North Heidelberg has taken another enormous leap towards solidifying a top-five spot in the Northern Football Netball League’s Division 1 competition, following a 28-point triumph over Hurstbridge at Shelley Street Reserve.
The Bulldogs were hungry for the ball throughout the first half, and it showed through their many scoring opportunities inside 50. Hurstbridge was able to meet the intensity of the game until the Bulldogs scraped away in the final stages for a 17.8 (110) to 12.10 (82) victory.
North Heidelberg now jumps into the fourth spot and with Montmorency and Greensborough being the only current top-five sides they still need to face; it puts them in a great position to secure a first finals berth since 2019.
Hurstbridge meanwhile drop back out of the top five but are still well and truly in the finals hunt.
Hamish Murphy and Liam Hunt were the marquee players for the Bulldogs across the ground, with their entries up forward setting the tone for the team’s attack.
While Cooper Bugeja and Brodie White helped retain possession and apply needed pressure that saw them among the Bulldogs’ best, accompanying a five-goal game from Majak Daw.
Hurstbridge was helped by the likes of William Cookson, Blake Fitzgerald and Jake Richards, who were all dangerous around the ball, opening up the rest of their side to operate well.
Their main target was found in Joel Naylor, who booted five goals on the day to lift his side every time when they needed a consistent response in scoring.
After a trade-off in goals to start the match, Hurstbridge took hold of an early lead thanks to majors from Naylor and Harry O’Brien.
Daw started his goal-kicking campaign for the Bulldogs with a major from a set distance, while Kieren Jacksic quickly followed with one of his own to tie scores up.
The start of the second term matched how the previous one ended, with Daw kicking true after another big leap, claiming his third of the day to snatch the lead back.
Kicking against the heavy wind conditions played a factor in Hurstbridge’s attack up the ground, resulting in a goalless quarter as their execution of kicks fell back into the opposition’s hands.
Jhye Baddeley-Kelly found the big sticks for North Heidelberg, breaking their scoring drought as Brock Chircop would also rise up with a major to help Jason Heatley’s men establish a commanding 23-point lead at the main break.
After a talk from Joel Cordwell and a switch of sides, Hurstbridge quickly stormed back into the scoring column with goals by Jacob Smith and Mitchell Hymus reducing the lead to 11 points.
However, the Bulldogs quickly adjusted back to their brand of football which led to a chain of goals from Baddeley-Kelly, Billy Hogan and Chircop that pushed the lead back out to 30 points.
The quick movement of the ball and the dominance from midfield started to overwhelm the Hurstbridge backline but they would eventually find relief from Caelan Anderson after his goal in set shot fashion.
However, the momentum of the game was quickly shifted back to the Bulldogs, after a goal from Cooper Bugeja bent with the wind and a soccer goal from Brodie White again pushed the lead out to 35 points.
With the scoreboard against them, Joel Cordwell’s men stormed the opening of the final term with a plethora of goals from Bailey Jordan, Liam Middleton and Naylor to reduce the deficit to 17 points.
A goal from Mitchell Dillon would settle the nerves of Bulldogs fans before White added a second major to again put North Heidelberg in the hot seat to run away with the game.
But the fight from Hurstbridge was still there and did not shy away thanks to Jordan and Naylor converting on their majors that kept the margin to within three goals.
Minutes before the final siren, Daw would once again step up in the forward line thanks to the midfield’s quick clearances. He would capitalise by kicking two thumping goals that put the final nail in the coffin of a 28-point victory.
NORTH HEIDELBERG: 4.1 7.6 12.8 17.8 (110)
GOALS: M. Daw 5, B. Chircop 3, J. Baddeley-Kelly 3, B. White 2, C. Bugeja, B. Hogan, K. Jaksic, M. Dillon.
BEST: H. Murphy, L. Hunt, C. Bugeja, B. White, M. Daw, J. Hamilton.
HURSTBRIDGE: 3.4 3.6 6.9 12.10 (82)
GOALS: J. Naylor 5, B. Jordan 2, H. O”Brien, D. Middleton, J. Smith, M. Hymus, C. Anderson.
BEST: J. Naylor, W. Cookson, J. Richards, B. Fitzgerald, S. House, B. Beaven.
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