By ROY WARD
NOBLE Park faces a nervous wait on the extent of star midfielder Ziggy Alwan’s shoulder injury.
Alwan, who has had a stellar season and will be a candidate for the Eastern Football League division 1 best and fairest award, dislocated his shoulder against Knox Falcons at Pat Wright Senior Oval on Saturday.
The Bulls scored a 36-point win but will be severely tested if Alwan cannot return to the field this season.
Captain Craig Anderson is already out with a long-term shoulder injury and several other key players are injured.
Bulls coach Mick Fogarty said Alwan’s fate was uncertain.
“Ziggy had his arms outstretched and took a knock and his shoulder popped out. Hopefully it’s not season ending for him. We will find out this week.”
After the game, Bulls midfielder Daniel Galante was also sent to hospital following a knee to the kidney. “Daniel was getting scans and we are not sure how he has pulled up,” Fogarty said.
“It’s been an interesting year in regard to us getting serious injuries week in, week out.”
Despite those misfortunes the Bulls still aim to earn a top-three berth in the finals with five games to go in the season.
“We are a game off the top sides but with our percentage we realistically need to make up two games,” Fogarty said.
“If we can keep winning let’s see what happens.”
The Bulls hope to get at least five senior players back from injury for their August 4 clash with Croydon.
Bulls rover Tyson Mitchem was named best player against Knox along with Tom Wilkinson, Chris Horton-Milne and Matt Pearce.
“Tyson has been sensational this season,” Fogarty said.
“His inside work and strength around the ball has been wonderful.”
The EFL announced last week that Bayswater Oval and Tormore Reserve, Boronia, would share the hosting of the EFL division 1 finals series. Bayswater Oval is expected to host the grand final.
EFL division 1 ladder: Balwyn 40 points, 145.66 per cent; Scoresby 40, 132.23; Vermont 40, 130.36; Norwood 40, 125.06; Noble Park 36, 116.30; East Burwood 24, 101.70; Lilydale 20, 98.75; East Ringwood 20, 89.08; Knox 20, 89.07; Blackburn 20, 87.87; South Croydon 8, 68.10; Croydon 4, 64.56.
FINAL SCORES
Victorian Football League:
Bye
TAC Cup:
Development round
Southern Football League:
Division 1: Heatherton 15.12 (102) d Mordialloc 8.16(64); Highett 19.7 (121) d Clayton 9.12 (66); Chelsea Heights 9.11 (65) d Dingley 4.6 (30).
Division 2: Southern Dragons 10.13 (73) d South Yarra 11.6 (72); East Malvern 15.11 (101) d Springvale Districts 8.11 (59); Oakleigh District 20.9 (129) d Hampton 12.4(76).
Division 3: Doveton Eagles 13.11 (89) d Caulfield 6.13(49); Mount Waverley 17.15 (117) d Hallam 6.12(48); Moorabbin 11.14 (80) d Endeavour Hills 3.7(25); Dandenong 13.7 (85) d Ashwood 11.15 (81); Sandown 22.23 (155) d Lyndale 4.6 (30).
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: East Burwood 22.14 (146) d Croydon 9.13(67); Scoresby 15.7 (97) d Lilydale 8.10 (58); Balwyn 28.23 (191) d South Croydon 12.6 (78); Blackburn 21.9 (135) d East Ringwood 15.11 (101); Noble Park 12.14 (86) d Knox 7.8 (50); Vermont 18.11(119) d Norwood 10.7 (67).
Division 2: Bayswater 24.17 (161) d Doncaster 10.6(66); Montrose 18.22 (130) d Donvale 9.5 (59); Mulgrave 14.10(94) d Doncaster East 11.16 (82); Rowville 22.16 (148) d Waverley Blues 7.7 (49); Mooroolbark 15.12 (102) d Upper Ferntree Gully 11.5(71).
Division 3: North Ringwood 19.9 (123) d Templestowe 9.5(59); Wantirna South 15.18 (108) d Boronia 10.6(66); Ringwood 13.9 (87) d Warrandyte 11.8 (74); Mitcham 16.15 (111) d Chirnside Park 12.9(81); Glen Waverley Hawks 10.10 (70) d Heathmont 9.10 (64); Coldstream 9.9(63) d Whitehorse Pioneers 9.8 (62).
Division 4: South Belgrave 24.29 (173) d Surrey Park 4.3(27); Eastern Lions 17.19 (121) d Canterbury 10.12(72); Ferntree Gully 13.7 (85) d Silvan 10.5 (65); Nunawading 13.10 (88) d Park Orchards 11.16 (82).
Casey Cardinia Football League:
Berwick 10.11 (71) d Beaconsfield 7.8 (50); Narre Warren 51.18 (324) d Hampton Park 1.2-8; Doveton 26.20 (176) d Keysborough 14.8 (92); Cranbourne 19.15 (129) d Pakenham 6.7 (43); Tooradin-Dalmore 21.14 (140) d ROC 14.11 (95).
For full results, click on Greater Dandenong Latest Sport Results link at upper right.
THIS WEEK
Victorian Football League:
Frankston v Casey Scorpions, Frankston Oval, 1.10pm.
TAC Cup:
Dandenong Stingrays v Eastern Ranges, Shepley Oval 1pm.
Southern Football League:
Division 1: East Brighton v Heatherton, Hurlingham Reserve 2pm; Clayton v Chelsea Heights, Meade Reserve 2pm; Dingley v Cheltenham, Souter Oval 2.20pm.
Division 2: Oakleigh District v East Malvern, Princes Highway Reserve 2pm; Springvale Districts v Southern Dragons, Springvale Reserve 2pm.
Division 3: Lyndale v Hallam, Barry Powell Reserve 2pm; Endeavour Hills v Sandown, Barry Simon Reserve 2pm; Ashwood v Moorabbin, Essex Heights Reserve 2pm; Mount Waverley v Caulfield Mayfield Reserve 2pm; Doveton Eagles v Dandenong, Power Reserve 2pm.
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: South Croydon v Noble Park, Cheong Park 2.10pm; Knox v East Ringwood, Knox Gardens Reserve 2.10pm; Lilydale v Croydon, Lilydale Sports Oval 2.10pm; Norwood v Scoresby, Mullum Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 2: Donvale v Bayswater, Donvale Reserve 2.10pm; Mooroolbark v Rowville, Heights Reserve 2.10pm; Waverley Blues v Mulgrave, Mt Waverley Reserve 2.10pm; Doncaster v Upper Ferntree Gully, Schramms Reserve 2.10pm; Doncaster East v Montrose, Zerbes Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 3: Coldstream v Mitcham, Coldstream Reserve 2.10pm; Ringwood v Wantirna South, Jubilee Park 2.10pm; Chirnside Park v Templestowe, Kimberley Reserve 2.10pm; North Ringwood v Boronia, Quambee Reserve 2.10pm; Warrandyte v Heathmont, Warrandyte Reserve 2.10pm; Whitehorse Pioneers v Glen Waverley Hawks, Whitehorse Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 4: The Basin v Canterbury, Batterham Reserve 2.10pm; South Belgrave v Ferntree Gully, Belgrave South Recreation Reserve 2.10pm; Park Orchards v Silvan, Domeney Reserve 2.10pm; Forest Hill v Nunawading, Forest Hill Reserve 2.10pm; Kilsyth v Eastern Lions, Pinks Reserve 2.10pm; Surrey Park, bye.
Casey Cardinia Football League:
Cranbourne v Hampton Park, Casey Fields, 2.15pm; Narre Warren v Pakenham, Kalora Park, 2.15pm; ROC v Keysborough, Officer Recreation Reserve, 2.15pm; Doveton v Berwick, Robinson Oval, 2.15pm. (split round)
All games on Saturday unless otherwise stated.
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