By Marcus Uhe
An upset win on the road over highly-fancied Doncaster East made for a perfect start to the season for Noble Park in round one of the Eastern Football Netball League on Saturday.
The Bulls held a three point advantage heading into the final term against a preliminary finalist from 2023 and kicked 3.4 to the Lions’ 2.3 to finish 10-point victors, 8.13 61 to 7.9 51.
Doncaster East kicked the first of the final term to retake the lead after four minutes, but the Bulls quickly responded through the desperate efforts of Matt Nelson.
Nelson affected a smother at centre half-forward as the Lions looked to advance the ball out of their backline and was the first player to reach the ground ball, kicking it off the ground through an unguarded goal.
Desperation again netted the Bulls their second of the term, thanks to a strong contest win from 18-year-old Tom Bower.
Bower attacked a loose footy fiercely and scrounged forward a ground ball in the forward 50 to Blake O’Leary on his own at the top of the goal square, who converted despite a charging Doncaster East defending closing down his space to give his side an eight-point cushion halfway through the term.
Relentless pressure in the middle of the ground produced the third of the quarter, as Chris Horton-Milne’s clearance from congestion beat the Lions’ press and allowed for Bower to kick the sealer running in to an open goal.
For the remainder of the contest, it was up to the Bulls’ trademark watertight defence to hold strong, which they managed to achieve.
Ariek Lual’s pressure in the back 50 and a critical tackle close to his defensive goal typified the efforts of his side on Saturday afternoon and drew widespread affection from his teammates and supporters.
Doncaster East kicked the final goal of the afternoon deep into stoppage time but couldn’t reel the charging Bulls back in on its home ground.
O’Leary kicked four in a welcome addition for the Bulls, making the most of his availability from Frankston given the Dolphins’ bye in the VFL.
Noble Park will return to Pat Wright Senior Oval for its first home game of the season on Saturday to tackle South Croydon.
