Sport / Football
Dog day afternoon at Gillon Oval
Brunswick NOBs 5.11 (41) lost to Monash Blues 18.9 (117) at Gillon Oval
Tim Purdey
ON A perfect day for footy, Gillon Oval became the House of Horrors for Brunswick on Saturday as they meekly succumbed in the first half to the eighth-placed Monash Blues, then suffered carnage on the bench in the second, ending the game with 16 players on the field and a 76-point shellacking.
While it was certainly a danger game for the NOBs, as they faced a team fighting to stay out of the bottom-two without three of their most in-form performers, no-one saw this coming.
In truth, the game was over as a contest a mere 18 minutes into the first quarter as Monash slammed on 7.2 to a solitary behind.
The Blues’ midfield was running rampant, winning clearances and contests at will, and their forwards couldn’t miss, while Brunswick’s pressure was non-existent. When the NOBs did get a couple of chances late in the term to get on the board, they couldn’t take them and trailed by 41 points at the first change.
Things went from bad to worse in the second term, with Monash sailing out to a 53-point lead after eight minutes, before Mitch Hicks finally kicked one for the home side. But the Blues were having a day out, and they quickly added another five majors, including a fifth to their very tall full forward, to extend the margin to a massive 76 points, before Lachlan Pearson slotted a good goal on the run for the NOBs just before half time.
After the visitors notched up the first three goals of the third quarter and got out to an 88-point lead, nightmare scenarios started to run through the minds of home supporters, but they were given some consolation with late majors to Gabe Banova and Tom Wilson, both from nice set shots from 40 out on an angle.
As Brunswick’s bench started to dwindle, due to a series of leg injuries and a suspected concussion, Mitch Hicks kicked his second to make it three-in-a-row to start the final quarter. With only 16 players able to take the field from midway through the term, the NOBs can be given credit for battling the game out, as Monash also tired after their earlier exploits, and both sides were relieved to hear the final siren.
On the toughest of days at the office, Jackson Browne was very good with his intercept marking in defence, while Fletcher Banfield was again prolific, although not as effective as in previous weeks. After a slow start, Ben Wilson showed some good leadership through the centre, before unfortunately becoming one of the walking wounded late on.
Gabe Banova battled hard and sought to move the ball long and decisively. Brunswick Dragon Liam Allman was also very good on debut, showing he was capable in the air and on the ground, while Pearson was doing well on the wing before injuring his hamstring.
Brunswick needs to move on quickly from this game as they travel to Kew to face a team that will be keen to atone for their loss at Gillon Oval earlier in the year.
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