By JARROD POTTER
EASTERN FOOTBALL LEAGUE – round 8
AS THE darkness crept across Balwyn Reserve on Saturday, a few Eastern Football League truths had been uncovered.
Balwyn is no longer the juggernaut it was in previous seasons – the back-to-back premiers will need to work a lot harder now to steamroll opponents.
Noble Park’s season is not a write-off as the Bulls emerged with a 28-point win over the Tigers and most importantly, muddy football remains the most entertaining brand of the sport to watch.
The Bulls and Tigers slogged through the detritus at Balwyn Reserve in Noble Park’s coming-of-age victory to final defeat Balwyn after a multiple-year drought.
Work rate was determined by how filthy you came off the field, with the likes of Stewart Kemperman, Piva Wright and Luke Bull showing their efforts via mud caked all over.
Kemperman’s effort was even more impressive as he battled his way back from an Achilles ligament injury which kept him on the sidelines for two weeks.
After establishing the early lead, Noble Park went tit-for-tat to keep Balwyn on the leash throughout the second half.
The sealing goal came half way through the last term as Sam Monaghan drilled the clincher and started the celebrations before goals to Peter McGettigan and Dan Keely emphatically captured the win.
“I went through the team and they were all absolutely outstanding,” Noble Park coach Jon Knight said.
“Johnson early in the first half was outstanding.
“Will Kelly through the centre, Ando (Craig Anderson) could’ve kicked four or five goals, which would have capped off a great game, but Piva Wright nonstop in the ruck with Dorey (Brett Dore) and Monners (Sam Monaghan)… really, really good.
“The blokes who aren’t as prolific in our stand-out players, the middle tiered players were good and the whole team was great.”
Knight praised the efforts of his back six – especially full-back Bobby Kemperman negating Luke Barker, Jarryd Plymin holding down Jeff Gobbels and highlighting Dan Keely’s effort on Blake Broadhurst.
It wasn’t a coincidence, a blessing or anything doled out artificially for Knight – he knew Noble Park won its most important match of the year through gritting its teeth and getting the job done.
“Balwyn at Balwyn, after the season we’ve had so far, it’s one of those ones we need to get over the line… the way we got over the line and the way we played was exciting,” Knight said.
“We didn’t win through luck, we won through hard work and the boys have got to know that is the required work rate every week to win.”
Matches against Blackburn and Vermont and a hard week on the track added up for Knight’s charges and the experience gained from tougher opposition made the difference.
“Thought we came in a bit harder than them, and we had a tough week on the track, sometimes that can be a negative and work against you but it was a risk I was willing to take and today it paid off,” Knight said.
Knight said the win helps avenge last year’s grand final loss to the Tigers and most importantly, puts the Bulls back into contention for this year’s cup.
The win corrects the Bulls season and brings them up to a 3-4 record and eighth on the EFL Division 1 ladder.
Noble Park heads to Rowville on Saturday to hopefully jump back up to the top half of the ladder.
