By Marcus Uhe
The fate of Noble Park’s premiership defence could be sealed as early as next week, with the Bulls’ season at risk of coming to a close in the final round of the Eastern Football Netball League’s home-and-away season.
After 17 rounds, Noble Park sit sixth on the table, equal for points with Blackburn in seventh position.
Should Blackburn upset East Ringwood and Noble Park fall to Balwyn, the Bulls will not qualify for finals action.
However, if both sides remain on the same number of premiership points after next week’s results, the Bulls will prevail on account of a stronger percentage.
Saturday’s 19-point defeat at the hands of ladder-leading Vermont leaves the Bulls with just one win in its last five outings.
Sitting equal-seventh for points scored in 2023, scoring has proven difficult all season for last year’s premiers and it proved the case once again at Vermont Recreation Reserve, failing to kick a goal in the final quarter as Vermont held on to win 8.11 59 to 5.10 40.
Noble Park held the Eagles in check for much of the contest, only trailing by seven points at the final break, before two final quarter goals for the Eagles ensured their 14th win of the campaign, and a likely minor premiership.
Neither side managed more than four consecutive goals all afternoon, such was the struggle for authority.
Vermont star Adrian Kalcovski kicked the opening two in a three minute burst to give the home side a quick 14-point lead despite Noble Park having the better of the possession numbers in heavy rain.
Ben Marson put the Bulls on the board after 15 minutes with a long set shot before repeated inside 50 entries presented an opportunity for Hudson Thomas.
Luke McDonnell intercepted a rebound 50 at centre-half-forward and found the swingman on a wide angle who converted the set shot, despite consternation from the Eagles players insisting that the kick had grazed the post.
The rain took a pause during the second quarter but the damage had been done to the Sherrin, incredibly difficult to grip for both sides.
Vermont made the running again the second term with the opening two goals for another 14-point margin.
Liam Scott lost his footing at centre-half-back and the Vermont attackers swooped on the ground ball, goaling from inside the centre square despite the desperate efforts of a diving Bodey Lambert on the goalline.
But as they were in the opening term, the reigning premiers were rewarded for its tenacity in the forward half, forcing a pair of turnovers in its attacking fifty to level the scores.
Luke Nelson swooped on a ground ball and calmly centered a kick from deep in the pocket to a waiting Kevin Kean at the top of the goal square while Marson and Harley Fairbank combined to gang-tackle a helpless Vermont defender, with Fairbank converting the resulting kick.
Just a solitary point separated the two at the half with rain returning heavier than ever during the interval.
An 18-minute deadlock welcomed the two sides back onto the park before a captain’s goal from Jackson Sketcher put the Bulls ahead.
The skipper broke free from a stoppage and calmly slotted a drop punt on the run, the conditions not impacting his skill level in the slightest.
Vermont’s grip on top spot was slipping like the wet ball through hands as the reigning premiers showed that there was still life in their premiership defence.
Two goals in time-on put the Eagles back in front at the final break, setting the scene for an epic fourth term.
The physicality and desperation from both sides matched the stakes of the afternoon, the weather having reduced the battle to a complete slog.
Jackson Casey missed a gilt-edged chance to put the Bulls ahead early in the term when he broke free and snapped from a forward 50 stoppage but was unable to graft the necessary bend on the kick to shape it through the big sticks.
Minutes later, a free-kick against Lambert allowed Kalcovski back into the contest, who goaled from distance with a heavy ball, to extend the lead to 12 points in the home side’s favour.
It quickly became 18 and the afternoon’s biggest gap when Daniel Neilson outmarked Jack Gains in the Vermont goal square.
The Bulls continued to press for the remainder of the afternoon but in the face of weather conditions and the deficit on the scoreboard, they were unable to make any inroads.
In the absence of Ryan Morrison, Noble Park’s defensive group in Lambert, Riet Pal and Jye Byford stood tall all afternoon, while Kean played his best game of the year at the other end of the ground.
Awaiting any slip-up from Vermont is second-placed Rowville, in pole-position to snatch first place should the Eagles stuffer any form of stumble.
A 59-point win over Blackburn at home was the Hawks’ sixth victory in succession and 11th in the last 12 outings, hitting top form at the ideal stage of the year.
The 19.9 123 to 9.10 64 scoreline made for a more comfortable experience for all involved in brown and gold than it had been in recent weeks, having scraped home in thrillers in the previous two outings.
A 19-point lead at half-time grew to 49 at the final break as the Hawks showcased all the talent their forward half has to offer in the third quarter.
Anthony Brolic kicked three, Jake Arundell and Zac Greeves a pair each as speed and silky skills combined to make a mess of Blackburn’s defence.
Nashua Wood and Tyler Edwards were the architects through the middle of the ground, Wood having multiple involvements in one passage where the Hawks moved the ball from the back pocket to Arundell at the top of the goalsquare directly through the corridor.
Four goals to Greeves marked his best return for the season and his first scoreboard impact since round 14.
Lachlan Wynd joined Brolic and Arundell with three for the afternoon and Wood added two as the multiple goalkickers for Rowville.
At Berwick, a blank third quarter from the home side proved costly in a 33-point loss to Doncaster East.
Berwick trailed by just seven points at the long break but failed to kick a goal in the third term while allowing five at the other end of the ground.
Remove that quarter from the contest and it’s a two-point win to the Wickers, but unfortunately for the home side, that’s not how sport works, the final score reading 5.9 39 to 10.12 72 in Doncaster East’s favour..
Sam Hilton-Joyce continues to impress since joining the club mid-season, kicking another two, as did Jayden Graham.
Berwick close their season with a big clash against Park Orchards next weekend, the Sharks playing to keep their place in premier division next season.
Results R17: Berwick 5.9 39 def by Doncaster East 10.12 72, Rowville 19.9 123 def Blackburn 9.10 64, Vermont 8.11 59 def Noble Park 5.10 40, East Ringwood 15.15 105 def Norwood 6.5 41, South Croydon 19.10 124 def Doncaster 4.8 32, Balwyn 14.7 91 def Park Orchards 8.13 61.
Ladder: Vermont 56, Rowville 52, Balwyn 52, East Ringwood 48, Doncaster East 40, Noble Park 36, Blackburn 36, Norwood 28, Berwick 24, South Croydon 16, Park Orchards 16, Doncaster 4.
Fixture R18: Noble Park (6) v Balwyn (3), Park Orchards (11) v Berwick (9), Doncaster (12) v Rowville (2), Doncaster East (5) v Vermont (1), Blackburn (7) v East Ringwood (4), Norwood (8) v South Croydon (10).
