EFNL 2021: Berwick upsets Balwyn for maiden Eastern league victory

Berwick has stormed to its first-ever Eastern league win in emphatic fashion, toppling powerhouse Balwyn on Saturday.

Berwick toppled powerhouse Balwyn on Saturday for its first EFNL win. Picture: Berwick FC

The Eastern league’s newest club has marked its maiden victory.

Berwick toppled Premier Division powerhouse Balwyn on Saturday in a boilover at Cherry Road, edging the Tigers 10.17 (77) to 9.12 (66).

After Balwyn held a one-point advantage at the main break, an inaccurate Wickers outfit kicked 4.16 to three quarter time to go into the final change 13 points behind.

But Berwick straightened up in the final term after a wasteful 1.5 in the third, piling on six goals to two in a last quarter blitz to put the Tigers to the sword.

Senior coach Clint Evans said while the inaccuracy mirrored Round 1’s narrow loss to Noble Park kicking 7.17, confidence grew after hitting the scoreboard early in the last term on Saturday.

Berwick came within a kick of its first win in the Round 1 clash. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“We kicked one early in the last and lucky enough to kick a few straight after that to get on top of them in the last 10 to 15 minutes,” Evans said.

“We were creating opportunities for ourselves, we just weren’t kicking goals (in the first three quarters).

“Everything else we were doing really well, so it was more just if we keep giving ourselves opportunities, it’ll turn from there – and once it did, we just sort of ran over the top of them.”

After being decimated by injuries to start its Eastern league campaign, Berwick welcomed back key names Travis Tuck, Riley Heddles and vice-captain Bailey Asher to its midfield on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Frankston VFL-listed defender Will Arthurson and Dandenong Stingrays young gun Miller Bergman also took the park.

Evans said the injection of experience brought about belief, while a four-quarter effort despite missing a long line of players was especially pleasing, after a 10-goal drubbing at the hands of Rowville the previous week.

“With the four guys we brought in yesterday, plus a young kid from Stingrays, it just gave us belief that if we keep pressuring sides, we’ll be competitive for as long as we can,” he said.

“That was the good thing yesterday – win, lose or draw it was about effort, and we brought that for the four quarters yesterday.”

Clint Evans says an experience boost to the team gave his side belief on Saturday. Picture: Jason Sammon

Harrison Money led the scoring for Berwick with four goals, alongside Jordy Andrews and Bergman with two apiece, as Tom Brennan, Tuck and Trent Thomas finished among the best for the winners.

Jordan Lisle booted three for the Tigers alongside James Freeman with two, while Shaun Cross, Jarryd Chirgwin and Yarran Jaffer-Williams were among the best for the home side.

But the win wasn’t without more injuries for the Wickers with Jordy Andrews injuring a knee, with the severity yet to be determined, while Heddles injured a shoulder and is expected to “miss a few weeks”.

Berwick made the move into the Eastern league in August last year from the AFL Outer East top-flight, and Evans said its breakthrough win in its new competition had brought about a sense of belonging.

The Wickers face a resurgent North Ringwood next weekend, after the Saints upset Doncaster East by three points.

“After Round 1 getting so close, then going to Rowville and getting beaten fairly easily, there were a few question marks (around our belonging), and then to get a win against Balwyn at home, the boys were saying “How good’s this?” It was like winning a final,” Evans said.

“We want to belong in this comp, and next week we’ve got to step up again against North Ringwood, and that’s the big challenge for us.”