By Tyler Lewis
While Berwick passed the test coach Clint Evans posed of it on Saturday, he and his Wickers are under no delusions of grandeur.
Evans demanded his side defeat relegation-bound North Ringwood on Saturday, to stake their claim as a distant competitor of the Saints.
The youthful Wickers passed their final-round assessment with an A-plus performance, defeating the hapless Saints 9.10 (64) to 1.8 (14).
Evans explained while his side wanted to declare itself as a Premier Division side with a win, they were also inspired by the retirement of an unsung hero.
“Yeah massive I think, we sort of spoke about it before the game,” he revealed.
“We didn’t want to just go into the last game going through the motions and be only two points in front of North Ringwood.
“We wanted to make a statement to be that two and a half games clear of them, to say ‘you know what’ we really do belong in this division.
“Riley Heddles retired as well, we wanted to make sure he went out with a bang and the boys were terrific.”
Evans wasn’t short of praise for the multiple premiership-winning defender.
“He’s been a superstar,” he said of Heddles.
“He’s been so unheralded as a back; I think he played on Charlie Haley in his first game (against Balwyn) last year and I think he kept him to one goal, maybe none.
“One on one he just never gets beaten; he is probably one of the most respected guys at the footy club, that’s why we made it a massive thing for him to get the job done.”
In a season where Berwick played nearly 50 senior players, Evans summarised the season as a successful launching pad for seasons to come, while simultaneously warning his group that it won’t get any easier.
“I think it was 47 or 48, we just gave the kids opportunity,” he said.
“So for the footy club moving forward, it’s great to give them exposure, they now know what it’s about and what they have to do to be better for next year.
“Hopefully we can recruit okay and it looks like we’re keeping most of the list, which is really good.
“Just more continuity, that’s the biggest thing for us, instead of playing 48, only playing 30 or 35 and every week we’re getting better.
“I think next year it’s two that get relegated, so you know, you take North Ringwood out of it and we’re on the bottom, we’ve got a bit of improving to do.”
Now as the Wickers season is officially over, it’s over to the remaining two of the three local rivals to compete for the ultimate prize.
One of Rowville or Noble Park will play in the Eastern Football League (EFL) Premier Division grand final.
By securing the top two finish, the winner of the major semi-final – between the Hawks and Bulls – will propel into the big dance.
The Hawks cemented their position inside the top two a fortnight ago, the minor premiership a week ago and on Saturday, Rowville claimed bragging rights over potential finals opponent Balwyn, 8.14 (62) to 4.14 (38).
Mav Taylor booted seven of Rowville’s eight goals in the Hawks 16th win of the home and away season.
Cooper MacDonald, Kane Young, Anthony Brolic, Tyler Edwards and Lachlan Stapleton were also named among the Hawks’ best.
Noble Park, meanwhile, only needed to collect the four points over Doncaster to register as the second seed, but did so in imperious fashion.
The Bulls put through 27 goals as they thumped Doncaster to the tune of 132 points.
Jordan Marson and Jack Francis kicked four, while Shayne Allan, Jack Beech, Kieren Byers and Harley Fairbank booted three.
Kyle Martin, Tom Glen and Chris Horton-Milne were among the Bulls’ best.
The Hawks and the Bulls will enjoy the week off, before facing off at Bayswater Oval for a place in the grand final.
Having played each of the competing sides twice, Evans – albeit reluctantly – gave an early tip of which sides he feels will have an impact over the next four weeks.
“On the record… oh great,” he joked.
“Gee it’s hard… I think Noble Park have probably got a little bit more in the midfield, but in saying that Rowville, if they can get there, Bayswater is a fairly big ground, I can see them exploiting a lot of teams.
“It’s going to be whether they’re overawed being a young side, but in saying that they’ve beaten everyone around them haven’t they.
“It’s a flip of a coin, I honestly think Rowville, but it wouldn’t surprise me if South Croydon jump in there as well.”
In other matches across Eastern Division: South Croydon surged into third position on the ladder, with a 10.10 (70) to 6.11 (47) win over Norwood; Doncaster East will enter finals series with three successive defeats, after going down 8.13 (61) to 10.16 (76) at the hands of Park Orchards and Blackburn secured victory over Vermont 12.10 (82) to 10.8 (68).
LADDER
EFL PREMIER DIVISION LADDER
TEAM W L % Pts
Rowville 16 2 143.11 64
Noble Park 14 4 158.27 56
South Croydon 13 5 140.19 52
Balwyn 13 5 138.62 52
Doncaster East 11 6 130.53 46
Blackburn 9 8 93.39 38
Norwood 7 10 100.08 30
Park Orchards 6 12 91.89 24
Vermont 6 12 81.53 24
Doncaster 5 13 58.13 20
Berwick 4 13 68.99 18
North Ringwood 2 16 49.72 8
FINALS BRACKET
WEEK 1
Elimination Final 1 – Saturday 27 August at Bayswater Oval
South Croydon v Blackburn
Elimination Final 2 – Sunday 28 August at Central Reserve
Balwyn v Doncaster East
WEEK 2
Semi Final 1 – Saturday September 3 at Bayswater Oval
Rowville v Noble Park
Semi Final 2 – Sunday September 4 at Central Reserve
Winner of Elimination Final 1 v Winner of Elimination Final 2
WEEK 3
Preliminary Final 1 – Saturday September 10 at Bayswater Oval
Loser of Semi Final 1 v Winner of Semi Final 2
WEEK 4
Grand Final – Saturday September 17 at Bayswater Oval
Winner of Semi Final 1 v Winner of Preliminary Final 1
