By Marcus Uhe
Berwick has the unwanted exclusive status as the only remaining winless side in the Eastern Football Netball League’s premier division following a 68-point loss to East Ringwood on Saturday.
Runs of goals in both the first and third quarters proved disastrous for the Wickers in the loss, going down 6.9 45 to 17.11 113 at East Ringwood Reserve.
Two goals to Jasper Sully saw Berwick keep pace in the early stages of the contest before conceding five goals in 15 minutes to end the first quarter 31 points behind.
The Wickers then matched the home side for much of the second term, not allowing a goal until the 13th minute, and pegging one back through an excellent solo effort from debutant Majok Puok.
Puok gathered a ground ball at the 50 metre arc and navigated a pair of East Ringwood defenders before steadying and kicking truly on the run, to the delight of him teammates who came from all corners to congratulate him.
It was just a 38-point lead at the long break, before a flood of five goals in 11 minutes put the visitors further on the back foot in the third term.
Key defender Jordan Roberts had his hands full with towering forward Josh Fox, who kicked three consecutively in the third term, with two more coming from stoppage break downs in the forward half.
The margin grew from 38 to 68 in a flash, as the Wickers learned a tough lesson in the process about staying focus for four quarters.
Elijah Roewer’s goal kicking from continued with a major to close the third quarter to make it a hat-trick of weeks with a goal, before a pair of goals each in the final term kept the home side in check.
26 total minutes of poor football in the opening and third term was all it took for the margin to balloon, despite nearly 100 minutes of hard, contested football against a side expected to contend for a premiership in Premier Division.
Jesse Cirulis led the way in the ruck with Caleb Van Oostveen and Noah Cannon among the Wickers’ best, while Sam Frangalas earned a call up to Richmond’s VFL side, forcing Clint Evans to further test the depth at his disposal.
Berwick next welcomes 2023 runner-up Vermont to Edwin Flack Reserve on Saturday.
East Ringwood, meanwhile, move into second with a healthy percentage to boot.
Elsewhere in Premier Division, Norwood shocked Noble Park to open its account for the year with a two-point win in Bulls skipper Kyle Martin’s long-awaited return to the football field.
Norwood led for the almost the duration of the contest as Noble Park struggled to find avenues to goal outside of Bailey Lambert, who kicked eight of the Bulls’ 10.
Noble Park briefly took the lead through former Berwick Springs forward Tom Nelson in the final term but Norwood managed to reclaim the lead before time expired to shock the competition.
Rowville returned to winning ways with a 23-point over Blackburn while Balwyn remains undefeated, having downed Doncaster East by 96 points.
