By JARROD POTTER
EFL – ROUND 11
TAKING two massive wins out of its recent three rounds, Noble Park has put itself right in the premiership mix after knocking over high-flying Rowville by 31 points.
Given a hellacious three-week block – facing top sides Balwyn, Vermont and Rowville on the trot – Noble Park didn’t give an inch.
After they beat Balwyn and went down gallantly to Vermont in a three-point loss the week before – it set the stage for another massive moment on Saturday and the Bulls delivered in the end.
As usual in 2016, it all started from the back-half.
Playing his way into another best afield performance, roaming defender Brett Dore clunked 14 contested marks and proved unstoppable across the skies.
Whether planned or unplanned, Rowville left Dore unmanned for most of the game and allowed him to get across to support the likes of Ryan Morrison, Liam Tobin and Trent Robertson.
Morrison was amazing on the dangerous Daniel Archer and racked up 31 touches from full back as the key defenders stood tall.
That ironclad defence let the midfield and forward end shine as Kyle Martin, Craig Anderson and Tim Kelly set up plenty of attacking footy.
The revolving forward line had enough of the pill – as the likes of Vergim Faik, Taylor Joyce, Tim Harper and Piva Wright each slotted two goals – but it wasn’t completely rosy up forward.
Despite two emphatic terms through the midst of the match, Noble Park’s kicking let them down to spray eight behinds in the third and leave the door ajar for a Rowville revival.
That home-town surge came with a bang at the start of the fourth.
Noble Park had to be roused from its complacent canter as Rowville closed the gap to a single wayward kick.
It put the Bulls up against the wall, but that’s where some of Mick Fogarty’s men truly excel.
Craig Anderson went up forward – clunked a massive pack grab and extended the margin before the cavalry arrived to knock down the Hawks’ recovery.
Another four more would fly and knock Rowville from its perch in only its fourth loss of 2016.
“We had a real opportunity to put them away and we couldn’t do that,” Noble Park coach Fogarty said. “In the last quarter they came back really hard at us, got to within a point and it looked like we were down and out and on our last legs so to speak.
“But then the boys rallied – there were terrific efforts from our boys and their abilities to keep willing themselves on, keep sticking to our structures and stick to our game plan and got it over the line.”
He praised the likes of Dore, Morrison, Trent Robertson and his evergreen midfield maestro Anderson – the ‘cool heads’ in the Bulls’ line-up that took their time and got the job done.
The win keeps Noble Park in touch with the top three in Division 1 ahead of hosting South Croydon this week at the Bullring with Ziggy Alwan and Stewart Kemperman set to return.
“It was good – we realised what was at stake today,” Fogarty said. “Our form over the last three weeks has been pretty strong – we’ve been pretty happy with the way we’ve been playing.
“Coming out to Rowville, what that did and what that meant for us is if we got over the line we were a chance to finish in the top three and if we didn’t we’d be battling to play finals.
“We identified the three week block of Balwyn, Vermont and Rowville as a block we needed to at least get two out of the three as it would send us on our way and we’ve done that.”
In VAFA results, the St John’s streak is over after Preston Bullants surged to steal a nine-point win. An emphatic first term from the visiting JOCs – booting five goals to none – wasn’t capitalised on for the rest of the day as the side slowed and let the Bullants back in. Aaron Thornton and Glenn Costas booted three apiece while Liam O’Connor was best afield down back.
Masala was defeated 6.3 (39) to Mt Lilydale’s 14.14 (98) as Anthony Dorrington (three goals) was best afield alongside Wayne McMahon.
