**PRECEDE:
Local rivals Rowville and Noble Park will face off for a spot in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL) Premier Division grand final this weekend, after superb home and away seasons saw the Hawks and Bulls finish one and two on the ladder. In this preview, DANDENONG JOURNAL sports reporter TYLER LEWIS asked the two coaches the same three questions, before performing a statistical deep dive…
BEN WISE – ROWVILLE
Q: What did you learn as a coach about your group in the game against Noble Park?
A: Yeah you take a lot away, obviously in the first half we weren’t going so well and they were playing really good footy.
We dissect where went wrong and what areas of the game we felt we weren’t doing very well in, obviously contested footy around stoppages was one they were getting their hands on and breaking away from.
We learned that there’s certain things we’re going to do have to do a bit differently with our positioning at stoppages and understand how they exit.
We also learned it doesn’t matter what position we’re in, we still have a lot of belief.
Q: What is your message going to be in the lead up to a lot of the boys’ biggest games of their career to date?
A: Just embrace it.
You know finals footy, we’re in a pledged position now, a lot of sides haven’t played footy, the pressure and the build-up for three years, so if you look at most of the lists around, there’s going to be a lot of inexperience for everyone.
I have a really good base of senior players who will be able to lead this younger group through.
The main message will be: it’s going to be hot, it’ll be contested, you’re going to have to absorb the pressure and continue on to execute.
Q: If you were a neutral person and were in a debate arguing why Rowville would win this game, what would your main points be?
A: Probably just the even spread and maybe the pace.
If you’re a neutral supporter that don’t know much about the two sides, you would probably just look at the ladder and see we’ve finished a couple games clear of everyone else and have to go with the form I guess.
It’s going to be two quality sides having a crack, it’ll be really exciting, if you’re a neutral supporter it won’t matter who you barrack for, you’ll see a great contest.
STEVE HUGHES – NOBLE PARK
Q: What did you learn as a coach about your group in the game against Rowville?
A: Probably a little bit about Rowville’s patterns when they’ve got control of the ball.
We will try and do a little bit of work on that during the week, we did a number of things really well that day too – it’s easy to forget that when you have a significant lead and end up getting rolled.
You have to be glass half full with some of the things we did well, and of course when you play a second time you learn more about match-ups.
Q: What is your message going to be in the lead up to a lot of the boys’ biggest games of their career to date?
A: I am going to quite simply strip it back and talk to our boys about doing their best.
If it’s not good enough, the sun will come up and we will live to fight another day.
Young men who missed two years of footy – which is important to them – have now got the opportunity to play off for a spot in a grand final, that’s so exciting, I just want them to enjoy the day and not let it pass us by.
Q: If you were a neutral person and were in a debate arguing why Rowville would win this game, what would your main points be?
A: I get asked a lot about our midfield, that’s fair enough… we’ve got champions of our club playing in the midfield.
But I think collectively our back six do a good job every year, we won the defensive scorecard, which has been an aim for us this year.
If we’re going to get Rowville, we’re hoping to nullify their scoring, if we win the game I think you’ll find our defenders stood up.
I think it’s an area that doesn’t get talked about a lot, but it’s one of our strengths.
WHAT I SAY
The spread of dexterity through these two sides is extraordinary.
Across 18 matches this season, the Bulls have conceded 100 points or more just three times, but as a result… they’ve lost in each of those outings – two of which were against Rowville.
On the flip side, the Bulls have scored 100 in five appearances and have won all five.
Rowville, meanwhile, has ticked over the century on eight occasions and has conceded triple-figure total just once – in a round 7 shootout with Park Orchards which the Hawks won.
For a side that had just two blemishes this season, the Hawks have trailed at the first change in eight instances.
However, in six of those eight matches, Rowville has transformed swiftly to win the second quarter.
While Noble Park’s second terms have been brilliant (lost just two), the Bulls’ premiership stanzas have been scintillating.
In 18 periods, the Bulls have grossed 77.50 (512) in third quarters and have lost just four this season.
But of those four, they’ve gone on to lose three of those matches.
The only downside to those mind-boggling third terms is the cue has occasionally been put in the rack 30 minutes early.
The Bulls have a seven-win, one-draw and 10-loss record in final quarters this year, which equals the grossed number of quarters lost across the entire season in the first three terms collectively.
Dissimilarly, the Hawks finish like a steam train.
Ben Wise’s men have lost just four final terms this season; three of which have been by single figures and the fourth by just 15 points.
Matt Davey and Mav Taylor lead the Hawks for goals, each with 27.
Davey has a season best of just four but has kicked a goal in all but five appearances in 2022.
Taylor finished the season with a bag of seven to equal Davey in the final round, but he kicked three in both clashes with Noble Park this season.
While 27 for a leading goal kicker appears bleak, it’s the spread of goal kickers that has won the Hawks games this season.
Jake Arundell (26 goals) and Lachie Wynd (23 goals) have too kicked over 20 majors.
For the Bulls – you can’t buy experience – it’s Shayne Allan who is leading the way with 40 goals.
The crafty left-footer has kicked goals in all games, except four, which included round 1 against Rowville.
He has kicked five goals twice this season and has been a driver in the Bulls’ dazzling third terms on more than one occasion.
Jack Francis (28 goals), Ben Marson (27 goals) and Kieren Byers (23 goals) have all ticked over the 20-goal mark.
If the numbers are to emulate anything, it’s that this Saturday’s qualifying final between Rowville and Noble Park will be nothing short of mouth-watering.
STATS CENTRE – HOME AND AWAY
ROWVILLE v NOBLE PARK
RECORD
16-2 v 14-4
THIS SEASON
Round 1: Rowville 16.13 (109) def Noble Park 12.11 (83)
Round 16: Rowville 16.4 (100) def Noble Park 14.14 (98)
POINTS FOR (AVE)
1610 (89) v 1771 (98)
POINTS AGAINST (AVE)
1125 (62.5) v 1119 (62.1)
LEADING GOAL KICKER (TOTAL)
Matt Davey (27), Mav Taylor (27) v Shayne Allan (40)
QUARTERS WON
48 v 51
QUARTERS LOST
23 v 20
BEST QUARTER
Fourth: +222 v Second: +238
WORST QUARTER
First: +27 v Fourth: +44
FIXTURE:
Saturday 3 September
Rowville v Noble Park – Bayswater Oval 2:20PM
FINALS BRACKET
WEEK 1
Elimination Final 1:
South Croydon 11.12 (78) def Blackburn 7.9 (51)
Elimination Final 2:
Balwyn 9.6 (60) def by Doncaster East 18.15 (123)
WEEK 2
Semi Final 1 – Saturday September 3 at Bayswater Oval
Rowville v Noble Park
Semi Final 2 – Sunday September 4 at Central Reserve
South Croydon v Doncaster East
WEEK 3
Preliminary Final 1 – Saturday September 10 at Bayswater Oval
Loser of Semi Final 1 v Winner of Semi Final 2
WEEK 4
Grand Final – Saturday September 17 at Bayswater Oval
Winner of Semi Final 1 v Winner of Preliminary Final 1
