The Northern Bullants started their season on a positive note with a big home win at Visy Park over the Bendigo Bombers. With both sides featuring a good smattering of AFL listed players, it looked to be a high-quality game on paper. However the result was far from close with the Bullants dominating after quarter time to win by 76 points as Anthony Cheyne reports.
Bendigo started well controlling the first 15 minutes of the game but were not able to convert that to scoreboard pressure kicking 5 behinds and allowing Northern to kick the first goal through Levi Casboult. The Bombers got the lead back late with a goal to Scott Gumbleton and went into quarter time with a 1 point lead, but one felt they had wasted a good quarter only lead by that margin.
The Bullants were quick out of the blocks in the second quarter with a couple of early goals to Ahmed Saad. Bendigo answered through new recruit Matt Little with what was the goal of the day, slotting it through the middle with a right foot snap from the old Carlton Social club pocket. The revival was short lived as Jarrod McCorkell goaled shortly after, followed by two more majors for Saad and the Bullants where away. They dominated through the middle with McCorkell, Christian Gianfagna, Brock McLean, Zach Tuohy and Kane Lucas running the Bendigo boys off their legs setting up a 21 point half time lead kicking 6.1 to 2.3 for the quarter.
Northern came out firing again in the third quarter with the midfield still dominating and big Lachlan Henderson running into some form taking marks at half forward , Andrew Collins picking up plenty of possessions, Wade Twoomey and Mitch Carter firing from half back and the scoreboard ticking over with Saad kicking 2 more to have 6 at three quarter time.
Bendigo only managed 2 goals for the term and simple skill errors really hurt them as the powerful Bullants midfield swooped on the mistakes and punished the Bombers on the scoreboard as they moved out to a 37 point lead at the final change.
The final quarter was more of the same as Collins, Tuohy, Adam Iacobucci, Twomey and McCorkell continued to dominate the run through the middle, and Henderson along with Casboult taking marks to dominate the forward half. Saad continued on his way with two more goals taking his tally to 8 and a best on ground performance.
Bendigo really struggled with only 1 goal in the quarter to Northerns 7, and had no answer to the power running game. Travis Colyer worked hard all day and was best for Bendigo while other winners where hard to find. Ricky Dyson and Gumbleton worked hard and Michael Quinn battled on well in a number of positions over the day.
Northern had a host of winners, Saad dominated in the forward half, Tuohy , Iacobucci, McCorkell and Collins put in four quarter performances and where well supported by Lucas, McLean , Nick Meese, Jaryd Cachia, Henderson , Casbolt and Twomey.
Next week the Bullants host Collingwood at Visy Park while the Bombers head to Ballarat to play Nth Ballarat who will be smarting from their last minute loss to East Perth in the Foxtel Cup.
By Anthony Cheyne.
Northern Bullants 19.11.125 def Bendigo Bombers 6.13.49
Northern Bullants
Goal Kickers: A. Saad 8, L. Casboult 4, L. Henderson 2, R. Kerr 2, W. Twomey , J. McCorkell
Best Players: A. Saad, Z. Tuohy, A. Iacobucci, A. Collins, J. McCorkell
Bendigo Bombers
Goal Kickers: S. Gumbleton 2, T. Colyer, M. Little, T. Dickson, A. Steinberg
Best Players: R. Dyson, S. Gumbleton, T. Colyer, M. Quinn.
Last Modified on 04/04/2011 16:35