By Marcus Uhe
Berwick’s late season revival came to a halt at the hands of Balwyn after a poor opening quarter in its contest at home on Saturday, all but closing the door on its chances of playing finals for the first time in the Eastern Football Netball League.
The Wickers, who had won their last four contests despite announcing they are on the hunt for a new senior coach in 2024, conceded the final four goals of the opening term to find themselves down by 25 points at the first break, a margin they were never able to fully recover.
The Tigers opened the second term with yet another goal at the Manuka road end to extend the margin to 30, before goals to Sam Hilton-Joyce and Jesse Cirulis before the long break reigned the gap back to 18 points.
Hilton-Joyce’s third cut the margin to 17 midway through the third but that was as close as the Wickers came to overrunning the Tigers, who finished 10.8 68 to 6.8 44 winners.
The first-quarter run from Brenton Sanderson’s Tigers proved the difference in the contest, with both sides only managing four goals beyond quarter time.
Hilton-Joyce, a mid-season recruit, has made a serious impression at Edwin Flack, goaling in every game (seven from four matches) and named in the best on three of four outings.
Will Arthurson offered plenty of rebound from down-back while Jesse Cirulis continues his brilliant season on return from a year-ending knee injury in 2022.
The loss means Berwick are now reliant on percentage and other results falling its way in order to qualify for the top six.
Noble Park’s defeat of Park Orchards takes them to nine wins, three clear of Berwick’s six with three weeks remaining in the home and away season.
Berwick will have to win its last three matches, against East Ringwood, Doncaster East and Park Orchards, by considerable margins, and need Noble Park to be thrashed in all three in the run home to have a chance, as well as for Blackburn and Norwood to win no-more than one and two matches, respectively.
Elsewhere, Noble Park are back on the winners list after losing its last two, thrashing Park Orchards by 61 points at home.
Eight goals to one in the first half put the contest out of reach for the travelling Sharks who appeared out of their depth in the bullring, the final score 13.12 90 to 3.11 29.
The Sharks kept the Bulls caged for the opening 10 minutes of the game before Harley Fairbank made an impact on return, showcasing his typical energy in the forward half of the ground.
The small forward kicked three in the space of 10 minutes in his first contest since round 11 against Doncaster East, with three and one to Tom Bower giving the Bulls the edge in the first term.
The trademark watertight Bulls defence didn’t allow a goal to the visitors until midway through the second quarter, by which point the home side had six.
It was two goals each in the third before the Bulls shut the gate in the fourth, kicking three goals to nil in the close.
Fairbank finished with four goals and Jackson Sketcher led from the front, as did key forward Liam Scott, who kicked two.
EFNL Premier results R15: Berwick 6.8 44 def by Balwyn 10.8 68, Noble Park 13.12 90 def Park Orchards 3.11 29, South Croydon 13.8 86 def by Rowville 13.13 91, Doncaster 7.12 54 def by Doncaster 13.9 87, Vermont 8.11 59 def East Ringwood 7.7 49, Doncaster East 11.9 75 def by Norwood 11.15 81.
Ladder: Vermont 48, Rowville 44, Balwyn 44, East Ringwood 40, Doncaster East 36, Noble Park 36, Blackburn 32, Norwood 24, Berwick 24, Park Orchards 16, South Croydon 12, Doncaster 4.
Fixture R16: Rowville (2) v Noble Park (6), East Ringwood (4) v Berwick (9), Balwyn (3) v Doncaster East (5), Park Orchards (10) v Vermont (1) Blackburn (7) v South Croydon (11), Norwood (8) v Doncaster (12).
