Match result: North Ballarat 20.17.137 defeated Northern Blues 2.13.25
Venue: Eureka Stadium
Conditions: Sunny, but cold and windy
In action:
- Aaron Black (15 disposals, 1 goal)
- Brad McKenzie (24 disposals, 8 clearances, 5 tackles)
- Aaron Mullett (13 disposals)
- Robin Nahas (16 disposals, 7 goals, 5 tackles)
- Braydon Preuss (6 disposals, 26 hit-outs, 5 tackles, 1 goal)
- Joel Tippett (15 disposals, 7 marks)
- Max Warren (19 disposals)
NMFC.com.au's best:
Robin Nahas
Story of the game:
On paper, the match looked an even tussle with both sides having won four games for the season.
It wasn’t to be; North Ballarat was dominant from the outset. Gerard FitzGerald's team booted six goals to nil in the first term and never looked back.
The Roosters took the foot off the pedal late, but still registered a dominant 112-point win, keeping their opposition to just two goals for the day.
Points of interest
1. Robin Nahas had a huge day at the office, booting seven goals in a game that could have him in line for an AFL call-up.
“He played that mid-forward role,” Development Manager Ben Dyer said.
“He caused a bit of havoc up around the ball and then spinning forward he was just really hard to defend.
“He combined really hard running back to goal with some smarts and got some shots through that. He got a couple of goals from his pressure and probably could have kicked 10 or more if he hadn’t given a few off.”
2. Developing big man Braydon Preuss had a promising game, despite a tough start.
“He was ordinary early. He was getting pushed off the ball a bit and lost his footing a few times,” Dyer said.
“He thought his way through it and re-adjusted in the second half. He got on top in the hit-outs, both in the centre and around the ground.
“He went forward and got on the move and took three marks, two of them contested. He looked like he had a bit more of a presence after half-time.”
3. Max Warren enjoyed a different role, playing further up the ground on a wing.
“He’s done everything we can probably ask of him as a small defender, so it was just to see him up in a different sort of role and to really test himself aerobically as well,” Dyer said.
“He ran some really good patterns and pushed into defence and helped out as well.”
Warren was a strong contributor in the opening two quarters in particular.
“Probably till half-time he was probably close to best on ground. He was getting the ball, coming off the line and using it really well.
“He probably didn’t find as much of it in the second half, but for a first go on the wing he didn’t look like someone who hadn’t played there before.”
4. Despite the Roosters’ attacking dominance, Joel Tippett still earnt praise for his defensive efforts.
“Tippo was really good. It seems strange, but nothing got past him,” Dyer said.
“His organisation was really good down back, even though he wasn’t challenged.
“I thought he was really good for us.”
5. Brad McKenzie continued his good recent form with another high disposal game.
“We are really pleased that he’s getting that weight of possession now,” Dyer added.
“That’s a good five or six weeks now where he’s been able to get those numbers through the middle. They’re not cheap possessions, they’re either clearances or contested ball inside that he’s feeding to someone outside.
“He’s also spreading a lot better and using that defensively to find a few more possessions as well.”
Most likely call-up: Robin Nahas
Next week: Sunday August 9 v Geelong, Eureka Stadium at 1.30pm
