By DAVID NAGEL
SEFL
REVIEW – ROUND 4
A LOT of things were put into perspective on Saturday… the least important that the gap between Berwick and ROC is huge after the Wickers’ dominant 10-goal victory over the Kangas at Starling Road.
A minutes silence was held prior to the match to pay tribute to Ethan Devine, the 15-year-old son of Berwick assistant-coach Todd and his wife Trish. Ethan passed away last Tuesday – and that put the huge gap between football and real life also into perspective.
Todd and his son Heath were on hand for the tribute, which seemed to inspire the Wickers in what has proven to be a tricky trip south in recent years.
Berwick bounced out of the blocks, livewire forward Mitch Johnson kicking four first-quarter goals as the Wickers answered any doubts about their ability to emulate last week’s huge win over Narre Warren.
The Kangaroos did lock down the contest in the second quarter, but Berwick exploded away again after half time, kicking nine goals to four to get the scoreboard benefit that their dominance deserved.
Berwick coach Rhys Nisbet was proud of his side after the game, with the difficulty of the build-up having an effect on all at the club.
“The players are really fond of Todd, so to see him and his family go through what they’ve been through was pretty flattening for the whole group,” Nisbet said.
“Then there’s the difficulty of coming to ROC and not knowing how the players would back up after the win over Narre Warren last week.
“If you’d have given me a five-goal win I would have taken it, so to win by 10 was fantastic.
“We played well and we played in the manner that we want to play football.”
Johnson was magnificent for the Wickers, unaffected by the strong winds he crafted an eight-goal haul that was only dulled by a late injury scare.
Dandenong Stingrays listed Sean Nicholson booted two, as did Ben Kearns, who backed up his five against the Magpies from last week. Michael Johnson, the nephew of Todd Devine, did a great job on ROC dangerman Matt Clarke, whose two goals included one ‘Joe the Goose’.
Matt Rogers, Ben Tivendale and Dylan Chapman were best for the Roos, who face an equally desperate and winless Tooradin in this Sunday’s VWA Game of the Month at Tooradin.
Berwick 16.13(109) ROC 7.6(48)
