Montmorency defeats North Heidelberg to end three-game losing streak

Montmorency coach Nick Rutley said the return of key players filled a “void”, while the Magpies’ young guns ran riot against North Heidelberg.

Sam Binion in action for Montmorency. Picture: Josh Chadwick

Montmorency coach Nick Rutley said there had been a void missing in recent weeks.

The return of co-captains Sam Binion and Stef Uzelac on Saturday proved critical in turning the club’s season around after three straight defeats.

The Magpies stormed back into the NFNL Division 1 winners’ circle with a thumping 97-point win over North Heidelberg at Montmorency Park.

“It makes a big different, Stef and Sam have been brilliant off-field – coaching and behind the bench,” Rutley said.

“Those two in particular (on Saturday), they didn’t even need to touch the footy, they just made sure our kids were set up properly and sticking to our method.

Brock Binion in action for Montmorency. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“Their leadership was massive, it’s been a void the last six and eight weeks, and then to get them through healthy was massive.”

Binion and Uzelac made important contributions after missing six and eight games respectively in the 21.13 (139) to 5.17 (47) triumph that cemented a top-three spot.

Montmorency burst out of the blocks, kicking five goals to nil in the first quarter, taking a 25-point lead at quarter-time.

North Heidelberg not helped by inaccuracy, kicking 0.6 in the term.

The margin ballooned to 10 goals at half-time as the Magpies piled on eight goals to two.

Another five-goal term saw the home team chasing a triple-figure win the last but both teams again struggled with accuracy in front of the big sticks, Montmorency kicking 3.6 and North 1.6.

The offensive onslaught was led by the Magpies youth brigade.

Lachy Batchelor kicked a game-high four majors, while Connor Butcher, Kieran Keating and Levi McCormick all bagged three.

McCormick, who played under-19s last year before earning his place in the senior team and playing the Division 1 grand final, was named best-on-ground in an all-action performance.

Marcus Lentini continued his outstanding form, while Logan Butcher, Batchelor, Tommy Vrkic, Joshua Mills and Batchelor also impressed.

“We knew we had some talent, when they get some confidence and belief, and the senior players put trust in them that’s a big thing,” Rutley said.

“When you’re getting a pump up from a Lentini, Binion or Uzelac and you’re a Batchelor, Butcher, Keating or McCormick they just grow a leg and we saw that for sure.

“Our boys surprised me a little bit, to be honest.

“I was confident we would win, I thought it would be a good game of footy, but they really did surprise me.

“I thought defensively, since I’ve been at the club, it was the best we’ve done it.

“We’ve been playing good footy in patches and I reckon we get a bit complacent, it’s an experience thing when you jump a team and you think it’s just going to happen now but if you have that mindset this competition will bite you in the arse.”

For North Heidelberg, Lachlan Smith was best afield and Liam Hunt, Hamish Murphy and Jarryd Culph stood tall.

Montmorency will now have a week off following its standalone fixture against Heidelberg a fortnight ago.

The Magpies sit in third, a game behind Greensborough and two points ahead of Hurstbridge.

Critically, the win sees them move a game and a half clear of the Bulldogs in sixth.

A home clash with Bundoora awaits after the break before finals-shaping games against Greensborough, Hurstbridge and West Preston-Lakeside.

Rutley said any team that wanted to play finals had to “go the distance” this season.

“We’ve got to be consistent now, when you drop games to South Morang and Eltham – taking nothing away from them – the competition is really even,” he said.

“Heidelberg is getting it done with resting players and playing some kids too.

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“We thought we were good for a half and then they turned it up for a half and before you know it we were eight or nine (goals) down.

“We’ve got some big games coming up and we just need to win them if we want the double chance.”

Elsewhere in Division 1, Heidelberg made it 19 straight wins with a 50-point triumph over South Morang, while Hurstbridge eased past West Preston-Lakeside by 21 points.

Banyule survived a scare from Bundoora in a six-point win and Greensborough was too good for Eltham, winning by 33.