EFL 2019: Balwyn moves a game clear inside the Premier Division top three

Balwyn put down a deposit on a top-three finish thanks to a 22-point win over Rowville as the Tigers ramps up preparations for their return to Eastern Football League finals.

Liam Frazer takes possession of the ball. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Balwyn coach Rodney Eade is taking nothing for granted despite the Tigers putting down a deposit on a top-three finish on Saturday.

Balwyn kept Rowville at arm’s length in the EFL Premier Division Round 13 clash at the Cherry Rd venue, responding to several challenges to score a 22-point win.

Rowville closed the margin to nine points in the last quarter before Balwyn kicked the final two goals to score a 10.12 (72) to 7.8 (50) win.

Both sides were locked on a 9-3 record entering the game but it was the Tigers that moved a game clear inside the top three ahead of the Hawks and Blackburn.

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Balwyn led by six points at halftime and extended its advantage to 19 points by the final change, keeping Rowville to two behinds in the third stanza.

“There wasn’t much difference, probably the third quarter ended up being the difference even though we kicked 2.5,” Balwyn coach Rodney Eade said.

“It was a pleasing, tough win as you could imagine with two teams equal on the ladder.”

Ruckman Ryley Monkhurst was listed at Balwyn’s best player but Eade praised Rowville big man Nik Schoenmakers.

“Ryley played well but I thought their ruckman, Schoenmakers, he rucked all day virtually and he kept on jumping all day. I was quite impressed the way he went about it,” he said.

“Ryley’s ruck work was good because of his size but the pleasing thing was his follow up, especially in the last quarter, he started to follow up from centre bounce and charge with the ball and got it going our way. He was quite influential.”

Defenders Kris Pendlebury, John Milhuisen, Nathan Mullenger-McHugh and Jackson Weatherald were also influential.

Charlie Haley was dangerous with two goals and Eade said Yarran Jaffer-Williams “had a fantastic last quarter”.

“Yarran would have had 12 possessions in the last quarter. He was OK in the first three but he had an influence on the game,” he said.

Chandler Medal winner Cam Manuel and defenders Jack Martin and Jayme Gottliebsen will return after the after this weekend’s split round bye.

Xavier Richards is also due to return from work commitments overseas next month.

Eade was not getting sucked into suggestions Balwyn had taken a significant step to locking away a finals double chance.

“We’ve still got to take care of our bargain so I wouldn’t say it was locked away yet,” he said.

“It just depends on the results obviously but we’ve got to take care of our end of the bargain. Anything could happen.”

Balwyn has the bye this weekend and will play Montrose on July 27.

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