By Will Lawrence
Balwyn Tigers forward Charlie Haley had everything fall into place against Rowville this weekend as he went about kicking a massive ten goal haul and helping his side to a comfortable 79-point win over the Hawks.
The win takes the in form Balwyn to fifth spot on the Premier Division ladder, a game clear of Blackburn and just behind fourth placed Norwood on match ratio (% of games won).
Before the game Haley says he had no thoughts of an incoming brilliant individual performance, but was simply readying himself for a Rowville side who were coming off an impressive win the week before over North Ringwood.
However, as the game progressed Charlie and his teammates found every ball started falling their way.
“It all fell in my lap,”
“Between the forwards we were laughing a few times as a couple of times it wasn’t even meant to be kicked to me and it came off someone’s shin and landed in my lap,” Haley said.
“It was just one of those days where the luck was on my side, but the other boys will get lucky in the next couple weeks, and I’ll just take it this week,” he continued.
Coming in at the half-time Haley already had a staggering seven goals and so the objective from then was clear, get to the magical 10.
Haley’s Tigers teammates were also ready to aide this mission, conscious to keep the ball coming his way on each opportunity.
Haley’s ten goals doubled his season’s tally in one game, to leave him now at 20 goals, third on the league leaderboard.
This colossal haul playing for Balwyn Tigers certainly ranks as one of his best performances playing footy for the livewire, who has had stints at North Ringwood and VAFA outfit De La Salle.
“It’s the most I’ve kicked in seniors, I’ve kicked eight (goals) a few times, but never had the 10. So yeah, probably my best day out.”
In the two post lockdown games the Tigers have won and kicked over 110 points in each game, something that hadn’t previously achieved this season.
Haley puts this down to the combination of club legend Kris Pendlebury returning from injury and Tom Freeman coming in from Casey to solidify Balwyn’s backline.
Perfect Ten | All 10 majors from @BalwynFC 's @charliehaley1 on Saturday pic.twitter.com/XGuXOfYlNr — Eastern FNL (@Eastern_FNL) June 28, 2021
“They don’t just defend. They’re probably the two best defenders in the comp, but they also create drive from the back half and allow the ball users to get their hands on it and move it forward,” said Haley, who’s 10 goal haul bought him closer to 200 goals in the EFNL.
“These last couple weeks we’ve been attacking from the back half, when early in the season we may not have had the firepower to move the ball quick enough,” he says.
“We know as a forward group if they (the midfielders) get the ball in there then we will kick goals.”
Haley says that his side is travelling a lot better than people think and beating top sides like Vermont and Noble Park shows this.
He also caveated this by stating that the Tigers had lost some games that they should’ve won, and combined with a tough opening draw, they now know they can’t afford to drop any further games if they’re to squeeze into the makeshift top four.
Haley says he and his teammates are ready to win this weekend against an in-form Doncaster side, who have won their last three.
“Doncaster are doing pretty well, winning their last few so hopefully we can get the job done back at home, keep winning, which is the plan, get into finals and then have a crack at it.”
