Failing to be ton-tied, there's now a ton of expectation
Paul Daffy | August 20, 2008
FEV and Buddy aren't the only footballers locked in a battle to reach 100 goals. In Melbourne's Eastern Football League, the full-forwards from the top two teams are putting the finishing touches on a thrilling duel to reach the ton.
That's not to say their duel has been neck-and-neck. Vermont's Matthew Greig, the son of dual Brownlow medallist Keith, started last weekend's round on 99 goals, while Balwyn spearhead Pat Bowden, the brother of Richmond's Joel, was on 82. The events of the next few hours were expected on one hand and out of the blue on the other.
Almost weekly, Greig launches his pale, skinny frame on to someone's head to take an unimaginable mark. His pyrotechnics have dragged spectators through the gate at Vermont for the past five seasons. Children go from end to end to watch him from behind the goals.
So it was with a touch of anti-climax on Saturday that the 30-year-old reached his third ton in three seasons. It was at cold and windy Lilydale. Greig kicked his first goal seven minutes into the match and all interest was lost. He had three goals by three-quarter-time, after which he sat on the bench to rest a wobbly knee.
Bowden was delisted by Richmond after last season. He considered playing amateur footy with University Blacks or Old Xaverians before signing to play under former Hawthorn midfielder Daniel Harford at Balwyn.
His opening five games with Balwyn were on a wing or at centre half-forward. But since kicking seven goals from full-forward against Blackburn, it's as if he's been channelling former Richmond birdman Michael Roach. No one in his AFL days would have suspected his penchant for big grabs.
Bowden had no expectations of notching the ton against Norwood on Saturday, but then he kicked his team's opening seven goals and the possibilities opened up. At half-time, he had nine. In the last quarter, with the milestone in sight, he got the wobbles.
With two goals to go, the 27-year-old missed a shot from 15 metres out straight in front. Two more shots ended up out on the full. When centre half-forward Nick Smith had a shot two metres out from goal rather than handballing to Bowden, the crowd booed.
It was around this time that Balwyn president Richard Wilson approached the coach's bench and demanded that Bowden be dragged. He wanted a week's build-up based on Bowden's imminent ton before the club's final home match the following week, against fourth-placed East Ringwood. The coaches told him to get back to the beer tent.
Bowden's final goal against Norwood, a kick after the siren, gave him a tally for the match of 17.5, with a few more shots that finished in the next suburb. It broke Matthew Greig's league record of 15 goals in a game. And it assured Balwyn of box-office booty this Saturday.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/a-ton-of-expectation/2008/08/19/1218911718295.html
