By Roy Ward
NOBLE Park coach Mick Fogarty called the Bulls’ win over Blackburn on Saturday “season defining”.
After losing to East Ringwood the previous round the two-time Eastern Football League division 1 premiers faced questions about their desire and ability to win the contested football.
But Fogarty said his side used a long meeting, video analysis and some tweaks to their game plan to regain their fire and win by 12 points.
“It was a tough win; an ugly win,” Fogarty said. “We won a lot of contested footy, which is what we have been lacking, we made a lot of pressure acts. The players got that desire and hunger back. It could be a season-defining win.”
A number of reliable Bulls veterans were quiet in the opening rounds but against the Burners led from the front with Sam Monaghan and captain Craig Anderson named best players while Box Hill-listed player and former Bulls junior Liam Tobin starred at half-back.
Tobin is unlikely to make too many appearances for the Bulls this season as he focuses on his Box Hill commitments.
The only disappointment for the Bulls was their goal kicking as they kicked four goals, 13 behinds in the first half, missing the opportunity to build a match-winning lead.
“The ones we missed weren’t hard chances,” Fogarty said. “I think the one thing which hasn’t changed in 100 years of football is struggles with goal kicking.
“I haven’t been alive for 100 years to be certain but teams at every level have this trouble at some point. The guys who were missing have good techniques so I think it’s an inconsistency we can fix over the season.”
The Bulls’ new-found form will get a severe testing this Saturday when they visit undefeated Scoresby in a rematch of the past two EFL division1 grand finals.
For all the latest breaking news, visit greaterdandenongweekly.com.au. Follow the Greater Dandenong Weekly on Twitter @DandenongWeekly.
