AFL Outer-East: Wandin edges Berwick in high-scoring battle of the premiers
A Round 1 debut can be a nerve-racking moment for a player, but spare a thought for Wandin coach Nick Adam. He’s just taken the helm at Wandin and his first assignment was a huge clash against Berwick.
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A Round 1 debut can be a nerve-racking moment for a player, but spare a thought for Wandin coach Nick Adam.
He’s just taken the helm at reigning AFL Yarra Ranges premiers Wandin and his first assignment was an eagerly awaited clash against SEFNL premiers Berwick as the new AFL Outer-East took the field over the weekend.
This was a match debated furiously all summer, as followers argued the relative strengths of the two leagues, and it drew a massive crowd to the Wandin North Reserve on Sunday.
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“There’s no doubt any round one is exciting,” Adam, said. “But we heard all the noise around it. It was definitely a very big day.
“Big crowd, hot footy, you might as well jump into the fire.”
In the lead up to the clash Adam said all he wanted from his players was for them to go out with “head high and chest out”.
That they did, as they edged their way to a 22.9 (141) to 19.17 (131) win in a match that will be hard to beat for entertainment value any time soon.
After kicking nine goals apiece in a frantic opening half, Berwick held sway by just two points.
The Bulldogs kicked seven in the third to get some breathing space at orange time before the sides traded half a dozen each over the last half-hour and Wandin saluted by 10 points.
Former Gold Coast Suns/Carlton bigman Daniel Gorringe bagged six for Wandin while Harrison Money kicked five at the other end.
Such was the frenetic scoring rate, the goal umpires were given a serious early-season workout as the contest developed into an end-to-end shootout more in keeping with matches in September.
It’s not often you see a 41-goal game in mid-April but Adam wasn’t as surprised as many by the high-scoring.
“That can happen at Wandin, with the size of the ground,” he said. “It’s really good for the crowd but I don’t think that our defensive line coaches liked it so much.”
Adam said he was confident his leading players would rise to the occasion but that premierships are won by your bottom six players.
“I was really proud of the Wandin-bred players,” he said. “The Wandin-bred kids who haven’t played at that level before.”
Daniel Bailey drew plenty of praise from his coach after stepping up in the backline following an early hamstring injury to another of the side’s defenders. Part of the defensive rotation, he ended up playing about 90 per cent of the game, Adam said.
It seems certain that, on Sunday’s performance, the Wandin v Berwick clash has established itself as the round 1 blockbuster of the new league.
“We campaigned for it and we had to go though Berwick to get it,” Adam said. “We’ve agreed to go to Berwick for round 1 next year.”
Adam said he welcomed the week off for Easter as a testing challenge against old foe Woori Yallock loomed on the horizon.
“We need to reset for Woori Yallock,” he said. “They had the week off for the bye, so they will be buzzing.
“I think it (Sunday’s win) was a bigger moment than four points but that’s all we can take away from it.”
PREMIER DIVISION
Wandin v Berwick
Wandin North Reserve (Sunday, April 14)
Wandin 5.2 9.6 16.8 22.9 (141)
Berwick 4.3 9.8 13.12 19.17 (131)
WANDIN Goal Kickers: D. Gorringe 6, C. Johnston 3, J. Ladner 2, J. Van Unen 2, M. Cerquarelli 2, P. Hodgett 2, S. Wettenhall, R. Heasley, P. Bruzzese, T. Merlino, H. Byrne Best Players: D. Gorringe, J. Ladner, H. Byrne, P. Bruzzese, D. Bailey, M. Fowkes
BERWICK Goal Kickers: H. Money 5, A. Morozoff 3, J. Andrews 3, T. Gunn 3, M. Andrews, T. Thomas, J. McLean, B. Asher, T. Brennan Best Players: M. Andrews, B. Asher, T. Tuck, A. Morozoff, T. Brennan, W. Arthurson
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