By Tyler Lewis
With an assortment of key outs, Noble Park is certainly demonstrating its illustrious depth.
The Bulls were without superstars Ziggy Alwan, Jackson Sketcher and skipper Kyle Martin for Saturday’s clash with Doncaster, but still managed to torpedo the Sharks 23.11 (149) to 5.6 (36).
It was all over at the first change, as the Bulls fired off six goals to the home side’s two behinds.
Without the presence of Alwan inside the arc, the Bulls still fired off 23 majors, with 10 coming from off-season additions Jack Francis (six goals) and Shayne Allan (four goals).
Noble Park coach Steve Hughes is a well-known ‘defence first’ coach, but the Bulls are averaging 95 points per game in season 2022.
A stat Hughes believes is coming as a result from a spread of options.
“I am really pleased with where our forwards are at, I think we have a lot of different avenues, which I think is the best way to set up your team,” he said.
“We’ve got players that are more than capable of kicking multiple goals, but it’s not necessarily the same bloke kicking five every week – that’s not our structure.
“It’s hard to defend against, we’re not there by any stretch in terms of chemistry and synergy, but that’s not a surprise – we have a few different players in from last year and have a few missing.
“It’ll take a bit of time to gel, but it’s definitely getting there.”
In the absence of bonafide stars, Martin and Sketcher, Chris Horton-Milne and Jordan Marson have taken the leap from underrated, to genuine stars.
Horton-Milne (35 disposals, seven clearances) and Marson (30 disposals, seven clearances and nine inside 50’s stuffed the stat sheets.
“He’s shouldered a fair bit of the load, ‘Hodgey’, with Kyle (Martin) and Jack (Sketcher) out,” Hughes laughed.
“But also Jordan Marson, probably the two of them, they’re good players, but they’ve had to shoulder a fair bit of the load; we’re light on for rotations in the midfield with the loss of a couple of players.
“They’ve had to spend more time in there and the both of them have been bloody outstanding to be honest.
“We’ve won clearance the last few weeks and that’s testament to those two.”
The Bulls will have the week off before playing a stand-alone with Balwyn on Queen’s Birthday Saturday.
If it’s a shootout with Rowville you desire, best you pack a month’s worth of ammunition.
The Hawks fired off 23 goals on Saturday and while it’s inexplicably early in the season to be sewing up finals positions, Rowville’s enchanting opening seven-round run has placed the Hawks in a fabulous position to secure a top three finish.
Saturday’s mesmeric 20.14 (134) to 15.16 (106) win over Park Orchards leaves the Hawks 7-0, with Doncaster (10th) and Berwick (11th) either side of the bye.
The Hawks had seven multiple goal-kickers and 10 individual goal-kickers, as the Sharks – like most sides against Rowville this season – fell away in the last.
Lachie Wynd is starting to widen the eyes of key-defenders across the competition with another four goals, while crumber Jai Coleclough was coach Ben Wise’s pick for best afield.
In the last three full seasons of football (2019, ’18 and ’17) the top three has collected 14, 13 and 12 wins respectively… a minor milestone the Hawks realistically should be on the cusp of conquering in three weeks’ time.
LADDER: Rowville 28, Balwyn 20, Noble Park 20, Doncaster East 20, South Croydon 20, Vermont 20, Norwood 12, Blackburn 10, Park Orchards 8, Doncaster 8, Berwick 2, North Ringwood 0.
TOP-FIVE GOAL-KICKERS: C Haley (Balwyn) 30, J Wilsen (South Croydon) 23, J Lisle (Balwyn) 19, K Viccars (Doncaster) 19, H Money (Berwick) 18.
FIXTURE – ROUND 8: North Ringwood v Berwick, Rowville v Doncaster, Park Orchards v Doncaster East, Blackburn v Norwood, Vermont v South Croydon, Noble Park v Balwyn (11 June).
