Greensborough first team to defeat Heidelberg in NFNL Division 1 this season
Heidelberg’s bid for a perfect season is over after Greensborough storm home to claim a breakthrough win and strengthen its own finals claim.
Northern
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Heidelberg’s 31-match undefeated run is over.
It was going to take something extraordinary to stop the rampaging Tigers and Greensborough delivered just that on Saturday.
A stunning six-goal fourth-quarter blitz secured the Borough a breakthrough 28-point win at Warringal Park.
Trailing by eight points late in the third quarter, Greensborough piled on seven unanswered goals to seal a famous victory and retain its place in the NFNL Division 1 top-five.
The 14.8 (92) to 9.10 (64) victory is also the club’s first over Heidelberg since Round 17, 2019.
Borough coach Matt Hyde said his team took everything Heidelberg threw at them and bounced back perfectly.
“It was a good one to get, there’d been a narrative running around whether or not we could take out top sides,” Hyde said.
“There’s a lot of belief within the group that when we play sustained four-quarter football that we can deliver and (Saturday) was a real testament.
“We felt like we were in control all day, we just needed to put some finishing touches on, and going into the final quarter we worked and worked until it showed on the scoreboard.
“We went into half-time and knew the best side in the competition was going to come out and throw everything they had.
“We spoke about, if we could withstand that and push back we’d be able to run over the top, so the third quarter was really important.”
The two teams were rarely separated by more than a kick for 90 minutes.
Heidelberg held a two-point lead at quarter-time before Greensborough held sway by three points at the half.
A three-goal term saw the Tigers take a three-point advantage into the final change before the Borough launched its finishing onslaught.
Returning from VFL duties, Tom Brindley was best-on-ground, playing a variety of roles.
Zak McCubbin was critical with five goals and Jamie Smith booted four, while Kristian Ferronato, Lachie Hill, Zac Hart and Nathan Howard also impressed.
“Tommy Brindley is a superstar, he played at centre half-forward, then he played in the ruck and then on the wing,” Hyde said.
“There’s not many players in the Northern footy league that could play in those three spots and he could play half-back or full-back if we needed him to.
“He puts the green jumper on every chance he gets and having someone like that, who’s name is synonymous with the club but also just a super talent, come back we stand taller with him out there.
“The back-half of the season we’ve been talking about selfless footy and Zac optimises it, no one in the team has picked that up and run with it more than him.
“He got five but also created another two or three, the footy he brings is so influential to the group as a whole.”
For Heidelberg, Luke Bunker continued his outstanding season and Mitch Jorgensen, Lucas McInerney and Brody Tardio all stood tall.
The Tigers day further soured by a hamstring injury to captain Keenan Posar.
They will look to bounce back against West Preston-Lakeside at Warringal Park, while Greensborough travels to Hurstbridge in another vital top-five battle.
With three games remaining in the home-and-away season, the Borough sits fourth on percentage, locked in a four-way tie for third.
One of Montmorency, Greensborough, Hurstbridge and Banyule looks likely to miss finals in a razor-tight season.
“It’s one of those things, on anybody’s day, Eltham beating Banyule is massive and that probably solidifies their spot in Div 1,” Hyde said.
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“We’ve got Hurstbridge, Monty and Macleod and we need to win – we win all three we probably give ourselves a second chance, we win two we play finals.
“It just shows on anybody’s day, anybody is there for the taking.”
Elsewhere in Division 1, North Heidelberg thumped Montmorency by 52 points at Montmorency Park and Hurstbridge was too strong for Macleod in a 58-point win.
West Preston-Lakeside edged Bundoora by two points in a thriller, while Eltham stunned Banyule by 18 points to all but cement its place in Division 1 for 2025.
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