Not the end result that the Balwyn Tigers were after with an early finals exit at the hands of Doncaster East.
By Ryan Long.
Balwyn
Ladder Position: 4th (13-5, 138.62%)
Leading Goalkicker: Charlie Hayley (53)
Summary:
A top-four finish for Balwyn in season 2022, coming into the year as one of the premiership favourites. With the way they finished the 2021 season with the most dangerous forward line in the game, the expectations were high for the Tigers.
Early on, the side couldn’t quite find the consistent form they had in the second half of the 2021 season. After eight rounds in, they sat at 5-3, needing a big second half of the season to earn the double chance.
They faced a couple of key injuries. One of their most vital forwards, Jeffrey Gobbels played only the five games for the season. He came back just in time for the finals but couldn’t get into his best form.
The Tigers started to kick into gear late, winning five in a row including a very impressive 56-point win over eventual premiers Noble Park.
A loss in the final round of the Home and Away season meant Balwyn would finish fourth and take on Doncaster East in an Elimination Final. In a heated contest, the Tigers fell behind the eight ball early. Despite Doncaster East getting that early jump, leading by five to six goals during the second quarter, the Tigers fought back to even things up at Half Time. However, the Lions regained control in the second half, kicking 11 goals to two, running out 63-point winners.
It certainly wasn’t the way Rodney Eade’s men were looking to finish off the year but the club still has a lot to prove and posses the talent to make another run at it.
Key Players:
The Tigers deadly duo up forward in Charley Haley and Lisle both made the EFNL Team of the Year for Premier Division. The two forwards both kicked 50 goals this season with Charlie Haley even kicking a bag of 10 in a match earlier this season against North Ringwood, polling the most votes in the Chandler Medal for the club.
Chevy Anderson had a great year, eleven times in the best, the most of any Balwyn player.
The likes of Bowen Smith, Shaun Cross and Yarran Jaffer-Williams all had great seasons, consistently in the side’s best handful of players.
Best Win: Round 15 – Balwyn 14.14 98 def. Noble Park 6.6 42 @Balwyn Visy Park
After a disappointing loss to the Bulls earlier in the season, the Tigers came out in Round 15 looking to make a statement. They controlled territory in the first quarter but missed opportunities in front of goal, kicking 4.8 to 2.2.
It took until the second half for the game to open up off the back of a five-goal Tigers quarter, stretching their lead to 43 points. The final margin was 56 points, Noble Park’s biggest loss of the season.
Charlie Haley had a solid afternoon, kicking three majors while Anderson, Oakes, Lisle, and Freeman all finished with two each.
The win reminded the division of what the Tigers can do when at their absolute best.
Off-Season Focus:
The big change ahead of the 2023 season is Rodney Eade’s departure as Senior Coach with Brenton Sanderson taking over. An excellent choice to lead the Tigers into the future with Sanderson having experience at AFL level with over 200 games experience plus three years in charge of the Adelaide Crows.
The Tigers have been quiet so far on the recruitment front. They were the third-ranked attacking side this season and have the forward weapons to contend for a premiership. They can’t afford an inconsistent start to the season next year if they truly do want to finish inside the top two with a double chance.
Netball Review
Balwyn Tigers (Section Five)
Ladder Position: 4th, (11-5, 146.34%)
An impressive season for the Tigers who won a total of eleven games for the season, finishing fourth on the ladder. They were one of the best defensive sides of the section with the second-lowest number of goals scored against them in the home and away season. Alysia Oakes had an incredible year, 195 goals and a top ten goal shooter of the section.