Jacob Bird snagged 12 goals on the weekend for the Berwick Springs Titans. 66408 Picture:
By Jarrod Potter
JACOB Bird took Mossgiel Park apart at the weekend, booting 12 goals for his Berwick Springs under-15s team.
The 14-year-old from Narre Warren South was the focal point for the Titans’ forward line as the Berwick Springs thrashed Mossgiel Park 31. 23 (209) to 0.0 (0).
Playing at full-forward, Bird ran circles around the opposition, booting his 12 goals with ease in only his eighth game for Berwick Springs, after moving from Officer during the off-season.
“This is only my first year with Berwick Springs,” he said. “I played for Officer last year and this is only my second year in football.”
Serious allergies to grass and pollen prevented him from participating in the sport until last year.
But with his allergies and asthma problems behind him, Bird has been flourishing at Berwick Springs as a key forward for the under-15s team.
He was keen to point out the contributions of his teammates in helping him achieve his bag of goals.
“I was playing at full-forward all game, so it was a great team effort to get them down there to me,” Bird said.
“I couldn’t have kicked them without everyone else helping out.”
Asking which goal was his favourite, Bird nominated one he slotted from on the boundary line.
“I was 30 metres out, ran on to it and kicked it really well,” he said.
Bird has also taken up umpiring with the Southern Umpiring Association as a way of improving his football skills.
“This is the first year I’ve been doing umpiring as well,” he said. “I wanted a job and it helps me read the football a lot better.”
Bird said he would be interested in umpiring at a higher level in the VFL or AFL, but is happy to let things work out over the next few years.
