By JARROD POTTER
LIAM Tobin bid farewell to the Victorian Football League (VFL) this week to return to where it all began – Noble Park.
After over 100 senior and reserves matches with Box Hill Hawks – including the 2013 VFL premiership victory – Tobin, 24, called time on his VFL career as it was simply his time to move on.
He said his farewells to the club he called home for five seasons, before packing up and slotting straight into the Bulls’ defence for its Eastern Football League (EFL) round 9 clash.
“I had a clause in my contract at the VFL and if I wasn’t feeling happy or feeling I was getting the most out of my footy they’d let me go, so I made that decision on Tuesday night and told the boys,” Tobin said. “From now on I’m at Noble as it’s not good to go back and forth (between VFL and local footy), so I made the decision.
“To consistently play for them (Noble Park) it’s been about seven years now, so it’s good to be back and good to see some of the boys I’ve played with in juniors still here and have played 200-plus games.
“It’s fantastic and to get a win is even better.”
That good start for Tobin came on Saturday as he played a crucial part in the Bulls’ 12-point triumph over the Tigers.
Reuniting with junior team mates Tyson Mitchem, Vergim Faik and Kyle Martin – this time in the senior ranks – Tobin excelled down back as he took some of the harder tasks and flourished in his return to blue and gold.
There was no easing into his role either; Tobin and the Bulls’ backmen were under siege throughout most of the second half, but they stuck it out to claim the side’s most important win yet in 2016.
“Balwyn when they got their running game up they were quite dangerous, but credit to the boys,” Tobin said. “Stoppages were excellent and just fought it out – they kicked two or three but we were able to respond and it showed really good resilience and building as a team.”
He thinks finals are definitely in the equation for the Bulls this season, but a lot will be determined in the next few weeks with some tough challenges ahead.
“There’s no doubt we can play finals – it’s just a matter of playing that footy that we played today,” Tobin said. “If we can keep that intensity, ball movement and execution we can take it up to the best.
“I haven’t seen probably Vermont and Rowville move, but we’ve matched Balwyn today and hopefully we’ll be able to match Vermont next week and Rowville the week after.
“So it’s a big three weeks ahead but that will test the true mettle of the boys.”
Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty was thrilled to get Tobin through the doors – for good this time – and fondly remembered how talented the defender has been all along.
“He’s a really good player – I remember about 2011 when he was at Box Hill, just embarked on a VFL career, and we had him for a week down at Blackburn and we played him at half-back and he was outstanding then too,” Fogarty said. “He’s just a really, really talented footballer as well as setting up the back line with his knowledge and his structure.
“He’s a terrific acquisition.”
