Flu claim is cold comfort – Trent Robertson was among three Noble Park players who escaped the

By Paul Pickering
NOBLE Park coach Alan Ezard offered an explanation – but no excuses – for his side’s lethargic 55-point loss at Croydon on Saturday.
“Seven or eight of the boys have had the flu over the last couple of weeks and it really stood out on the weekend that we were really flat across the board,” Ezard revealed this week.
“We lacked that real zip that we had over the first four or five weeks of the season.”
That diagnosis didn’t stop the Bulls’ boss from tipping a cold bucket of water on his charges after the match.
“We got smashed all over the park,” he said.
“We probably had three blokes that held their heads high – the rest were very disappointing.”
Ezard named resident hard-nut Trent Robertson, ball-magnet Dean Kelly (two goals) and defender Duane Stott as those who earned a pardon via their efforts on Saturday.
Robertson was typically competitive across half-forward, Kelly provided some much-needed polish and Stott conceded just one goal amid the Croydon onslaught.
The Bulls slumped to a three-goal deficit at the first change and looked powerless to stop a rampaging Croydon outfit led by key forward Brad Kelleher (nine).
Heath Black and Stewart Kemperman booted two apiece for the lacklustre visitors.
Noble sat atop the league a fortnight ago, but has now dropped to fifth at 4-3 for the season heading into the Queen’s Birthday weekend break.
“The weekend bye has come at a really good time for us,” Ezard said, pointing to a crucial clash with sixth-placed Knox on 13 June.
Despite Noble’s recent form trough, Ezard is confident that his troops are yet to play their best footy.
“At the moment it’s a bit of a learning curve, for me and for the players as well – learning how I coach,” he said.
“We’re in a rebuilding stage of the club, but I still think we’re good enough to win the flag this year, because the competition is so even.”