Sport / Football
Local rivals too strong for Brunswick in season opener
Brunswick NOBs 6.7 (43) lost to Parkside 13.10 (88) at Gillon Oval
Tim Purdey
After an elongated off-season, Brunswick faced a stern Round 1 examination at Gillon Oval on Saturday in the form of local rivals Parkside on their return to Division 1 from Premier C of the VAFA.
The NOBS whole-heartedly threw themselves into the challenge, but it was the visitors who had the answers and eventually ran out convincing 45 point winners.
In ideal autumnal conditions, both sides attacked the contest hard in the first term but found goal scoring difficult until Parkside kicked two late majors to establish a 17 point quarter-time lead..
The second quarter would prove decisive as the Devils’ midfield seized control and moved the ball with speed to their dangerous tall forwards, resulting in four unanswered goals and a 41 point advantage at the 17 minute mark.
Will McKenzie posted a major for the NOBs a couple of minutes later, then Daniel Mott took full toll of a 50-metre penalty conceded in the centre of the ground to reduce the margin to five goals. Parkside replied quickly but a typically clever Oscar Watt soccer goal in the shadows of half-time kept Brunswick in touch.
The NOBs needed early goals in the third term, but they went the way of the Devils, whose lead was back out to 42 points after five minutes.
Brunswick then dug deep and took control of the contest for an extended period, but they could not convert their possession and tackling dominance onto the scoreboard.
An ankle injury to key forward Jasper Paevere left the NOBs without any tall targets and they struggled to find any connection inside 50.
A goal against the run of play to Parkside compounded the home side’s frustration and at the final change the margin was an unassailable 48 points.
Brunswick set themselves to win the last quarter and they proceeded to do so, playing the game right out to the final siren.
Watt kicked a second goal early on, before the Devils snagged the next couple, then Erik Newgreen, in an unfamiliar forward role, roved the pack and snapped goal-of-the-day.
A horrible turnover at the top of Parkside’s goal square gifted them another, but Mott was again the beneficiary of 50-metre penalty in the centre before calmly slotting his second to close out the day’s goalscoring.
Best for the NOBs was Mott with a classy midfield display, especially in the second half. Leading an overworked defence with aplomb were Tahj Haddock, Whitlam Bishop and Will Kempt. Captain Ben Wilson was a warrior in the middle and Angus Ross – in his first game since 2023 – got better the longer the game went.
Round 2 on Anzac Day sees Brunswick travel to Clayton to face Monash Blues in what should be a highly competitive affair as the NOBs chase their first win in 2026.
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