30-04-2025
NFNL Northern Football League: Kilmore depth tested by injury curse, Derrick, Taylor-Egan
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Kilmore faces a significant test of its depth ahead of Saturday's critical NFNL Division 3 clash with Kinglake.
The Two Blues' 20-point win over Heidelberg West at Heidelberg Park came at a serious cost with Bailey Taylor-Egan, Ethan Derrick and Ben Barton all going down injured.
Derrick and Barton suffered hamstring strains and could be out for a fortnight or more, while Taylor-Egan took a knee to the kidneys.
The star forward and Team of the Year selection was making his season debut but ended up in hospital and could miss the next month.
It further deepens an ongoing injury curse at JJ Clancy Reserve with boom recruit Jared Crosbie yet to take the field.
Kilmore coach Paul Derrick expects Liam Monaghan back, while Bailey Deed and Jaden Smith face fitness tests.
Derrick said the club's reserves and under-19s were in good form.
'Bailey (Taylor-Egan) ended up in hospital but will miss three to four,' he said.
'Ben Barton and Ethan (Derrick) are two to three weeks, on top of the six we already had and one's going to a wedding – so there's 10 out this week.
'The following week we'll probably get six back, this week it's probably just Monas and the 23rd man.
'The 19s won by 119 points and the reserves won by 50, so there's a few that are ready to step up.
'There's a bit of depth there, but we'll be tested.'
After losing Derrick and Taylor-Egan in the first quarter on Saturday, Derrick admitted it took him and his players time to adjust.
After trailing by 27 points at quarter-time, Heidelberg West cut the margin back to 15 at the half.
However, the Two Blues regained their composure after the main break and kicked four goals to one in the third term to take a match-winning 31-point advantage to the final change.
With its two focal points missing, the Kilmore attack spread the load with eight individual goalkickers.
'Considering we lost two guys that kicked 90 goals between them in the first quarter, it took us a while – including myself – to adjust to that,' Derrick said.
'The second quarter wasn't great but I thought after half-time we got back on track, (Heidelberg West) kept coming to their credit.
'We were a bit shell-shocked but we adjusted and it went well thankfully.
'Josh Coe was brilliant in the ruck all day and Jesse Taylor, I think he got close to 40 touches off half-back.
'There was a spread of goalkickers, so it was creating opportunities for everyone – and Chris Barton kicked three.
'Last year, we had the two guys and the next best was 11 goals, this year in Round 1 we had 12 goalkickers and then seven or eight so there's been a better spread.'
Kilmore is one of four undefeated sides in the competition and faces another in Kinglake at Clancy Reserve in arguably the match of the round.
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The club has also had a strong start in the women's competition as it makes it's debut this year.
The Two Blues started off with a 120-point win over Montmorency 2, keeping it scoreless, before a 87-point victory over Whittlesea and 59-point win over Heidelberg West.
'The women are flying … they've been really good around the club, there's a couple on the committee and more getting involved, which is really good,' Derrick said.
The women's team faces Epping at Epping Reserve on Sunday.
