EFNL 2024: Matt Jones inspires South Croydon to 45-point win over Doncaster East
South Croydon star Matt Jones had no trouble returning from a month on the sidelines, as he propelled the Bulldogs to what the coach says was his side’s “most balanced” effort of the year.
Eastern
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South Croydon has jumped ahead of the ledger in what coach Brendan Allen says was his side’s “most balanced” effort of the year.
The Bulldogs sit sixth on the Premier Division ladder with a 5-4 record at the halfway mark of the season, following a 15.12 (102) to 8.9 (57) win over Doncaster East on Saturday.
The result consigns the Lions to a fifth consecutive loss and a 2-7 return.
A commanding display from Matt Jones spearheaded the Bulldogs’ charge, as the on-baller returned from a month out with a hamstring injury and reunited with Chandler Medal-winning ruckman Max King and former state league defender Chris Jones.
King had overcome a calf injury while Chris Jones returned from a corky.
“It helped having Max King, Matt Jones and Chris Jones back in the team, I can tell you,” Allen said.
“It’s the way he (Matt Jones) exits stoppage and gets clear of his opponent – that allows him to use the footy and make good decisions.
“He’s a pleasure to coach, put it that way.
“He thrived on the competitiveness in the midfield – I think (Josh) Deluca and (Chris) Phelan annoyed him a little bit, which is probably the worst thing you can do to Matt, and off he went.”
Allen said his side was etching closer to a four-quarter performance – but the weekend proved a step in the right direction as the Bulldogs turned a 16-point half-time lead into a 29-point advantage by the final change.
“It’s probably the most balanced we’ve been – we didn’t quite put four quarters together, but it was close,” Allen said.
“We’ve been playing well but we haven’t really put four quarters together … (against) Vermont, Balwyn, if you don’t do that against those teams, you get beaten.
“Our pressure was really good (on Saturday), they (Doncaster East) started to get on top at stoppages early in the first and we rectified that.
“We beat them in and around the footy.”
The Bulldogs cracked triple figures on the scoreboard for the first time this season, led by young gun Mason Helleren with four goals.
Tom Sheridan and James Wilsen tipped in three each, while Dan Cooper (two) was among seven individual goalkickers.
“Our forward line’s starting to function a bit better,” Allen said.
“That’s what we’ve been chasing all year, and it’s probably more getting used to each other.
“Mason kicked 4.4 – he could’ve kicked seven, but he was outstanding. Just his leg speed, to be able to put pressure on and turn the ball over was outstanding.”
A Saturday night away clash with second-placed East Ringwood awaits the Bulldogs.
The pair last met in Round 1, with the Roos winning by 51 points.
“We were with them for three quarters in Round 1, and (the team) probably weren’t anywhere near used to where I wanted them to be from a defensive and offensive point of view,” Allen said.
“But we’ll find out (if) in nine rounds we’ve learnt something.”
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