Young Bulls are full of fight, despite the doubters

By Paul Pickering
IF you believe the talk in Eastern Football League circles, Division One powerhouse Noble Park is set for a fall in 2009.
But it’s hard not to believe new Bulls coach Alan Ezard when he says the doubters have got it wrong.
The former Essendon premiership player has been unfazed by the off-season exodus from Moodemere Street, declaring that his team will be stronger than the group that Kris Barlow took to the preliminary final in 2008.
“Everyone has written us off because of how many we’ve lost, but our kids coming through are going to be the best kids in the competition this year,” Ezard said.
“I reckon we’ve probably got a better squad and more depth than we did last year. The side finished third last year, so our goal is to improve on that.”
On face value, that seems like a bold prediction.
The Bulls have lost no less than nine players from their best 22 last season, including Barlow (to Blackburn), inside midfielder Robbie Ferraro (Corowa-Rutherglen), hard-running wingman Daniel Norman (Silvan) and key defender Daniel Rigg (Devon Meadows).
Skipper Daniel Donati and veteran defender Adrian Little have retired, young guns Ramy Melhem (Mulgrave) and Lloyd Williams (Mt Eliza) have moved on and the bid to secure ex-AFL star Heath Black fell through.
Still, Ezard gives every impression that his optimism is more than just spin.
Having already coached in the VFL, with North Ballarat and Coburg, as well as the Essendon District and Western Region competitions, he says he is genuinely excited about the opportunity to deliver Noble back to the glory days of the mid-2000s.
“I’m a big believer in the youth policy,” he said.
“Looking at our list this year, I think there’s only five blokes over 24 years-of-age, so that’s exciting from a coaching point of view.
“A lot of those guys have played 20 to 40 games, so 15 to 20 of them are going to be the next generation of the Noble Park footy club.”
Among those promising youngsters are dynamic forwards Dean Kelly and Dave Velardo, ball-winners Shayne Allan, Geoff Humphreys and Robbie Kemperman, and gritty defenders Tim Davison and Trent Robertson.
Add to that list George Angelopoulos and Ziggie Alwan, who have returned from state league stints at Box Hill (VFL) and Norwood (SANFL) last season, and Vic Metro under-18 representative Kyle Martin from the Sandringham Dragons.
The Bulls have also picked up ex-Frankston YCW ruckman Glenn Mason, key defender Dwayne Stott and emerging midfielder Paul Fermanis.
Ezard said Manson’s arrival will provide much-needed support for Andrew Gilbert, freeing up one of them to drift forward as a marking target.
Injured big man Matt Skehan will be expected to play a similar role when he returns mid-season.
And while Ezard expects the improvement to come from his youngsters, established stars Craig Anderson, Peter O’Brien and Stewart Kemperman will again be the focus for opposition coaches.
For all the upheaval at the Bullring over summer, Ezard knows that he will get a clear indication of where his group stands when the Bulls meet arch-rival Vermont this Saturday.
“Vermont at Vermont is a great way to start the year,” he said.
Maybe then we’ll know who to believe.