By Tyler Lewis
As the rain blanketed Edwin Flack Reserve, Noble Park blanketed Berwick.
After an arm-wrestle of a first half, the Bulls and Wickers returned back from the main break to a different game of footy.
With a lead of just three goals at the half, Noble Park took to the conditions like ducks to water – piling on quick goals to eradicate the sting from the game.
With six unanswered goals added in quick-time in the third term, the Bulls shifted its handy half-time buffer to a certain victory.
The Bulls have now won several wet-weather contests, to which coach Steve Hughes puts down to his sides desire to win the hard-ball.
“We’ve got some good contested ball-winners, that’s typically a key ingredient to wet-weather footy… being able to stick your nose over it,” he said.
“We’ve got a number of players that are capable of that, the likes of Hodgey (Horton-Milne), Marto even the ruckman Jake Gains, who I thought was outstanding.
“Yeah I think the key ingredient to wet weather footy is that inside ball and we’ve got good personnel in those areas.”
In that third term onslaught, experienced forward Shayne Allan hit the scoreboard and set up multiple goals.
Allan also kicked a handful of goals earlier in the season against Norwood in the wet and while he doesn’t fit that ‘key ingredient’ mould that Hughes puts down to winning wet-weather games, he is confident as to why Allan seems to perform in unpleasant conditions.
“He just kills you quick,” he explained.
“A few people have asked me about what he does and that’s what he does, he kills you quick.
“If you give him three opportunities, he takes all three; if you give him five, he will take all five.
“He’s always going to monopolise a good defender, which is important, but he’s intelligent, he’s one of the more intelligent players I’ve coached.
“He gets to the most dangerous area and doesn’t need many chances, he’s been consistent kicking two or three every week.
“He’s first to arrive every night, does the extras and he’s having a wonderful season.”
While names like Martin, Sketcher, Morrison and Gains have become synonymous with Noble Park this season, the lesser-known – but still outstanding players – like Lachie McDonnell and Harley Fairbank have compiled excellent months of football.
Fairbank didn’t record a kick on Saturday, but was everywhere in terms of contested ball, while McDonnell is finding a stack of the footy.
“I mean you need 22 contributors and all of your players developing,” Hughes said.
“Those two mentioned are still pretty young but are absolutely developing.
“Lachie Mac is Collingwood VFL listed and you can see why, he’s added another string to his bow by coming into the midfield due to losing a couple.
“That’s enabled Lachie to move from the wing to the middle of the ground and we’ve had a number of discussions with Lachie about how that is his next level.
“Harley is only a year out of underage football now, he’s raw, but very exciting.
“He’s got serious wheels, he’s a speed-machine (is) Harley and he buys into the pressure acts, it’s not about kicking two or three goals, he will tackle, chase and harass.”
In other matches: Rowville returned back to the winners-list with a strong 15.19 (109) to 11.9 (75) win over Park Orchards. Charlie Haley booted six as Balwyn out-worked Norwood, 17.17 (119) to 11.7 (73). South Croydon key-forward James Wilsen outdid Haley with a haul of seven in the dogs 20.10 (130) to 6.8 (44) win over Blackburn, and Doncaster East won the Doncaster derby, defeating Doncaster 18.7 (115) to 11.6 (72). North Ringwood claimed its first win of the season, defeating Vermont 8.10 (58) to 6.14 (50).
TEAM W L % Pts
Noble Park 12 2 161.42 48
Rowville 12 2 135.57 48
Doncaster East 10 4 141.25 40
Balwyn 10 4 138.59 40
South Croydon 9 5 120.76 36
Blackburn 7 6 89.66 30
Park Orchards 5 9 98.05 20
Norwood 5 9 90.72 20
Vermont 5 9 83.01 20
Doncaster 5 9 70.47 20
Berwick 2 11 67 10
North Ringwood 1 13 49.93 4
FIXTURE
Round 15
Balwyn v Noble Park
South Croydon v Berwick
Blackburn v Doncaster East
Doncaster v Norwood
Rowville v North Ringwood
Vermont v Park Orchards
