Jackas seniors rise in 2025 VAFA semis
In the 2025 VAFA Premier C men's semis, the AJAX seniors won by 5 points, and their reserves lost by 11.
It was another proud day of finals footy for AJAX Footy Club last Sunday (September 7), when the Jewish club’s Premier C seniors team held off a fast-finishing St Bedes/Mentone side in wet and windy conditions at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, to win a nail-biting elimination semi-final by five points, and advance to the preliminary final.
And while AJAX bowed out in Premier C reserve grade on the same day, at the same ground, against the same club, their 11-point loss against one of the competition favourites was an engrossing contest from start to finish, and a credit to both teams.
The fourth-placed AJAX reserves, coached by Rob Paterson, faced an opponent that had only lost two games all season, and had beaten the Jackas by 133 points last time they played. But you wouldn’t have known that shortly after the first bounce, when the men in red, black and white let by 16-7 at the end of the first quarter, and by 23-15 heading into the main break.
The tide began to turn St Bedes’ way only late in the game, when they led AJAX by just two points with one quarter left, and then kept their noses in front until the final siren, defeating the Jackas reserves by 9.6 (60) to 7.7 (49).
Joel Parasol had a blinder, booting two goals, Tai Kavallero was impactful up front, and Raphael Light and Matt Lincoln were strong in the midfield.
Proud AJAX reserves captain Jono Machlin told The AJN that despite the loss, “I think that was our best performance of the year, in trying conditions, and against a team that thrashed us last time.
“We were strong in the contests all game, and we never gave in.
“It came down to a couple of moments late in the game – and that’s footy – but to have been in the lead and dominate for most of the game makes me feel very proud of that effort by our guys.”
He added, an impressive 90 players put their hands up to play at the start of the year, and described making the finals as “a true testament to the whole playing group”.
There is still more finals footy ahead for the club, with their seniors’ 7.16 (58) to 8.5 (53) victory over St Bedes – in which Max Herzel kicked three goals – booking them a preliminary final against ladder leader Parkdale this Sunday from 2.30pm at Trever Barker Beach Oval.
Both sides utilised the strong wind in the quarters in which it was behind their backs – in the Jackas’ case, the first and third quarters – to outscore their opponent.
Jackas seniors coach Lachie Buszard said it was “a huge last quarter effort to kick two goals into the wind that proved the difference, and we were able to hang on”.
“Our captain Kane Nissenbaum was huge in the second half, as were Nick Lewis, Jonty Israel and Max Herzel.”