Devastating debut

By Paul Pickering
A NINE-GOAL debut from boom recruit Tory Dickson propelled Noble Park to an emphatic victory over East Burwood on Saturday.
Dickson, who won a VFL best and fairest with Frankston last year, had the Bullring in raptures as he guided the home side to a 73-point win in the Division One season opener.
It was an audacious first-up performance, but it came as no surprise to new Bulls coach Mick Fogarty, who was an assistant at the Dolphins last year.
“He’s a star,” Fogarty said.
“He’s come off a VFL best and fairest, so you’d expect he’s going to have an impact at this level. And I know he’s kicked 9.1, but his defensive skills and the pressure he puts is the strength of his game.”
Dickson wasn’t the only newcomer to impress on Saturday.
Twenty-one-year-old tall Lachlan Delahunty – recruited from the Wimmera league via the Bendigo Bombers – booted three goals in a similarly successful debut.
Delahunty, whose clearance was approved just last week, will suit up with the Bulls when he isn’t picked to play in the VFL.
Fogarty had every right to be buoyed by Noble’s new-look forward structure, but he was less than glowing in his assessment of the game.
“We played OK, and that’s no disrespect to the opposition,” he said.
“We weren’t as clean around the stoppages as we could be and we lairised a bit with the footy.
“But the pleasing thing was that while a lot of our players were just OK, we hit the scoreboard a fair bit and managed to win pretty easily.”
Tim Kelly played a starring role across half-back, while gun midfielder Peter O’Brien and mobile big man Glen Manson also looked in fine fettle.
The Bulls will travel to Mullum Reserve to face Norwood – a 10-goal loser to Vermont – this Saturday.