Brunswick accounted for a young Aquinas outfit comfortably enough on Saturday at a chilly Ringwood to remain undefeated, but the scoreboard didn’t tell the real story of the game, for it was the umpiring display that was the subject of most discussion on the day due to its utter bizarreness – bamboozling players, coaches and spectators alike.

We are told incessantly that Australian Rules football is a hard game to umpire, but the officials at Aquinas seemed to possess a different rulebook altogether, and it was to the players’ credit that they adjusted to it without any real rancour.

To the game itself, the NOBs got on top early, with the opening major to Hayden Parker from a holding free, followed by a classy goal on the run to the in-form Gabe Banova. The home side got on the board from a goal-mouth scramble, which was answered by the lively Gus Coverdale, who was on the end of an impressive chain.

The NOBs paid for some sloppy footy early in the second quarter by conceding a second goal, which reduced the margin to just seven points, but from then on they clicked into gear, starting with Parker’s second (aided by a 50m penalty) and then, from nowhere, a quickfire hat-trick to Joe Gale, highlighted by a mid-air volley from 10 metres out in the middle of it, and they took a 30-point lead into the main break.

The third term was all one-way traffic, as Brunswick kicked 6.7 to 0.0, with Banova getting the ball rolling inside the first minute with his second running goal. Another young gun in Oscar Watt then hit Parker with a beautiful pass which he duly converted. There followed a frustrating period when the NOBs had four very gettable set shots which all missed, then Parker broke the drought after a strong pack mark for his fourth. A snap to Banova on his non-preferred right foot was another highlight, then Gale slammed through his fourth from the goal square. The quarter ended as it started with Banova slotting a goal on the run, right on the siren, to make it three for the term and four for the match. It was a case of old-style waxing between Parker, Gale and Banova!

The final quarter was a forgettable affair. Aquinas kicked an early goal and Parker snagged his fifth a few minutes later, but from then on, the sides could only manage six behinds between them as spectators begged the timekeepers to blow the siren early. All-in-all, it was another comprehensive win to the NOBs, with the defensive effort of keeping the home side to only three goals probably the major achievement.

Best-on-ground was again Banova, who has hit a rich vein of form. Gale was also excellent and has reinvented himself nicely as a forward. Old heads Josh Hedley, Liam Whelan and James Schmidt were prominent, while Watt continues to display pace and skill. Playing his first game for the club, Josh Hale showed he will be a player to watch, and Will McKenzie ran hard all day.

The NOBs return to Gillon Oval this Saturday against Bulleen-Templestowe as they look to build on their great start to the year. See you there!