North Heidelberg has made four consecutive victories with margins of 40 points or more, this Saturday defeating Greensborough by 57 points at Greensborough War Memorial Park.
The Bulldogs’ poise and composure in a gritty and contested match proved to be the difference in the 19.12 (126) to 11.3 (69) victory. As a result, they jumped into third after occupying the bottom two positions on the ladder a month ago.
Jesse Tardio was at his prolific best for North Heidelberg with numerous clearances and a goal.
Dane Whitnall proved to be an authoritative presence in the Bulldog’s forward line with three goals, while Liam Nunan led all goal scorers with a career-high four majors.
Majak Daw played just over half of the match, but he inflicted plenty of damage in that time kicking three majors, which included a goal-of-the-year contender, after he took it out of the ruck and snapped truly from the forward pocket.
For the Boro, it was Will McFawn who worked tirelessly in the ruck. With no Nathan Howard or Jamie Smith available, McFawn made up for his lack of height against Daw and Michael Florance with an exceptional leap.
Andrew Stellas also featured heavily around the forward half, while Jack Johnston was again named as his side’s best despite his defensive unit conceding the Boro’s biggest score since Round 5, 2017.
From the outset, it was apparent that the breezy conditions would be difficult to negotiate. The ball was hotly contested before North Heidelberg’s Dane Whitnall opened his side’s account.
Ethan Luke then laid a superb tackle, running down his opponent on Greensborough’s half-back line before his free kick hit up Jordon Smith who got the scoring underway for the home side.
Majak Daw continued on from his five-goal haul the previous week with a major, but the Boro answered immediately with a goal from Andrew Stellas to level the scores.
It would be Daw who broke the game open with a memorable goal, grabbing it out of the ruck contest and snapping it across his body and through the big sticks.
That major started a run for North Heidelberg, as they would kick the next three goals in the space of just five minutes, to surge to a 24-point quarter-time lead.
Jesse Tardio winning the first clearance of the second quarter with ease, set the tone of the match.
After kicking one in the first quarter, Nunan would produce a second major with a great snap.
Both sides traded goals over the next little period, but it was the Bulldogs that looked the more organised team, often running the ball forward from contested play while when Greensborough had possession, it seemed more likely to result in a stoppage.
The Boro would attempt to produce some scoreboard pressure in the latter stages of the term.
Will McFawn was working hard around the ground and was soon rewarded with a goal before Daniel Ferronato followed up with a kick that sailed through.
However, just as Saade Ghazi’s men thought they were back in the game, Daw and Nunan would kick their third goals of the afternoon, helping the visitors take a commanding 46-point advantage into halftime.
Greensborough would come out of the main break firing, with Harrison Andronaco and Thomas Phelan kicking two quick majors, but again North Heidelberg would respond courtesy of Whitnall and Mitchell Dillon.
The Boro’s Brody Glenn would get one back before a scuffle resulted in a free kick to Glenn. He missed the set shot but as tensions boiled over, Glenn would be afforded a third shot on goal which he converted, meaning he had kicked 13 points for the Boro in a minute of play.
But the hosts couldn’t build any momentum from those scores as two more majors for the Bulldogs put the margin to 53 points at the final change.
A lower-scoring final term followed but the damage had been done in the previous three quarters, as North Heidelberg made it four wins on the trot with a 57-point triumph.
SENIORS
GREENSBOROUGH: 2.1 5.1 9.2 11.3 (69)
GOALS: Brody Glenn 2, Daniel Ferronato 2, Jordan Smith, Joseph Ayton-Delaney, Thomas Phelan, Andrew Stellas, Harrison Andronaco, Will Mcfawn.
BEST: Jack Johnston, Benjamin Fisher, Jordan Smith, Angus Seivers, Will Mcfawn, Joel Trudgeon.
NORTH HEIDELBERG: 6.1 12.5 17.7 19.12 (126)
GOALS: Liam Nunan 4, Majak Daw 3, Dane Whitnall 3, Brock Chircop 2, Kyle McDonald, Mitchell Dillon, Jared Crosbie, Jesse Tardio, Bralydn Hirt, Cooper Bugeja, Billy Hogan.
BEST: Liam Nunan, Joshua Hamilton, Billy Hogan, Jesse Tardio, Brayldon Hirt, Micheal Florance.
GREENSBOROUGH: 3.7 5.8 15.12 19.14 (128)
GOALS: Nathan Pyers 4, Mitchell Hecker 3, Joshua Grubb 3, Dylan Clancy 3, Bayley Blakeley 2, Tyler Waugh, Campbell Quinn, Lachlan Hill, Caleb Flanagan.
BEST: Dylan Clancy, Lachlan Hill, Ben Money, Nathan Pyers, Jeremy Cann, Corey Reid.
NORTH HEIDELBERG: 0.0 5.1 8.4 12.5 (77)
GOALS: Tanar Peirce 4, Kasey Duncan 2, Nathan Addamo 2, Cooper Gunn 2, Will Gunn, Gazi Assi.
BEST: Will Gunn, Zachary Wilson, Hayden Hunt, Kyle Jarman, Jesse White, Tanar Peirce.
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