Heath’s black day for Bulls

By Stuart Teather
NOBLE Park Football Club is reeling after gun recruit Heath Black informed it he would not be joining the team at Moodemere Street in 2009.
Less than two months after announcing the former Fremantle and St Kilda midfielder would be joining the club, Black’s work situation changed in Perth and he was required to stay there for another 12 months.
Black was originally keen to sign with the Bulls because his half brother, Dean Kelly, already plays in the team.
A tough midfielder, Black was forced into retirement at the end of the 2008 AFL season after a string of hip and shoulder injuries took their toll.
Noble Park president Kevin Wright said there was no bad blood between club and player.
“Both parties tried to come to some arrangement, but unfortunately it didn’t work out that he was going to get across in the end,” he said.
“We’re happy with what he tried to do and achieve, it wasn’t as if he’s gone anywhere else deliberately, it’s just unfortunate it worked out that way.”
Wright said he expected Black would join the club in 2010, once his work commitments had finished.
“Basically he’s got to stay over there for another year, then he should be fine to come back over,” he said.
“He’s got a media role over there and he’s still contracted to Fremantle, so he’s got to do a bit of corporate work for them as well.”