By Marcus Uhe
They’ve successfully staved off a triple-figure loss for 14 rounds, but the weight of numbers has eventually become too much to bear for the Berwick Football Club.
Saturday’s twilight clash with East Ringwood in the Eastern Football Netball League was played in a different time slot to usual but resulted in a similar outcome to many of its clashes in 2024, with an exclamation point of a 100-point margin.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for the tiring Wickers against the competition’s benchmark, who finished the match with a crushing burst of five goals in eight minutes to breach the daunting barrier, and cash in what is sure to be valuable percentage points in a 20.12 132 to 5.2 32 result.
After holding sway in the first term, Berwick could only manage a solitary behind the second, as East Ringwood grew its lead from eight points at quarter time to 37 at the half.
63 points was the gap at the final break, before a behind after the final siren added salt to the wound.
Chief destroyers for the Kangaroos were North Melbourne VFL-listed forward Sam Lowson, who kicked nine, and Werribee-listed Corey Preston, who kicked six.
With key defender Braeydn Bowden, Berwick lacked the height and size to man the powerful forward duo, and pressure from the middle of the ground proved overwhelming.
Thomas Exposito’s goal senior debut for the club was a rare bright spot, as one of five multiple goal kickers.
It ends a brutal set of back-to-back contests for the Wickers, who tackled second-placed Balwyn the week before.
Crucially for Berwick, fellow relegation battler Norwood suffered a similar fate, going down by 109 points to Noble Park, keeping them rooted to the bottom of the table for now.
They’ll head to Vermont next week to tackle the Hawks, on a ground they secured a shock victory on in round one last season.
