By ROY WARD
TWO-time EFL division 1 premier Noble Park fell to its second loss in three matches against the previously winless East Ringwood at Pat Wright Senior Oval on Saturday.
After winning the past two premierships, the Bulls now face major questions about the form and fitness of their core players and their desire to again climb to the top of a much-improved competition.
After a sterling win over Balwyn in round 1, the Bulls’ form has slumped and coach Mick Fogarty will spend this week speaking with his players and coaches looking for answers.
Fogarty said his side had to regain the ability to play four full quarters of football. They dominated the second term and the early part of the fourth against the Roos but got little return on the scoreboard.
“I’m disappointed,” Fogarty said after the game. “I don’t think it’s our confidence. Our core players just aren’t getting the job done. They aren’t playing the way we know they can.”
The Bulls aren’t pushing any panic buttons despite the slow start. Instead, they will look internally leading to their next clash against in-form Blackburn this Saturday. Both teams have snared only one win from the first three games.
“The beauty about footy is that each week brings you a different challenge and we are just three games into the season,” Fogarty said.
As rain fell through most of the second term, the Bulls failed to make the most of repeated ventures inside 50, kicking one goal, five behinds to take a slight lead as the Roos failed to score for the term.
The third term was all East Ringwood as Roos stars David Bell, Luke Vogels, Gary Conyers and Cam Purdy all kicked goals to open a 19-point lead at three-quarter time .
Fogarty challenged his players to make up for their “non-existent” efforts in the first three terms but Vogels goaled to start the final term, leaving the home side 25 points adrift.
From that point Bulls star Shayne Allan and small forward George Angelopolous spurred their side back into the game. Allan kicked three goals in quick time and just missed a further attempt.
But just as the game looked within reach for the Bulls, the Roos’ minds returned to the game as they held the home side out before Vogels kicked his fourth goal to seal the win.
The final-term comeback left Fogarty questioning why his side couldn’t reach top level for a whole game.
“We can’t try and win the game after playing one or two bad quarters; you just leave yourself too much to do. If we play four quality quarters of football then our games would surely end in our favour.”
Fogarty praised Angelopolous and unheralded big man Stuart Cleeve for their efforts and hoped the rest of his side would emulate their energy and passion. Midfielder Ziggy Alwan and utilities Daniel Rigg and Matt Pearce could all return from injury next match.
FINAL SCORES
Victorian Football League:
Casey Scorpions 22.8(140) d Geelong 14.10 (94).
TAC Cup:
Oakleigh Chargers 5.9 (39) d Dandenong Stingrays 4.9 (33).
Southern Football League:
Division 1: Clayton 11.10 (76) d Highett 11.7 (73); Mordialloc 7.6 (48) d Heatherton 4.10 (34); Chelsea Heights 8.9 (57) d Dingley 5.8 (38).
Division 2: Southern Dragons 15.13 (103) d South Yarra 8.10 (58); East Malvern 7.4 (46) d Springvale Districts 4.15 (39); Oakleigh District 12.11 (83) d Hampton 10.10 (70).
Division 3: Doveton Eagles 13.12 (90) d Caulfield 6.8(44); Mount Waverley 21.16 (142) d Hallam 6.12(48); Sandown 13.16 (94) d Lyndale 3.3 (21); Moorabbin 19.11 (125) d Endeavour Hills 4.10 (34); Ashwood 11.8 (74) d Dandenong 2.10 (22).
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: South Croydon 12.8 (80) d Lilydale 6.17(53); Balwyn 13.11 (89) d Norwood 10.10 (70); Blackburn 20.13 (133) d Croydon 8.7 (55); Scoresby 5.10 (40) d Knox 3.5 (23); East Burwood 15.11 (101) d Vermont 6.9 (45); East Ringwood 10.14 (74) d Noble Park 7.17 (59).
Division 2: Bayswater 17.16 (115) d Doncaster East 13.11 (89); Mooroolbark 9.17 (71) d Donvale 9.8 (62); Montrose 13.20 (98) d Mulgrave 4.4 (28); Rowville 9.22(76) d Doncaster 9.5 (59); Upper Ferntree Gully 11.15 (81) d Waverley Blues 7.9 (51).
Division 3: Boronia 11.14 (80) d Heathmont 3.4 (22); Wantirna South 10.11 (71) d Chirnside Park 7.10 (52); North Ringwood 12.8 (80) d Mitcham 5.13 (43); Whitehorse Pioneers 10.7 (67) d Coldstream 8.10 (58); Ringwood 9.12 (66) d Glen Waverley Hawks 8.9 (57).
Casey Cardinia Football League:
Cranbourne 26.22(178) d Pakenham 2.3 (15); Narre Warren 44.23(287) d Hampton Park 4.3 (27); Tooradin-Dalmore 11.4 (70) d ROC 8.5 (53); Keysborough 13.13(91) d Doveton 6.4 (40); Beaconsfield v Berwick (Sunday).
For full results click on Scoreboard link at right.
THIS WEEK
Victorian Football League:
Box Hill Hawks v Casey Scorpions, Box Hill City Oval 1.10pm.
TAC Cup:
Queensland v Dandenong Stingrays, Yeronga Football Ground (QLD) 10.30am.
Southern Football League:
Division 1: Cheltenham v Dingley, Jack Barker Oval 2pm; Heatherton v East Brighton, Ross Street Reserve, 2pm; Chelsea Heights v Clayton, Beazley Reserve 2.30pm.
Division 2: East Malvern v Oakleigh District, Dunlop Reserve 2pm; Southern Dragons v Springvale Districts, Keeley Park 2.30pm.
Division 3: Sandown v Endeavour Hills, Edinburgh Reserve 2pm; Dandenong v Doveton Eagles, Greaves Reserve 2pm; Hallam v Lyndale, Hallam Reserve 2pm; Caulfield v Mount Waverley, Koornang Park Reserve 2pm; Moorabbin v Ashwood, Widdop Crescent Reserve 2pm.
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: East Burwood v Croydon, East Burwood Reserve 2.10pm; Lilydale v Balwyn, Lilydale Sports Oval 2.10pm; Blackburn v Noble Park, Morton Park 2.10pm; Norwood v Knox, Mullum Reserve 2.10pm; Scoresby v East Ringwood, Scoresby Recreation Reserve 2.10pm; Vermont v South Croydon, Vermont Recreation Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 2: Bayswater v Rowville, Bayswater Oval 2.10pm; Mooroolbark v Upper Ferntree Gully, Heights Reserve 2.10pm; Montrose v Waverley Blues, Montrose Reserve 2.10pm; Doncaster v Mulgrave, Schramms Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 3: Ringwood v North Ringwood, Jubilee Park 2.10pm; Chirnside Park v Mitcham, Kimberley Reserve 2.10pm; Boronia v Coldstream, Tormore Reserve 2.10pm; Wantirna South v Heathmont, Walker Reserve 2.10pm.
Casey Cardinia Football League:
Berwick v Doveton, Edwin Flack Reserve 2.15pm; Hampton Park v Cranbourne, LS Reid Oval 2.15pm; Keysborough v ROC, Rowley Allen Reserve 2.15pm; Pakenham v Narre Warren, Toomuc Reserve 2.15pm; Tooradin-Dalmore v Beaconsfield, Tooradin Recreation Reserve 2.15pm.
All games on Saturday unless otherwise stated.
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