By Tyler Lewis
As the rain blanketed Edwin Flack Reserve, Noble Park blanketed Berwick.
After an arm-wrestle of a first half, the Bulls and Wickers returned back from the main break to a different game of footy.
With a lead of just three goals at the half, Noble Park took to the conditions like ducks to water – piling on quick goals to eradicate the sting from the game.
With six unanswered goals added in quick-time in the third term, the Bulls shifted its handy half-time buffer to a certain victory.
Berwick coach Clint Evans came away from the loss far from disappointed by his sides output, as the third term was the ultimate difference in the 12.9 (81) to 4.6 (30) defeat.
The Wickers are working hard on those patches of absence that are losing them games, but unfortunately for Evans, the answer to his prayers is a long route.
“I think it’s probably just experience,” he listed of the solution.
“I think their first three goals (in the third) were from stoppages and two were at centre bounces and we didn’t even get a touch to it.
“Two or three goals in quick-succession, as I said to the young boys in the ruck, it’s just a learning curve for them.
“They come up against a good side and Gains is a good ruckman, you know they just have to try and stop them getting it so easy out the front of stoppages.
“We had a lot of kids go through there (the midfield) so as I said to them it’s a learning curve that we have to get better at.”
While the third quarter was a stain on an otherwise good day for Berwick, Evans is focusing on the three terms that delivered an abundance of positives, but also not shying away from the team in its rear-view mirror.
“I think for three quarters we sort of matched them,” he said.
“If you take the third quarter out of it, it was maybe two or three goals the difference – for us as a young group, that is really good.
“Now with North Ringwood beating Vermont, it’s game on again, so realistically our season starts again.
“We need to be upbeat and be as positive as we can… we’re getting games into these kids, but now they have to step up and take that next step, because realistically, if they don’t we could be looking at relegation.”
In other matches: Rowville returned back to the winners-list with a strong 15.19 (109) to 11.9 (75) win over Park Orchards. Charlie Haley booted six as Balwyn out-worked Norwood, 17.17 (119) to 11.7 (73). South Croydon key-forward James Wilsen outdid Haley with a haul of seven in the dogs 20.10 (130) to 6.8 (44) win over Blackburn, and Doncaster East won the Doncaster derby, defeating Doncaster 18.7 (115) to 11.6 (72). North Ringwood claimed its first win of the season, defeating Vermont 8.10 (58) to 6.14 (50).
TEAM W L % Pts
Noble Park 12 2 161.42 48
Rowville 12 2 135.57 48
Doncaster East 10 4 141.25 40
Balwyn 10 4 138.59 40
South Croydon 9 5 120.76 36
Blackburn 7 6 89.66 30
Park Orchards 5 9 98.05 20
Norwood 5 9 90.72 20
Vermont 5 9 83.01 20
Doncaster 5 9 70.47 20
Berwick 2 11 67 10
North Ringwood 1 13 49.93 4
FIXTURE
Round 15
Balwyn v Noble Park
South Croydon v Berwick
Blackburn v Doncaster East
Doncaster v Norwood
Rowville v North Ringwood
Vermont v Park Orchards
