Representative coach Jason Heatley says he is proud of the NFL’s efforts at the AFL Victoria Metropolitan Championships, despite suffering an agonising five-point defeat to the VAFA.
Playing for the No.1 ranking in Melbourne, the NFL led for all but the final six minutes of the match in the 7.7 (49) to 5.14 (44) result at Carlton’s IKON Park.
The NFL was left to rue wayward kicking in front of goal – booting 1.13 after quarter time as it failed to put away the VAFA during periods of dominance in the opening three quarters.
Trailing by 13 points at the final change, the VAFA booted the only three goals of the final term to snatch victory from the NFL’s grasp.
Heatley conceded the narrow loss was hard to accept, but said every member of the NFL’s playing group could hold their head high.
“We’ve got some outstanding guys that represented their clubs and the league really well,” he said.
“I couldn’t pick any guys who didn’t accept the challenge, while some guys had better games than others but that’s where you rely on the full unit to get you through.
“They’ll go back to their clubs now and they’ll be great ambassadors for their club and the league right throughout the year.”
Heatley paid particular praise to the NFL’s backline – led superbly by captain Jason Kennedy and best on ground medal winner Nick Riddle – who repelled the VAFA’s forays forward for the majority of the afternoon.
“I thought our back six were outstanding as a unit for the course of the game. Nick Riddle obviously got the medal and he’s going to be an enormous asset for Greensborough across the course of the year,” he said.
While most pundits had predicted a comfortable VAFA win, the NFL raced to an early lead courtesy of goals to Pat Fitzgerald (in the opening 30 seconds), Ben Fennell and Shane Harvey.
Playing a fierce brand of football that combined clean ball movement, fierce tackling and a relentless attack on the football, the NFL stunned its more fancied opponent to take a 20-point advantage into the first change.
The NFL’s back six then weathered a strong VAFA charge in the second term to ensure the league held an 11-point margin at half time.
The third term was one of missed opportunities, with the NFL controlling the play but unable to capitalise on the scoreboard.
Wayward kicking at goal and, at times, sloppy disposal entering attacking 50 denied the NFL the chance to open a meaningful lead at the final change.
Ultimately, the league was made to pay in the final term courtesy of three unanswered VAFA goals to Jack Bull, Bede Mahon and Adam Pitt.
“I think people will certainly sit up and take notice of us, but it doesn’t take away that raw emotion and disappointment that we’re all feeling, knowing that we let one slip away. We’ll have to digest that,” Heatley said.
“At the end of the day we came here to win the game and we didn’t do that so we’re extremely disappointed.
“In the same breath, I thought the effort and commitment of our guys was outstanding.
“We let ourselves down entering 50 but you have to give the VAFA some real credit for hanging in there as well because there were times there where I thought we really could have got hold of them, but we just didn’t take our chances.”
Heatley said he believed the NFL’s playing group was well placed to achieve success in the near future given the amount of new faces that represented the league at this year’s Championships.
Thirteen of the 24-man playing group didn’t feature in last year’s victory over the Essendon District Football League – with newcomers Riddle and Fennell showing they will be regulars in the NFL jumper for years to come.
