Leigh Williams boots 10 goals as Norwood thrashes Noble Park

SPEARHEAD Leigh “Leroy’’ Williams hits double-figures on the final siren as Norwood crunches Noble Park by 91 points at the Bull Ring.

IF you heard a bang on Saturday afternoon, it might have been the sound of Noble Park crashing back to earth after its perky start to the Eastern league season.

The Bulls had bounced Blackburn by 70 points the previous week, but they couldn’t get near Norwood in the Round 3 clash at the Pat Wright Senior Oval.

The Norsemen won by 91 points, with their champion spearhead Leigh “Leroy’’ Williams booting 10 goals.

Williams had only two at half time but slotted five in the third quarter and another three in the last, hitting double-figures right on the final siren.

It was a dazzling performance from the 27-year-old former Melbourne rookie.

“Wasn’t too bad once the game opened a bit,’’ Williams said, noting that Norwood had 10 goalkickers.

Long-armed Darin Stewart had been more of a threat to the Bulls in the first half, marking everything that came his way and kicking three goals.

But as his influence waned, Williams’s gained, his leads ending with the ball finding a happy home in his hands. He was elusive and energetic at ground level, too. Late in the last quarter he sold enough candy to make Willy Wonker happy as he turned a Noble defender around and snapped his ninth goal.

Jumped early, the Bulls were never in it.

“It’s the source, it’s the source,’’ coach Mick Fogarty screeched from the box in the third quarter. He wasn’t referring to the White Crow product that goes well with meat pies, but the fact that his players couldn’t get their hands on the ball at the contest.

The great Kyle Martin and little Luke Nelson were the exceptions but they had scant support. Young Jordan Marson was handy with two goals.

Troubled by a groin problem, Jackson Sketcher took a hard tag from young Norseman Dylan Feltham. The visitors named him their best player.

Norwood coach Patrick Bowden at the huddle.

Skill errors crippled Noble Park, particularly when it looked to cut back inside. When the ball was turned over, Norwood ran it into an open and grateful forward line.

Fluctuations in form come with young teams. The Bulls will have some highs this season but they will be accompanied by lows.

“That’s true, but to be honest a lot of our boys didn’t turn up,’’ Fogarty said.

“That was the most disappointing thing. Early on we didn’t locate quickly enough when the opposition won the footy. Just didn’t really want to go and man up, defend. It set the trend for the day. Just on the back foot all day.

“I’ve always rated Norwood — they’ve got some class players — and they completely ripped us apart.

“Our structure fell away, everything fell away. The siren couldn’t come quick enough.’’

Norwood was relentless, just as coach Patrick Bowden demanded. At three quarter time he told his players he didn’t want to see “30 minutes of junk football to finish off’’, but a continuation of what had put the visitors 74 points up that point.

He had few complaints after the match.

“I just wanted a four-quarter effort,’’ Bowden said.

“I thought today was pretty close. There were a few moments when we let ourselves down …. there’s always room for improvement … but we’re pretty happy with our players.’’

He said of Williams: “He’s always good, ‘Leroy’, such a presence in the forward line. We’re always happy to see him play well because he’s such a barometer for us.’’

Stewart was a late inclusion to the team after Sam Blease took ill overnight and pulled out.

The snappy skills and speed of 87-game AFL player Jamie Bennell will be a feature of Norwood’s football this season.

The former Demon and Eagle played across half back and mopped up like a veteran firefighter.

Noble Park went into the match without ace defender Ryan Morrison, who was called up for a VFL debut for the Casey Demons on Sunday. It will come against the club he supports, Richmond, at the Punt Rd ground.

Will Collis was also tapped by the Casey selectors.

Norwood 6.4, 9.8, 16.13, 22.15 (147)

Noble Park 1.5, 2.9, 4.11, 7.14 (56)

GOALS, Norwood: Leigh Williams 10, Darin Stewart 3, David Johnson 2, Zak Carroll 1, Michael Wright 1, Blair Hudson 1,

Rhett Jordon 1, Tyson Fiedler 1, Joel Naburgs 1, Jordan Gysberts 1

Noble Park: Luke Nelson 2, Jordan Marson 2, Anthony Marson 1, Aaron Erbulut 1, Cosimo Anagnostou 1

BEST, Norwood: Dylan Feltham, Leigh Williams, Rhett Jordon, Darin Stewart, Michael Pearson, Jordan Gysberts

Noble Park: Luke Nelson, Jake Gains, Kyle Martin, Jordan Marson