By JARROD POTTER
A YEAR-LONG battle against all obstacles came to an end for Noble Park, knocked out of contention for a third consecutive EFL premiership with a 37-point loss to Balwyn.
The weariness from a long season – fraught with injuries, suspensions and non-availabilities – finally caught up to the Bulls as the Tigers ran away with the match after a nine-goal-to-four last-quarter barrage.
Noble Park dictated the early pace-setting on Saturday at Tormore Reserve in Boronia, kicking the first three goals before Balwyn’s Ryan McMahon and Shane Tregear (three goals each) started working their magic. The floodgates only opened in the dying stages of the last quarter, as Noble Park fought back to within a goal of Balwyn.
Luke Cody, from Narre Warren South, stood up as a marking target for the Bulls, snaring two goals, while Luke Mann and Shayne Allen also provided a lot of skill up front.
“At the 15 minute we got within three points of them, we were terrific, but we ran out of legs,” Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty said.
“To Balwyn’s credit, their pressure around the footy and ability to close our run down was too good.”
Fogarty said his best-on-ground players were George Angelopoulos, who would be hard to look past in the best-and-fairest after an amazing back-half of the season, Tim Kelly operating through the defensive end and Sam Monaghan who gave it his all through the midfield.
Even with a group that has won the last two EFL premierships, Fogarty said he’s never been prouder of them than this season, after grinding away through the worst injury crisis he’d ever seen.
“Really proud of our group considering how we were struck with unavailable players through injuries and holidays,” Fogarty said. “Couldn’t be more prouder of a group that won the last two premierships.
“More proud of the group considering what happened throughout the year – never been at a club that had as many unavailable so to finish where we did is a great effort.”
Noble Park will hold its best-and-fairest count on 6 October.
The loss by the seniors only leaves the Noble Park reserves as the last team from Moodemere Street still in the premiership race – with the Bulls knocking off Knox by nine points to advance to face Vermont on Saturday morning at Bayswater.
In other EFL Division 1 results, Vermont defeated Scoresby by 40 points, with Jarryd Dalton drilling five goals for the Eagles.
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