THE Nor-West Jets fell heartbreakingly short of a return to the AFL Sydney Division Two top five when it narrowly failed to hold off a fast-finishing Balmain by one point in a thriller at Blacktown International Sports Park’s No.2 Oval on Saturday night.
Despite missing eight first-choice players, including key defenders Warwick Smith, Matthew Lloyd and Sam Makins – the latter two who were forced to withdraw due to work commitments when the match was rescheduled under lights – the Jets got off to a flyer, turning in its best five-minute passage in many years that yielded five goals without the Dockers touching the ball, three to big man Paul Webster.
When they added another just before the siren, the Jets went into quarter time with a commanding 23-point lead.
But the bigger Dockers line-up, which pounded Nor-West by 64 points in round three, are not on top of the ladder without reason, and they gradually stemmed the tide until the Jets kicked two goals in quick succession to lead by 34 points just before the main break.
Goals in red time at the end of a quarter are crucial, and Balmain kicked two on half time to give it momentum going into the second half.
That’s where things got tough, with centre half forward Aaron Lawes departing at the break and James Moynihan, who had done a brilliant job to hold the Dockers’ power forward Andrew Kyprianou goalless, injured a hamstring, and the visitors edged back.
They cut the margin to just nine points at the final change with another goal almost on the siren, and added two more early to take the lead in the last term.
Nor-West answered quickly, but Balmain again hit the front, leading by four points with four minutes to play.
The final frantic exchanges were played exclusively in the Jets’ forward 50, but they could only manage three behinds, with Paul Sherwood’s snap going desperately close with less than 20 seconds on the clock.
The Dockers kicked in and the siren sounded a split second before the umpires judged the Jets to have completed a mark 35m out, handing Balmain a 12.9 81 to 12.8 80 victory.
Brendan Cameron was outstanding in the middle, as was Chris Ahearn, Sherwood, Tom Roberts, Gerard Smits (three goals) and Adam Fox, while Don Ollington’s experience was vital in the clinches, but it was hard to pick a player who didn’t play well in an outstanding effort against the odds.
NOR-WEST 6.1 9.2 10.3 12.8 80
BALMAIN 2.2 5.4 8.6 12.9 81
NWJ Goals: P Webster, G Smits 3, S Davidson, J Cass, S Tibben, J Berry, P Sherwood, J Howe.
NWJ Best: B Cameron, C Ahearn, D Ollington, P Sherwood, T Roberts, P Webster.
The Jets hopefully return to Bensons Lane this Saturday, with the seniors taking on St George at 2.10pm and the reserves meeting UTS at 12pm.
Last Modified on 21/06/2011 11:15
