EFNL 2023: Ringwood hands Boronia first loss of Division 2 season

It came down to the wire as the Redbacks inflicted Boronia its first defeat of the season, courtesy of a late matchwinner. Here’s how it happened.

It has won three of its past four matches but the weekend’s scalp is undoubtedly the most important yet, Ringwood senior coach Brett Rowe says.

The Redbacks handed Boronia its first loss of the season on Saturday, 7.9 (51) to 6.14 (50), as Mitch Brereton snapped the matchwinner late to sink the Hawks.

Just three points separated the pair at the final change as Ringwood held the advantage before a frantic last term.

Mitch Brereton kicked the matchwinner. Picture: Supplied

But the coach owed the deciding play to the handiwork of young ruckman Jett Latchford, his fist creating Brereton’s fourth major of the match.

“It got a bit tight towards the end and thankfully we won a clearance into our forward line and there was a couple of stoppages,” Rowe said.

“He (Latchford) pushed behind the ball, but pushed up to the contest and gave it a big fist forward which allowed everyone to run onto the ball and create that chaotic play which allowed (Brereton) to get out of nowhere and snap that goal.

“Without Jett going forward we may not have the win.”

Rowe said the execution of a rejigged plan helped topple the ladder-leader, which now sits third with a 6-1 record.

“We hold Boronia fairly highly as a footy club and have had a great rivalry with them over the last few years,” Rowe said.

“We just went in with a game plan that we thought could probably help get the win, with the different team that we have now, we’ve had to change a few things up and play a different style.

“Thankfully the young guys were able to execute what we were after … it’s always pressure-based but structurally we’re a little bit different.”

And the move of Tim Jones from defence to the midfield proved a masterstroke, as he finished among the best afield alongside Brereton.

“Tim’s had an unbelievable year for us,” Rowe said.

“Normally he’s a half-back flanker, but we threw him in the middle and thought we’d try something different.

“His game in the middle was outstanding and his leadership and defence as a midfielder was unbelievable and that went a long way to us winning.”

The Redbacks have won three of their past four games for a 4-3 record and fifth spot on the ladder – but Rowe said Saturday’s result could build belief among his charges.

“The teams that we’d beaten were below us and we needed to make sure we win those games,” he said.

“We hadn’t taken a scalp from above so to knock off the top team was really important for our group, just to give them that belief and keep realising that just because we’re a different team, we’re more than capable of competing with the big sides.”

Ringwood hosts East Burwood next round while Boronia is away to Upper Gully.

Boronia 3.2 3.3 4.12 6.14 (50)

Ringwood 0.5 1.7 5.9 7.9 (51)

Boronia

Goals:

B. Robertson 3, L. Watson, J. Begley, R. White

Best:

H. Stanley, J. Bolton, L. Flanagan, J. Lake, J. Collins, R. White

Ringwood

Goals:

M. Brereton 4, T. Godfrey, J. Bell, J. Parker

Best:

M. Brereton, T. Jones, A. Stagg, S. Brown, J. Latchford, J. Bell