Eastern league 2018: Noble Park finishes the season on the high of beating Balwyn

NOBLE Park and Balwyn used the final round not as a tune-up for Eastern finals but a winding down of the season.

NORMALLY Noble Park and Balwyn would use the final home-and-away round as a tune-up for the finals.

On Saturday it was more about winding down.

They’re two of the Eastern league’s most successful clubs of the past two decades but when finals kick off next week the Bulls and Balwyn will be spectating rather than contending.

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At least Noble could leave the season on the high of a 12-point victory at the Pat Wright Senior Oval in a game littered with mistakes but bubbling with entertainment.

The Tigers sprang out to a 32-point advantage early in the second quarter. But the Bulls gradually pegged them back, and took the lead late in the final term after young Jordan

Marson kicked two goals in a minute.

Noble Park players sing the song after surging past Balwyn. Pic: AAP/ Chris Eastman

Big Piva Wright also burst into the game with two goals in the final quarter and he finished with three.

Noble’s victory was notable for the performances of the fast-rising Luke Nelson, who had 35 possessions; Cosi Anagnostou, who had 33 disposals; and Ali Zijai, who booted four goals.

Nelson is attracting the interest of VFL clubs and no wonder. He’s quick, elusive and he can now play in the midfield to complement his goalkicking. Twinkle, twinkle, he’s a little star. Ditto for Anagnostou, a quiet accumulator who kicks the ball with such skill that it’s hard to tell his preferred foot.

The nippy Zijai was superb around goal and his set-shot from a tight angle one minute into the last quarter cut Balwyn’s lead back to 12 points.

Luke Nelson collects another possession for the Bulls.

Wright’s effort to break tackles and bang a goal from 45m was a dazzler, matched for brilliance a few minutes later when Kyle Martin latched on to a 65m barrel.

That lifted the Bulls in front and then Marson had his star turn as the home team got the better of a weary opponent with six goals to one in the final quarter.

Martin was playing on one leg apparently. But he still managed 33 possessions.

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Balwyn gave it everything but was unable to sustain the dominance it enjoyed in the first half through the outstanding Cameron Manuel, Yarran Jaffer-Williams and Jeffrey Gobbels.

Key forward Gobbels finished with five goals and 55 for the season, another good haul for a fine player.

Jaffer-Williams chipped in with three; hitting packs at pace, he’s never seen a crumb he didn’t like.

Shane Tregear was prominent at half back, as was Jayme Gottliebsen.

The Tigers farewelled their dashing wingman Tom Roach, who has retired at age 33 after a career that took in the AFL (senior football with Richmond), the VFL and WAFL. He was full of bounce and bounces, but injuries have cut him down. Balwyn supporters gave him a warm hand as he was carried off the ground.

Balwyn's Tom Roach is carried off after retiring from football

As Roach said his goodbyes, so too did Noble Park and Balwyn to 2018.

Noble’s season was about consolidation, Balwyn’s about capitulation to injuries.

After being hit with a walkout of leading players at the end of last year, the Bulls had to recast their team around champions Martin and Jackie Sketcher.

Youngsters were introduced to senior ranks — Josh Tour was the latest, making his debut on Saturday — with the match committee using a string of Under 19s.

Eight wins and 10 losses? The Bulls can be pleased with that. After all, one or two naysayers were whispering before the season that they would be relegation candidates.

With experience gained this year and more Under 19s pushing through as one-point players next year, Noble can look forward to renewed success.

Balwyn’s first season under Rodney Eade was about injuries.

The Tigers lost key men at critical times and their depth wasn’t good enough to fill the gaps.

Noble Park champion Kyle Martin with assistant coach Andrew Sharp.

Ahead of Saturday’s game Eade confided that his side would be going in with four players nursing broken bones.

Balwyn’s ability to recruit former AFL and VFL players has been at the heart of its success since its rise from the lower reaches of the Southern league.

But the points cap is kicking in — just as AFL Victoria hoped it would when it introduced the equalisation measure two years ago — and without the juniors of other clubs the Tigers face a mighty challenge to stay in the top rungs.

They did have an Under 19 side this year but it’s a year-to — year proposition. Still, there are some canny operators at Balwyn Park — football manager Paul Johnson has more connections than the old Gas and Fuel — and it would be unwise to be consigning them to also-ran status yet.

Jordan Marson nails a key goal for Noble Park.

From the coaches

Mick Fogarty (Noble Park): “Fantastic to finish off like that. The last five games, we wanted to win all five, and we got four wins against some quality opposition. We understand Balwyn had a few guys missing today but so did we. We’re just rapt to finish off so well and see some of the kids do so well, Lukey Nelson, Ali Zijai, Cosi (Anagnostou). Cosi has taken his footy to another level. The development of Jordie (Marson), getting games into others, that’s exciting for us. Great result for our footy club.’’

Rodney Eade (Balwyn): “We just ran out of legs. We played a few blokes who shouldn’t have been playing. Probably could have sewed it up in the third quarter but didn’t take all our chances and in the end we were overrun. I’ve been proud of the players’ efforts. Their spirit has been terrific. A lot of teams would have chucked it in but our guys stuck at it. We hope we can get a better run with injuries and we’ve got to go and recruit now.’’

Noble Park 1.3, 6.4, 8.5, 14.6 (90)

Balwyn 5.6, 7.6, 10.10, 11.12 (78)

Noble Park goals: A. Zijai 4, P. Wright 3, J. Marson 2, L. Nelson 2, K. Martin 2, R. Morrison.

Best: T. Glen, C. Anagnostou, L. Nelson, A. Zijai, A. Giobbi, K. Martin

Balwyn goals: J. Gobbels 5, Y. Jaffer-Williams 3, S. Van Der Haar, T. Davis, L. Frazer.

Best: J. Gobbels, C. Manuel, C. Andersen, S. Tregear, Y. Jaffer-Williams, R. Gilchrist