AJAX seniors building nicely
Source: SHANE DESIATNIK, The Australian Jewish News
All AJAX Footy Club teams that played last Saturday and Sunday earned wins, in a pleasing weekend for the Jewish club’s players, coaches and supporters, nearing the business end of the 2025 VAFA season.
The Jackas Premier C seniors produced a strong home win, as expected, against ninth-placed Parkside in round 14 last Saturday at Gary Smorgon Oval, crushing them by 127-19.
After a fairly competitive first quarter relative to the rest of the game, AJAX lifted gears for the remainder of the match, extending their lead in each quarter, while restricting their opponents to just two goals.
Their last quarter was particularly dominant, in which nine of the Jackas’ 19 goals were scored. Jordan Cohen booted five goals for the match, Toby Sheezel kicked three and was solid throughout in from the midfield and veteran Nick Lewis had a memorable game.
Back pocket Aaron Bryer was chosen by pleased coach Lachie Buszard as their Best on Ground, showing trademark no-frills discipline and effort.
The win elevated the team one spot to third, but equal on 44 points with fourth-placed St Bedes, with four rounds remaining.
They travel to Packer Park this Saturday to face sixth-placed Glen Eira.
It was a closer affair against Parkside in the Premier C reserves game, which AJAX won 9.10 (64) to 8.5 (53), keeping their fourth place on the ladder secure and creating a six-point buffer to fifth- placed Prahran.
The AJAX reserves led early, but fell behind in both of the second and third quarters, before a last quarter comeback, in which they turned a six-point deficit into an 11-point triumph.
Vice-captain Joel Burston was Best on Ground and full forward Jarred Fibishenko top-scored with four goals.
Still last Saturday, the AJAX thirds division 2 team, which are in sixth spot and can’t make the finals, enjoyed a deserved 40-point away win over ninth-placed Old Ivanhoe.
They led from start to finish in the 12.7 (79) to 6.3 (39) victory and scored at regular intervals, from the boot of Noah Barak (4 goals), Harry Carp (4), Elijah Mills (2) and Corey Schwartz (1).
With several players returning from overseas trips and the Jackas’ Premier Thirds side due to play a rare midweek game due to last Sunday being the Tisha b’Av fast, it was a struggle to fill the Thirds division 5 match day squad, but it was done, with a mix of players filling in, having backed up from Saturday’s games.
That level of commitment and club spirit shone through and the result was a big 15.13 (103) to 9.6 (60) win over the Monash Blues, keeping the team in the top four with a round to go.
Fibishenko, in his second game in two days, dominated in the full forward pocket again, scoring six goals in a Best on Ground performance.
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