EFNL 2024: Noble Park snaps eight-game losing streak with 61-point win over Berwick
Losing multiple matches by less than a kick amid a winless streak, Noble Park broke through on Saturday. And there were plenty of standouts, young and experienced ...
Eastern
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Noble Park is back on the winners’ list.
The Bulls snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 61-point victory over Berwick in Eastern’s Premier Division on Saturday – banking their first points since Round 3.
Keeping the Wickers goalless to three-quarter time in the 13.14 (92) to 4.7 (31) win, Noble Park was propelled by nine-time best and fairest Kyle Martin with four goals in his first match in a month.
Bulls’ senior coach Steve Hughes said the result was “a monkey off the back” after losing three games by less than a kick across the past eight rounds.
“Everybody carries losses – I carry losses, the players carry losses, and the supporters do too,” Hughes said.
“We had our 1994 premiership reunion (on Saturday) with some real legends of the club around.
“It (the win) was relief more than anything, and it was a bit of a monkey off the back.
“It (losing) was just frustration more than anything, and you’re accepting of it more if you’re getting belted by 80 or 100 points every week and just not up to it.
“But we feel like we’ve demonstrated in games against some of the best sides that we’re good enough, but the issue we’ve had is fluctuation in performance and the gap between our good and bad is probably too big.
“But (Saturday) was back on brand, if that’s what we want to call it.”
Hughes’ biggest shouts were reserved for Liam Scott and young gun Jacob Noble.
“I thought our best two players were (those) two defenders,” he said.
“Noble is an under-19 … he’s incredibly exciting.
“He did the pre-season with (VFL) Frankston Dolphins but had a knee injury so he missed the list, but he came in about five or six weeks ago and he just gets better every game.
“‘Cool as a cucumber’ with the ball, I told him.
“He makes really good decisions and is absolutely a future leader of our club.”
Prior to Saturday, Martin had last played in the King’s Birthday weekend clash against Balwyn, pulling up with knee soreness.
He played forward on the weekend, Hughes lauding his performance as “terrific” – but declared the premiership captain would be a “week-to-week proposition” after missing last year with an ACL injury.
“We’re simply not going to roll him out if he’s not right,” Hughes said.
Meanwhile, Jordan Marson and Liam O’Rourke fired off two majors apiece, as Jackson Sketcher and Chris Horton-Milne also finished among the best.
The result lifts Noble Park to a 4-8 record for seventh spot after starting the season 3-0, while Berwick sits ninth with just one win from 12 starts.
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