The Courier |
A MASSIVE 10-goal haul from North Ballarat City recruit Derick Micallef and a 109-point victory has again put North Ballarat City in the spotlight – but for all the right reasons.
The former North Ballarat Roosters VFL player dominated down forward for City, outscoring opponents East Point off his own boot alone.
Not only did the massive victory send out the message to the rest of the Ballarat Football League that North are a force to be reckoned with, but also showed the club was able to put the Jarrod Edwards saga behind it.
After weeks of innuendo, Edwards walked away from the club on the verge of the season opener late last week, a move that disappointed the club, which he had signed with in February.
Club president Stephen Darbin had declared the saga an unnecessary distraction, but when Peach’s North City took to the field under lights at Eureka Stadium on Saturday night, the loss of Edwards seemed the last thing on players minds.
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With a steely intent, City systematically dismantled East Point, showing little signs of relenting despite a 71-point lead at three-quarter time.
Speaking yesterday, Darbin said everybody at the club was keen to put all off-field dramas behind them and focus on one thing – playing football.
“The players were really keen to put everything behind them, to be honest they didn’t even talk about it,” he said.
“It didn’t affect the guys on the field at all.
“They are a resilient mob, they’re not really interested in what is happening off the field.
“In some ways it might be a good thing for us, now we can focus on the development of some of our younger guys.”
Aside from North’s drubbing of the Roos, the remainder of the Red Onion Creative BFL round one was extremely close.
Redan, Ballarat and Sunbury all scraped through by less than a kick and Bacchus Marsh overpowered Sebastopol in the final quarter in an otherwise seesawing affair.
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