Class, character and 161 games of AFL experience.
Noble Park has been given a lift for the late stages of the Eastern Football Netball League Premier season, with former Adelaide and St Kilda player Brad Crouch set to lace on the boots.
Crouch, who retired from the AFL after managing just one game due to injury last year, played his first game for the Bulls on Saturday, helping them to a 15.12(102) to 6.9(45) victory over Mitcham.
He had 29 disposals, nine clearances and six tackles with his extended exposure at AFL level immediately obvious in a young side against an opponent which has just one win to its name this year.
“A player of that calibre is always going to have influence but we were cautious because it was his first game in the best part of 12 months,” coach Steve Hughes said.
“He showed he will be a big asset to end the season.
“He was super clean with the footy, made good decisions and that element of experience with our young group was super.
“A lot of them look up to him a lot – and that’s not just the players, but also the supporter group.
“He’s an old country boy who will talk to anyone around the club so he’s been great.”
Currently occupying fifth spot on the table, Crouch’s addition will be huge for Noble Park’s finals quest, likewise the return of skipper Ben Marson, who played his best game of the year on Saturday in his fourth game back from injury.
While an expected result, it was a significant win for Noble Park, coming off a 93-point shellacking at the hands of Blackburn, one of the competition’s pacesetters alongside this weekend’s opponent, East Ringwood.
“I was really pleased with the way we played,” Hughes said.
“Mitcham served it up to us early on but we had a five-goal wind and then against the wind, we played some intelligent footy with repeat stoppages and marching the ball up the field rather than going 100 miles an hour which set the game up for us.
“It was pleasing off the back of probably our worst performance against Blackburn.
“They probably beat us at a style of footy we’re trying to play ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Tahj De La Rue continued his strong form but it wasn’t enough to lift Berwick to victory over Balwyn, going down 12.15(87) to 6.14(50).
In Division 1, Beaconsfield has slumped to its fifth loss in its last six games, this time to sixth-placed Montrose, going down 14.12(96) to 7.8(50).
The result puts Beaconsfield’s position in the top five in some jeopardy, with the Eagles sitting just two per cent ahead of Montrose, vying to jump ahead of them.
Frustratingly for Mick Fogarty’s troops, three of those losses have been by six points or less.
Their inability to pick up some wins while some players have been absent due to injury has heaped pressure on them to have a winning finish to the home and away season.
They will be tipped to beat an injury-ravaged Mooroolbark and winless Norwood, and will hope to use that momentum to defeat Bayswater and Park Orchards – both which got the better of the Eagles earlier in the season – and secure a finals spot.
Any slip up could prove costly, with Montrose having Norwood, Mooroolbark, North Ringwood and South Belgrave on the run home.
An inconsistent second half was costly for the Eagles despite strong efforts from defender Finn Devine and the returning Charlie Muley.
EASTERN PREMIER
Results R13: Mitcham 6.9(45) v Noble Park 15.12(102), Doncaster 4.9(33) v East Ringwood 10.5(65), Rowville 8.10(58) v 10.11(71), Blackburn 14.20(104) v Vermont 5.12(42), Balwyn 12.15(87) v Berwick 6.14(50)
Ladder: East Ringwood 44, Blackburn 44, Balwyn 40, Rowville 28, Noble Park 28, Doncaster East 20, South Croydon 20, Vermont 20, Berwick 12, Mitcham 4
Fixture R14: Noble Park v East Ringwood, South Croydon v Balwyn, Blackburn v Rowville, Berwick v Vermont, Mitcham v Doncaster East
DIVISION 1
Results R14: Mooroolbark 11.10(76) v Bayswater 8.3(51), Montrose 14.12(96) v Beaconsfield 7.8(50), North Ringwood 10.16(76) v Boronia 14.3(87), Norwood 7.4(46) v Park Orchards 25.13(163)
Ladder: South Belgrave 44, Park Orchards 44, Boronia 32, North Ringwood 28, Beaconsfield 24, Montrose 24, Mooroolbark 16, Bayswater 12, Norwood 0
Fixture R15: Norwood v Montrose, Beaconsfield v Mooroolbark Park Orchards v North Ringwood, Boronia v South Belgrave.
