish with a 1-1 draw, while the women’s reserves finished 1-3 down.

The last round of hockey is over for the juniors. Before we talk about the teams that have made finals, we must congratulate everyone, as all players have played their heart out this year. Those that have had a tough season this year and kept on going should be congratulated.

Thanks to the many coaches that have helped the teams this year, thanks to the team managers and club administrators. A special huge thanks to all the parents who have been out there week after week in the cold, and wet, driving to the many distant hockey groups. Thanks to you for bringing your children to our club.

The under 8s have had a great season. They started the year with the hook in 2 hockey program, then moved on the Friday night under 8 program led by Phoebe Willcock, with coaches Warren Davey, Alice Arnold and Charlotte Moltzer, with help from many other. The children finished their season on Friday with a pizza night and presentations.  Thanks to all, and we hope the children have enjoyed their first introduction to hockey.  Many of the under 8s made it out in the cold and wet for the presentation night on Friday night.

The under 10s too have finished for the season. The children playing quarter field on Saturday morning in the games with Mentone and Bayside finished in the cold at Farm Rd.  Thanks to the coaches, Zach Abaniel, Tom Chapman, Harry Quig, Kate McNess, Amelia Robertson, Tiff Blatchford  led by Chris Abaniel for their hard work. A very special thanks to Iain and Robyn Fitzgerald who kept the quarter field program administered, and to Sue Jones who managed and trained our umpires each week. 

Those that braved the cold wet Thursday night had a special visit by clown Tom, or was it coach Tom?

The weather was wet and VERY cold on Friday night for the last home and away games of the season.

At Farm Rd the 14 and 16 girls were playing for first on the ladder and a place in the finals.  The 14 girls completed the task with aplomb with a 10-0 win over Geelong.  This gives the girls the minor premiership and the double chance in the finals, playing at SNHC for the first final on Friday. The under 16 girls needed to beat top of the ladder Greensborough to get a home final, the game was close the girls going down 2-1 with Burra scoring in a penalty corner after the siren. This gives the girls fourth on the ladder and a place in the elimination final against Brumbies on Friday, most likely at Elgar Park.
The Under 14 south team finished on a high, after having a tough season, a 2-2 draw against Mornington, 2 goals to Douglas Allan, absolutely brilliant team.

At Mentone on Friday night the Under 14 pennant team were aiming to keep their third position on the ladder to get a home elimination final. With the 1-1 draw against Mentone they did exactly that, and should be playing Mornington at Farm Rd on Friday night. Let’s hope they can produce the same result they did in round 13 when they beat Mornington 3-0. The team finished the night with an end of season celebration. Great work Coach.

At Frankston the under 16 pennant team finished their season fifth on the ladder with Frankston taking the points in a 2-0 game.  Their last two games have probably been the strongest. Look out next year!!

The under 18 mixed crew finished the night, needing to win or draw to keep their 2nd position on the ladder and the double chance in the finals, that they did in their 6-0 win. Giving them the joy of trip to Burra for the qualifying final on Friday night.

Elgar Park was the exciting location for the 14 and 16 mixed shield games. Both teams had a spot in the finals already, but the games would affected who they would play. All mixed shield teams have sudden death finals, no-one gets a double chance.  The 14 team short of a few players with young George Papadopolous filling in and the wonderful Davin back in the team played an incredibly close game with Southern getting the 2-1 win with a penalty corner after the siren.  This gives the 14s third on the ladder and a final against Doncaster on Friday.

The 16 mixed shield team needed to win to keep top spot which gives a better run in the finals, with a 6-0 win over Brumbies the minor premiership was secured and a final on Friday also against Doncaster, after Donnie beat Powerhouse.

In the fight for the finals in under 16 south, the black team went down 5-0 to unbeaten St Bedes. The boys played their best game of the season. Thanks to Ruben doubling up in goals for black and red. The red team played Mornington and were clearly holding their own until an injury to Zoe, giving Mornington the upper hand in the second half, and going down 4-2. This gives the read team fourth on the ladder, and a game against Monash at Monash on Friday night, while Black take fifth spot on the ladder.

On Saturday morning at Farm Rd, the under 12 shield girls started the morning with a high. They were already minor premiers, but proved the point with a 7-0 win over Mentone.  Under 12 girls pennant had a close game against Knox with Knox taking the points 3-2.

Under 12 mixed shield played 2nd on the ladder Waverley. First and second are a significant number of points ahead of three and four, but our Southern boys gave them a run for their money with a 2-2 draw. Southern will play Camberwell in the sudden death final at the hockey centre on Saturday.

At Brighton on Saturday morning, our wonderful under 12 boys pennant team played a strong game with most of the possession for a 1-1 draw against Hawthorn. These boys have worked hard all season, with most of them still qualifying to play under 10s. The under 12 south also have had a tough season, finishing with a loss against Mentone with Atticus Nunes scoring the goal.

In the under 10 half field, the under 10 boys finished the season with a great 6-2 win. Thanks to Michael Gow who has completed his first season coaching a Southern team in a formal comp, after coaching the black team in the quarter field last year. The under 10 girls also finished on a high with a 6-0 win over Mentone. Thanks Alice and Laura for all your work with the girls.

Pennant A competition continues to confuse all, the difference between finals and relegation is minimal.  The Pennant A team played at home against TEM for a 5-0 win.  It was great to see the premier league reserves there to cheer them on. This clearly  removes them from the relegation category, and fifth on the ladder, with a tough game against Burra next week, and third and fourth having an easier last game, a finals spot may be hard to achieve.

Pennant D secured their finals berth taking the points against Footscray.  With Essendon beating PEGS on the weekend, Southern is now third, with the aim to keep that spot next week, to secure a home elimination final.

While Metro B had the mosquito squadron in full flight and achieved a huge success with a 1-1 draw with Bayside. Bayside have won every game and had a goal difference of 68, great work guys.

Metro A played Doncaster,  Doncaster has some very strong young strikers in the team, and Donnie got the win 3-1. With Southern playing Dandenong and first playing second, a second position on the ladder remains a possibility, but a finals position is secure.

At Altona on Sunday the pennant E team came back from 3-1 down to achieve a 3-3 draw, with other interesting results on the weekend, the Pennant E team keep their second position, and play Camberwell at Matlock for the final round, a finals place not at risk, but the double chance at play.

Women’s Pennant B played the powerful Waverley Pennant B, going down 6-1. To keep their spot in the four the pennant B team need to beat Camberwell next week. Pennant F suffered an anomaly for their game at Frankston being beaten 1-0, while keeping their third position on the ladder, and that position is secure, giving them a home elimination final in two weeks.

Metro A and B travelled to Casey for their game. . The metro A team continued their dominance of the grade with a 13-0 win, while metro B won 2-1. Metro B, now second on the ladder play top of the ladder Mentone for the last game, while a spot in the final is secure, the results of all the last games in metro B will decide the position in the four.