EFNL 2024: South Croydon upsets East Ringwood by 48 points as Brayden Kilpatrick stars

The Bulldogs coach laid out the challenge – and his players delivered, toppling one of Eastern Premier Division’s pacesetters on Saturday night.

EFNL 2024: South Croydon reclaimed the Mason-Glenn Shield in its 48-point win over East Ringwood.

NINE rounds ago South Croydon was brushed aside by Premier Division power East Ringwood.

But the Bulldogs reversed their opening-match 51-point beating on Saturday night, upsetting the second-placed Roos for just their second loss of the season in a 16.8 (104) to 7.14 (56) rout.

South Croydon senior coach Brendan Allen last week declared: “We’ll find out if in nine rounds we’ve learnt something” – and his charges delivered, setting the tone with a seven-goal-to-one first term before leading comfortably at all changes.

“We actually hadn’t kicked the first goal all year and I was pretty filthy about that – I said ‘Righto, tonight’s the night’, and we whacked on six I think before they (East Ringwood) kicked their first one,” Allen said.

“I think the boys got the message.”

Brayden Kilpatrick starred in a best-on showing for the Bulldogs through the midfield, pitted against young VFL talent Corey Preston.

Allen said Kilpatrick, a former Box Hill Hawk, saw little of the ball in Round 9’s 45-point win over Doncaster East – but “bounced back” on Saturday night.

Brayden Kilpatrick. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“He got sat on last week by Mak Hoskin from Doncaster East and he did a team role for us … he didn’t worry about getting the ball, blocking and creating space for our other mids,” Allen said.

“But this week was his turn and he turned it on – he was electric.

“His decision-making under pressure is remarkable – he just finds the right option all the time.

“He’s nice to have on your side, put it that way.”

Key defender Chris Jones, forward Mason Helleren and midfielder Matt Jones also finished among the Bulldogs’ best alongside Jayden Cass and Tom Schinck.

But there was no shortage of contributors.

“When you get to the end of the game and you find it hard to pick six best players because you’ve got such an even spread, that’s when you’re starting to play really good team footy,” Allen said.

Helleren’s three goals was matched by Dan Cooper, while Cass, Tom Sheridan and James Wilsen booted two apiece.

Allen said his side’s “balance and unpredictability” in attack had started to emerge as the Bulldogs boasted nine individual goalkickers against one of the division’s stingiest defences.

“If you’ve got many strings to your bow, it makes it very difficult to stop,” Allen said.

And the coach was full of praise for young gun Helleren.

“I remember a chase-down tackle – he was in the forward-50 and the ball was on the wing, and he managed to get a tackle on and the ball went out of bounds on the full,” Allen said.

“It was amazing – a 60m run.”

The victory lifts South Croydon to a 6-4 record in fifth spot, while East Ringwood remains a game clear in second with eight wins and two losses.

Allen was hopeful his side had begun to close the gap on its best and worst footy, as it looks to reverse a 59-point Round 2 loss to Noble Park this weekend at Cheong Park.

“East Ringwood have been up for a long time, but it’ll be the same with us – we’ll get going, and at some point we’ll have a bit of an ebb, but if we keep playing team footy and playing the way we want to, hopefully those ebbs aren’t as big and as deep as some other teams.”