By Tyler Lewis
Noble Park will surge into the Eastern Football Netball League Premier Division grand final full of confidence after completing a nasty demolition job of South Croydon.
The Dogs hit Saturday’s preliminary final with a head of steam, winning eight on the bounce – including two finals – while the Bulls were seething from last weekend’s loss to Rowville.
Filled with the adrenaline of playing off for a spot in a grand final, the first 10 minutes were played at a break-neck pace, before Noble Park monopolised the flow of the game.
The Bulls settled quicker than the Dogs, allowing for a two-goal buffer at the first change.
As it often has this season, Noble Park broke the game open in the second stanza; proving impenetrable in defence and irresistible in attack.
With an additional final under its belt – and no week off – South Croydon looked out of gas in the second term, particularly on the spread.
From the moment South Croydon’s Tom Sheridan kicked his second 22 minutes into the first, the Bulls put the clamps on, allowing just four majors for the remainder of the match to ultimately run out 17.16 (118) to 7.9 (51) victors.
Post game, Noble Park coach Steve Hughes revealed where he felt his side won the game.
“The first half was outstanding, we set the game up,” he said.
“Our ball use really improved I thought, we tempoed the ball a little bit more, we didn’t necessarily go 100 miles per hour, 100 per cent of the time.
“I think some subtle adjustments… our forwards worked really hard, I put them under the pump a little bit after last week.
“They were sort of running into each other a lot and not working for each other.
“I thought that changed, so credit to them for that as well.”
Contrastingly to last week, Noble Park’s ball use – specifically by foot – was fabulous.
Hughes explained the difference came down to a variety of factors: Rowville’s pressure early on last week, and his young group’s willingness to improve this week.
“Just young blokes that are willing to learn and watch a bit of vision,” he explained.
“Not everything is perfect, you have to spend a little bit of time reviewing what you do well and not so well.
“And last week, credit to Rowville their pressure was outstanding, we turned the footy over a little bit and gave it back.
“That combined with the forwards as I said, playing in their bubbles a little bit.
“There was maybe a little bit of an individual mindset last week, we tried to change that to ‘how do you get your mate a goal this week?’
“I think it helped a little bit.”
The key to the Bulldogs recent run of form has been spearhead James Wilsen (73 goals this season).
Wilsen booted 32 majors across South Croydon’s eight-game winning streak, including 10 in two matches throughout the finals series.
He was dealt the task of continuing the trend against the best defender in the league in Ryan Morrison, who was coming off a rare defeat last week.
Morrison held him scoreless.
“Oh he was outstanding wasn’t he, he was a bit of a wall today, nothing got through him”, Hughes said with a beaming smile.
“That’s Ryan, that’s the way he plays most weeks – last week, absolutely, credit to Lachie Wynd, he did a good job and definitely got the points.
“But yeah… Morro was back to his best today for sure.”
The Bulls will now take on Rowville for the fourth time of the season.
NOBLE PARK v SOUTH CROYDON
GOAL BY GOAL TIMELINE
FIRST QUARTER
TIME PLAYER (CLUB) MARGIN
01.14 J Stern (Noble Park) Bulls by 6
02.20 T Sheridan (Sth Croydon) Scores level
03.34 J Marson (Noble Park) Bulls by 6
08.46 J Walker (Sth Croydon) Scores level
19.10 Z Alwan (Noble Park) Bulls by 9
22.25 T Sheridan (St Croydon) Bulls by 2
25.35 B O’Leary (Noble Park) Bulls by 7
27.45 B Marson (Noble Park) Bulls by 12
End of quarter: Noble Park 5.3 (33) to South Croydon 3.3 (21)
SECOND QUARTER
03.30 T Sheridan (Sth Croydon) Bulls by 7
08.50 H Fairbank (Noble Park) Bulls by 14
13.54 B O’Leary (Noble Park) Bulls by 21
17.30 B Marson (Noble Park) Bulls by 27
18.20 H Fairbank (Noble Park) Bulls by 33
21.37 B Lambert (Noble Park) Bulls by 38
24.30 B Lambert (Noble Park) Bulls by 45
End of quarter: Noble Park 11.7 (73) to South Croydon 4.5 (29)
THIRD QUARTER
05.14 R Mallison (Sth Croydon) Bulls by 39
07.37 B Lambert (Noble Park) Bulls by 45
20.55 L McDonnell (Noble Park) Bulls by 55
22.40 A Birch (Sth Croydon) Bulls by 48
End of quarter: Noble Park 13.12 (90) to 6.6 (42)
FOURTH QUARTER
03.26 J Sketcher (Noble Park) Bulls by 53
05.08 K Martin (Noble Park) Bulls by 59
19.20 K Byers (Noble Park) Bulls by 67
21.28 J Williams (Sth Croydon) Bulls by 61
26.05 H Fairbank (Noble Park) Bulls by 67
End of game: Noble Park 17.16 (118) to South Croydon 7.9 (51)
SCOREBOARD
NOBLE PARK 5.3 11.7 13.12 17.16 (118)
SOUTH CROYDON 3.3 4.5 6.6 7.9 (51)
Noble Park Goals: H. Fairbank 3, B. Lambert 3, B. O”Leary 2, B. Marson 2, Z. Alwan, J. Marson, J. Sketcher, J. Stern, K. Martin, K. Byers, L. McDonnell. Best: J. Beech, K. Martin, B. Lambert, R. Morrison, Z. Alwan, C. Horton-Milne.
South Croydon Goals: T. Sheridan 3, A. Birch, R. Mallison, J. Walker, J. Williams. Best: N. Evans, M. Jones, J. Walker, T. Sheridan, D. Cooper, B. Kilpatrick.
FIXTURE
GRAND FINAL
Saturday 17 September
Rowville v Noble Park at Bayswater Oval – 2:15PM
