Football
21 April, 2026
Bombers down Roos
Noradjuha Quantong’s senior football side earned some early-season redemption, winning a thriller over Harrow Balmoral in the round two rematch on Saturday, April 18.
The Bombers kicked 9.5 (59) to the Southern Roos’ 7.15 (57), with the result marking Harrow Balmoral’s first defeat at Harrow since round six in 2021, when the Bombers won by one point.
An early Judah Hobbs goal opened the scoring for Noradjuha Quantong before back-to-back goals from Ethan Appleton midway through the quarter gave the home side the lead.
Goals to Tyler Snowden and Damian Cameron later in the quarter saw the visitors take a 21-15 lead at the first break.
A hard-fought second quarter saw each side score one goal each as the Bombers took a 27-25 halftime lead.
The Southern Roos then pounced early in the third quarter with Liam Hickman’s second goal giving the home side a 45-27 lead.
The Bombers responded, kicking three goals late in the quarter to even the score just before the final break.
After taking back the lead early in the quarter, a running goal from Tyler Snowden gave the Bombers a 10-point lead midway through the final term.
Harrow Balmoral controlled possession and created forward opportunities late in the game, but gritty defence saw the visitors hold off the reigning premiers to take the two-point victory.
Excited to get one back on the 2025 premiers, Bombers assistant coach Wade Francis admitted it was a great effort to hold off Harrow Balmoral in the final stages.
“Those last 10 minutes were very intense,” he said.
“They probably had 95% of the play in their forward half of the ground, and it felt like it was repeat entry after repeat entry.
“It put some pressure on our back six and our mids to get back, and for our back six to just absorb all that pressure, hold them off and to get a win was super impressive.
“By the end of that last quarter, both teams were just absolutely knackered with how intense the game was, so it was very exciting when that final siren went.”
With good conditions on offer, the assistant coach said they were able to utilise their skills to create opportunities.
“With the conditions as nice as they were, it was probably a good day to use our football skills and kick the ball around the ground, and we tried to really cut him open that way,” Francis said.
“When we got a chance to attack from a good enough position, we were ready to launch from there.
“We tried to be a bit more strategic about how we moved the ball and when we attacked to try and control the tempo of the game.
“But to their credit, they defend the ground well, so they did make it hard at times as well.”
Francis credited Nigel Kelly and Lachlan Phyland for their efforts in nullifying Michael Close.
“Nigel Kelly and Lachy Phyland had a huge role trying to stop Michael Close,” he said.
“They both had a crack at him throughout stages of the game, and they were really good.
“Obviously, Michael’s a great player, so he's always going to have an impact, but I think they limited him as much as possible.”
Francis and Zachary Kelly were also critical for the Bombers on the defensive end, while Declan Phyland was impactful all game in the midfield.
For the Southern Roos, Michael Close, Cody Duetscher and Mitchell Grant were among the side’s best.
Ethan Appleton led the home side with three goals, while Judah Hobbs and Tyler Snowden each kicked two for the Bombers.