A scintillating second half of 12 goals to three delivered another victory to Brunswick NOBs against a team pushing for fourth place on the ladder, this time Bulleen Templestowe, at Gillon Oval on Saturday.

That exciting hour of footy belied a sluggish first half in which we struggled to get our game going on a heavy ground, albeit in unusually windless conditions, against a Bulleen Temp side intent on showing they were much better than what they served up to us at Ted Ajani Reserve earlier in the season.

The first quarter was a turgid affair of one goal apiece, with the defences of both sides on top. Tom Wilson, Darcy Heenan and Liam Whelan led the way down back for us, while David Royle was our sole goallkicker, before he went on to score our only two majors of the second term, which took us to a 12-point lead. However, the game then took a twist as the visitors found their rhythm and slammed on four unanswered goals in the last 12 minutes of the half. During that period, Bulleen Temp looked the better side as they moved the ball with purpose and we committed numerous turnovers through decision-making and skill errors. To add to that, key forward Chris Ford had limped out of the game with a foot injury and Geremie Ganino was struggling with a hamstring.

New coach Peter Carter was calm at the main break and asked his team to reset. And they did just that. A major from the opening ball-up of the third quarter, with Ben Wilson putting it down the throat of Ganino in the goal square, set the scene for what was to come. Nick Burgin followed up with a classy goal, before Ganino scored again for us to reclaim the lead after 10 minutes. With the game opening up, the visitors goaled to level the scores after 14 minutes before Ganino slotted his third for the term, and Burgin added another to extend the lead to a couple of goals, which we held into the final change, aided by a late long bomb from Mick O’Donoghue.

After some mixed form in fourth quarters this season, particularly at home, the final 30 minutes loomed as a real barometer to where we are at, and six goals to one was a great response. Burgin, playing an inspired half, slammed home his third early on and Micky O pulled out another bomb, even as he slipped on the turf, to take us to a 25-point lead. Bulleen Temp managed to claw the margin back to within three goals momentarily, but to then finish off with four straight goals, including the fourth for the half for each of Burgin and Ganino, made the win that much sweeter.

Tom Wilson was our best player over four quarters. His improvement at half-back this season has been continual and on Saturday he played his most complete game for the club. Another who displayed his best form was Matt Dickson in the midfield, while Burgin was quite brilliant after halftime. James Moverley was again excellent in the ruck, crashing packs and running hard for handball receives to boot. Patrick O’Donoghue was very good on the ball, while David Royle kept us in the contest to halftime and Mick O’Donoghue did a good job in his swingman role. Ganino also did pretty well on one leg at full forward.

The challenges from teams hunting fourth place keep coming next week as we take on Yarra Valley at Doncaster Reserve. It is another game we need to win to secure a top-two spot on the ladder. See you there.