VFL Match Report – Round 16 vs. North Melbourne
A rare goalkicking cameo up forward from experienced defender Fletcher Roberts (pictured, above) hasn’t been enough for Port Melbourne to overcome North Melbourne at Arden Street Oval in Round 16 of the VFL on Saturday afternoon.
Less than 24 hours after it was announced that long-serving Head Coach Gary Ayres would be departing his role at the conclusion of season 2021, the Borough battled hard in gusty conditions against the Roos.
The stop-start nature of the 2021 season continued thanks to the recent COVID lockdown and ultimately meant that the side had had three weeks to stew on a 15-goal belting at the hands of Frankston.
It resulted in a much-needed response as Ayres sought to chalk up a second win and climb off the bottom of the ladder.
The biggest early surprise of the game came in the form of Roberts, who started out of the goal square at the opposite end to what he would have been accustomed to across his decorated career so far.
The move had an immediate impact as he clunked two contested marks and converted the Borough’s opening two goals from close range – against the breeze no less.
Despite entering the first change one point in arrears, it was clear that Port had come to play, and they were putting together some much-improved passages of attacking football that made Roberts and his teammates look very dangerous in the front half.
The second quarter was more of an arm wrestle, as the Roos sought to lock the Borough’s running game down and minimise the scoreboard impact of kicking with the wind.
Port’s only goal for the second term didn’t end up arriving until the 22-minute mark when midfielder Liam McKenna converted a set shot after receiving a 50-metre penalty in the centre of the ground.
Facing a 7-point deficit at half time and kicking against the breeze in the third, an early goal to Matt Signorello raised the Borough’s hopes as they drew to within just 2 points at the 8-minute mark.
A disappointing patch of football followed though, as North Melbourne began to win the ball cleanly through the middle of the ground, and utilised their wind advantage to great effect when transitioning forward.
As has often been the case throughout season 2021, it put the Port Melbourne defensive unit under all sorts of pressure, and they weren’t able to stop the tide as the Roos went on to boot through five goals in succession and extend out to a 38-point buffer.
Another huge mark and third goal by Roberts gave the Borough a lift right on three-quarter time, and although no spectators were permitted on-ground or in-venue on Saturday due to the current COVID protocols, Ayres was noticeably vocal in his belief that the game could still be won coming home with the breeze.
His belief would have nearly been raised to expectation by the time two goals to Eli Templeton and one to Campbell Walker saw the side claw back to within just 12 points at the 10-minute mark.
A series of frustrating near misses followed though, as the players continued to sense a long-awaited win was possible.
Templeton went for his third of the term before hitting the post from a tight set shot, whilst Walker thought he may have scrambled through a soccered goal only to eventually be denied after consultation between the trio of field, boundary and goal umpires in close proximity.
It took until the 28-minute mark for the Kangaroos to finally snuff out the Borough’s hopes, with a goal taking their lead – and eventual winning margin – to 17 points.
The despair of the Borough players was visible after the game (below), but fans who either tuned in via the live stream or conveniently fitted in their permitted two hours of exercise around the unfenced surrounds of Arden Street would have been left proud of the side’s spirited display after what had been a tumultuous few weeks.
Individually, the effort of playing assistant coach Chris Jansen was again impressive in his second game back from a long injury and COVID-enforced layoff as he collected 31 disposals across half back.
Templeton also bounced back from a sub-par effort against Frankston three weeks’ prior on his way to 30 possessions and two goals, whilst fellow midfielders Corey Wagner (29 disposals, 12 tackles) and Nash Holmes (28 disposals) also continued their recent good run of individual form.
Roberts’ 3.3 and 11 marks was also an obvious standout in the new role up forward.
The rolling nature of the VFL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to see fixtures confirmed on a week-to-week basis, with all details for Round 17 set to be confirmed in the coming days.
As it stands, there will continue to be no crowds permitted to attend matches at football in Victoria until further notice.
North Melbourne2.3-154.6-3010.9-6911.11-77 defeated
Port Melbourne 2.2-143.5-235.8-388.12-60
Goal Kickers: F. Roberts 3, E. Templeton 2, M. Signorello, C. Walker, L. McKenna.
Best Players: C. Wagner, F. Roberts, N. Holmes, J. Hotchkin, E. Templeton, C. Searle.
Article: Sam Wharton.
Images: Emily Fraser-Ison.
