Match result: Werribee 7.9 (51) defeated by Geelong 7.11 (53)
Venue: Avalon Airport Oval
Conditions: Rain early, dried out but ball still heavy. No wind, just cold.

In action:

- Majak Daw (8 disposals, 4 tackles)
- Will Fordham (19 disposals, 4 inside 50’s)
- Kieran Harper (8 disposals, 7 tackles)
- Scott McMahon (12 disposals, 6 marks)
- Eric Wallace (7 disposals, 53 hit-outs)
- Mason Wood (13 disposals, 7 marks, 4 inside 50’s)

NMFC.com.au's best: Will Fordham

Story of the game

Playing at home, Werribee burst out of the blocks and held the lead for much of the day, before the visitors fought back.

“They (the Tigers) were out to a two or three goal lead early and then Geelong pegged them back and got in front early in the last,” Development Manager Ben Dyer said.

After the Cats took the lead in the final term, Werribee came again, only to lose in a heartbreaking manner with a goal on the siren from Shane Kersten.

Points of interest:

1. Rookie Will Fordham continues his impressive development in his first year at North, amassing 19 disposals.

But it wasn’t his numbers that impressed most.

“He’s had a real focus on his contested ball and it was the sort of game where the conditions meant he had every opportunity to work on it,” Dyer said.

“He was really strong in his tackles and some of his one-on-one’s, especially when he was in possession and being tackled; he didn’t cough up, he was strong.

“Early in the year he’s been pretty high in possessions, but they’ve been from running to good spots, whereas this was contested sort of possessions.

“He just kept it simple – he kicked the ball to dangerous spots. It was a really positive day for him.”

2. Mason Wood continues to keep the pressure on the North selectors.

“He was pretty good. He stayed on the move and it was sort of that game where he needed to be a target when the boys were looking to go long down the line,” Dyer said.

“But then once the ball was kicked over his head he sort of needed to get back for that fall of the ball presence.|

“It was a slightly different sort of role, but he presented quite well.”

Wood finished with 13 possessions, as one of the Tigers’ better performers in difficult conditions.

“There’s still a couple of things for him to work on defensively, but without starring he was solid enough.”

3. Big man Eric Wallace has been terrific since being promoted to Werribee’s senior team.

“He pretty much rucked one-out. He was quite strong with his follow-up and impacted in the air a couple of times as well,” Dyer said.

Wallace took on Padraig Lucey for much of the day, finishing with 53 hit-outs.

“It was a good duel between the two of them, but I thought Beast probably shaded him on the day which was good.”

4. Kieran Harper had a tough day at the office, but can add a memorable goal to his highlight reel.

“It was just a volley out of mid-air from about 30 or 40 metres out from goal, and it just went through. It was a ripper,” Dyer said.

Harper was praised for his tackling pressure, but didn’t find as much of the ball as he would have liked.

Most likely call-up: Mason Wood, Will Fordham (requires promotion)
Next week: Saturday July 18 v Sandringham, 2.00pm at Avalon Airport Oval

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