SFNL 2025: How Narre Warren hung on for crucial two-point win over Port Melbourne

Narre Warren survived a last-gasp Port Melbourne onslaught to hang on for a gripping Southern league win with major ramifications.

Narre Warren’s Kurt Mutimer. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Narre Warren survived a last-gasp Port Melbourne onslaught to hang on for a gripping two-point Southern league win.

The much-needed victory was the Magpies first in eight weeks, and has lifted them to seventh on the Division 1 ladder.

Narre Warren was under siege for the last five minutes of its round 11 clash under lights at Kalora Park, but its defence stood tall, and repelled everything the Colts threw at it to record its first wisn since round 3 – which also came against Port Melbourne – 9.9 (63) to 8.13 (61).

Having already kicked five goals in his first game back from injury, Jake Richardson was immense behind the ball at the death as he plucked match-winning intercepts with ease.

Skipper Joel Zietsman also chimed in with a crucial grab.

“We asked for a few big efforts from some of our leaders in that last quarter, we got that,” Narre Warren coach Steven Kidd said.

“Jake Richardson took a couple of really crucial marks as a player behind the ball, Joel Zietsman took a nice one there as well.

“I thought some of the work Kurt Mutimer did in that last quarter in particular was excellent.”

Narre Warren player Jake Richardson celebrating a goal. Picture: Valeriu Campan.

The trio had all been absent since round 8 and proved to be three decisive inclusions.

“They’re three of the best players in the competition, to have them all back in … Kurt’s body size in the middle was massive and Zietsman across half back was such a difference, it was three pretty important inclusions for us for sure.”

Port Melbourne has slumped to ninth on the ladder as a result of the loss, two points adrift of Narre Warren and Murrumbeena and four points clear of Cranbourne.

Kidd said he was pleased with Narre Warren’s first quarter showing after the Magpies jumped out to a 17-point lead, before the match descended into a tight tussle.

“The first quarter we came out and we played exactly how we asked the guys to play, we did everything right, we had our ball movement going into the forward line, spreading the ball really well, and we were good in one-on-ones,” Kidd said.

“After the second quarter we went away from what we knew was working and let them get away from us a bit.

“The second half was just an arm wrestle really, they’d get one, we’d get one, the game never really opened up.

“Overall, really pleased with the fight, but we probably didn’t play exactly the way we wanted to all game and that comes down to their pressure as well.”

Narre Warren’s Joel Zietsman. Picture: Valeriu Campan.

Hayden Dwyer was also among the Magpies’ best, as were teenagers Julian Goerlitz and Ethan Kennedy.

Kennedy was tasked with nullifying former Western Bulldog Robbie McComb, while 18-year-old Goerlitz has been a midfield revelation over the past few weeks, earning high praise from a number of opposition coaches.

“We brought him in because we knew the talent that he had, he started on a wing but he’s gone into the middle now,” Kidd said of Goerlitz, who started the year in the under-19s and won the club’s two-kilometre time trial in pre-season.

“He’s just got so much composure on the ball and his fitness and running power is elite.

“He’s skinny still, but his pressure, he’s just been really good for us considering he’s only played six senior games.

“We were just so happy with his leg speed post clearance and to be able to lay the tackles, as he gets bigger and stronger he’s going to be great.”