A very big week for the YJFL and the Bullants! We attended a meeting at the YJFL on Tuesday night which announced the appointment of a new CEO, Tim Murray. Congratulations Tim on your appointment. Tim spoke of the new North East Link and what it will mean for the YJFL headquarters at Bulleen. He also told us that the league has 50 new umpires and that all teams from Under 12s up will have two YJFL umpires per game. Round 4 is the last grading round and the fixture for Round 5 will be out on Tuesday.

We have put in a submission for the Darebin 2019-2020 budget to develop a detailed design for new clubrooms at Zwar Park as will as a boundary fence and ball stop netting. Please lobby your local councillor for support for our club.

We are also looking for support for an electronic scoreboard at Zwar Park. If you can help, please email us at contact@prestonbullantsjfc.com.au.

Finally, Happy Mother’s Day to all of our Bullants mums. Thank you for all the support that you give your children, families and the Bullants!

Suki
President
Preston Bullants JFC

Tackers Red were at home to St Marys this week, a team that gave those of us who were around last year nightmares. I think they’re still pulling Jayden out of the Greensborough mud. Anyway, it’s a bigger and stronger Tackers that took the field last Sunday. We were challenged in the first quarter though as St Marys took control of the centre bounces and look organised early. They were running into space well and it took a few minutes for our boys to get with the program. But we wrestled back some initiative with Caden laying some handy tackles and Andrew and Thomas C imposing themselves on the contest in the middle. Our backs were under pressure with Captain Mitch getting his hands dirty and Asher chasing hard. In the forward line, Jett managed to get on the end of a mark and convert the goal. It was a great effort as Jett has been trying really hard with his kicking at training. Nice one big fella!

In the second and third terms, we really got involved repelling St Marys from the backline with Marc and Jamie working hard under the packs. It was also great to see Joe Wood and Spencer really get into it and playing hard. Joe Wood had a great moment, extracting the ball from the pack, spinning out of trouble and delivering into the forward line. Really nice football. Jonah is also coming along really well. He’s thoughtful and looks for his teammates and does a great job of getting it into their hands from the packs.

Come the last quarter we really turned it on and it was Benny Parente and Luca who played their best quarters for the club. Benny was in the middle and St Marys just couldn’t get it past Benny and his midfield mates in Percy, Jett and Joe. Benny was looking up and seeing teammates and getting it to them. In the forward line, Luca kept putting himself in the right spots and took about 5 marks, he even got himself a goal. Very well done. Louis snagged a great snap out of a pack and Marc got two points. It was heavy scoring and if we’d taken all our chances I think we win, but as it is we were probably just shaded on the day.

A fine effort from our boys, some lovely passages of play and a couple of kids playing their best game for the club.

Another great day for a vastly improved team. Next week…another St Marys team. I’ll let you know how we go.

Go Bullants!!

Our third match of the season was away playing Kew Rovers – Kade was our captain and we again borrowed 2 players from the home side. With Steve away, Sam sat in the coach’s seat – this is some perspective from Archie;
 
Before the match, Sam said to the team – “Today you can do whatever you want and there are no rules - so you could have a bounce; have a shot at goal and things like that”. I think we didn’t really do what he told us in the first and second quarter but after that we started to do what felt right and play to the strengths of different players and in the fourth quarter we did really well and played the best footy we can play and did what Sam said. So even though we lost, I think we did pretty well and hopefully we do better next week.
 
What worked well was Sonny in the midfield with Zac and then being able to deliver the ball into the forward line. Tom positioned very well on the goal line and managed to stop quite a few potential goals. Zac did some brilliant work in the ruck and Archie, Jack and Edwin worked hard to free the ball from congestion supported well by Josh and Ethan. It was exciting to see Leon, Otis, Noah and Kade taking strong marks. And of course, Sonny with a magnificent haul of 3 goals – what a great final quarter!!! We again need to work on making sure we know where our player is and not give them too much space.
 
Keep listening at training and work on some kicking during the week...
Tom was the recipient of the Opposition Medal which was extremely well deserved.
Special mention to Edward, Leo’s dad as goal umpire who survived some taunting and called true the decisions he saw as goal umpire.
Something that always impresses with our team is the amount of care and support you all offer each other – thanks for the messages to check in on Arch and the hugs and pats offered as he came off the field. It was also great to have Shep working the magnetic board and providing encouragement from the sidelines – we hope you make a speedy recovery.
 
Looking forward to watching you all again next week.

There was a good vibe as the boys walked into the change rooms at Glen Iris, even though the ground did not hold fond memories (it was the ground of the infamous “it’s so cold I don’t want to go back out!” game).

Clem and Sage were given the captains duties for the match and we asked to lead by example.

With a good warm up under their belts, spirits high and the coach’s final words the boys headed out for the first bounce.


Q1:    

The Bullants welcomed back Tommy G now fully recovered from the first round injury he sustained. With the ground looking in good condition (compared to the last time we played here) the boys got into their position and started to go about the game. With Watto providing a contest in the ruck and Dom, Kes and Ned providing outside run the Bullants looked to move the ball on at all costs, utilising the run and carry that is the strength of the team. With the same vigour, out back line was providing great rebound, lead beautifully by Hamish and Billy. The forward line was doing their part as well, with Callum leading up to the ground providing a target and Willow and Ziggy providing targets closer to goal.

Bullants 0.0.0 Glen Iris 1.1.7


Q2:

With a good start to the game the boys once again went about their work and started to claw back the Glen Iris advantage in the 2nd quarter. The midfield started to get on top and with Dash playing in the ruck and Joe back on after a slight injury in the 1st quarter the Bullants started to get reward for their effort, with Woody kicking a beautiful goal on the run. The backline with Venuto reading the play to get to marking contests and Jackson using his pace to run the ball the backline was once again resolute, with some great tackling and intercept marks the highlight of the quarter.

At half time it was a close contest with the Bullants in front by a single point.

Bullants 1.2.8 Glen Iris 1.1.7


Q3:

The 3rd quarter saw Glen Iris come out with intensity and put the Bullants under pressure. They started to win the ball out of the middle and played on at all costs putting the Bullants defence under pressure which started to show on the score board. To the Bullants credit they did start to even the contest wit Andre providing a great target up forward and Marcus never giving up, going from contest to contest and using his pace and skill to set others up.

Bullants 1.2.8 Glen Iris 5.2.32


Q4:

The coaches got the boys into their groups and started to refocus the boys after a disappointing 3rd quarter. The key message was to forget the quarter and go out their and play the same footy they played in the first half.

With that message the effort and contest improved, and it was an arm wrestle for the quarter. Ned and Dash provided great run and carry and were working up and down the ground. Along with Sage and Sam who were providing a great contest in the packs the Bullants were able to hold their own. Malachy provided the highlight of the quarter by running 100m to make a contest, laying a couple of great tackles to hold the play up. Glen Iris were still playing well, but we were at least matching them now. The ball was spending a more time in our forward line where Tommy G, Clem and Browny provided the Glen Iris defence with some issues.

In the end the Bullants fought out the game well, apart from the 3rd quarter the rest of the game was our best to date. When the siren sounded the score read 9 to 44 in Glen Iris’ favour. With the game finished the boys lined up to shake the hands of their opponents and to hear what the coaches had to say. As per usual the opposition coach praised the team for their tackling and run.

The pieces are slowly starting to come together, and the improvement each week is evident, both in the games and during training and it won’t be long before it all falls into place. Until then, we will continue to work hard at training.

Bullants 1.3.9 Glen Iris 7.2.44

Thanks to Carlo Venuto for this week’s match report.

Sunday the Bullant boys welcomed Banyule Football club to Zwar Reserve - for Round 3 of the season.
 
After a good win last round, the boys trained very well and were determined to carry on from last week.
 
Kicking into a slight breeze the Bullants got off to a good start, although a little inaccurate when in front of the goals, the Bullants led 1 goal 4 points, to 1 goal for Banyule by the end of the first quarter.
 
Coach made a few position changes to start the 2nd quarter and the boys started to play better football with run and sharing the ball which resulted in the Bullants leading 5 goals five points to 2 goals at half time.

The third quarter showed even more improvement with all the boys playing well continuing to score more goals and points but keeping the ball away from the opposition goal end, leaving us with a score of 9 goals and 8 points at three quarter time (Banyule still sitting on 2 goals).
The last quarter the boys were a little tired from all the running up and down the ground but still managed to easily outscore the opposition and ran out convincing winners Final scores 90 to 12.

Better players on the day were Tom H. at fullback who continues to improve each week, Lucas on the wing - playing his best game for the season so far.  Rylan, Jaxyn and Will continued to play a strong and consistent game which helped keep the scoreboard ticking over.

This week we play Templestowe at Templestowe which will be a good test for the boys.

With a solid performance last week we were going into the clash against Camberwell with some confidence. Missing Zara and Marianne due to injury and illness our sideline crew was growing by the week with Ava Meehan still nursing a broken wrist. Camberwell looked polished early and with the aid of a wind jumped us to record their first major. We were slow out of the blocks and could not get the ball forward of centre for the entire quarter despite the strong efforts of Freya, Lucy and Gabby in the middle. Olivia was battling against a taller opponent and Ayva B was in everything. Ella was incredible at full back marking 4 long balls into the teeth of goals and repelling the dangerous opposition attacks. Without her the scoreboard would have looked much worse. At the first break the scores were Preston 0.0.0 to Camberwell 1.3.9. We had our work in front of us and with the quarters only running at 12 minutes we had to turn it around quickly.

An obvious lift by our girls at the start of the second term saw us keep the ball in our forward 50 for most of the quarter and play the style of footy we have been training for. Charlotte and Caitlin combined to move the ball deep into our forward line where Victoria and Rose had all the space to work in. We just couldn’t get the ball through the big sticks and when the opposition moved the ball the length of the ground they kicked another goal. So often we see this happen at all levels of football and it can be demoralising. A team has the play for 80% of the quarter but cannot score, and the other team score against the flow. We didn’t drop our heads but knew the game was slowly getting away from us. We needed to change a few things up at half time and re load. Scores at the main break were Preston 0.2.2 to Camberwell 2.3.15.

The third quarter saw us attack into the wind and with great run from our two greyhounds in Erin and Ginger we looked the goods. Lucy and Gabby were rotating as a fifth midfielder and Tahlia and Lauren were forced to play as defenders to cover Libby, who had an injured wrist. Again we held the ball in our forward line but could not kick a goal, Erin’s long range attempt narrowly missing. Ayva B was slowly getting on top in the middle but without scoreboard pressure the game was beginning to open up in favour of the opposition. Scores at the last change were Preston 0.3.3 to Camberwell 3.6. 24.

The last quarter saw us throw caution to the wind. We moved Erin into the ruck for some extra run and Charlotte into defence for some extra grunt. The move worked in part but we still couldn’t stem the flow of goals and we continued to kick points at our end. Camberwell moved the ball cleaner than us all day and deserved their victory at our home deck. Our best players were Ella in easily her best game for the club, Ayva B who continues to show tenacity and consistency, Gabby and Lucy again for their spark, Ginger and Caitlin. We didn’t give up and we will bounce back without a doubt. Final scores were Preston 0.4.4 to Camberwell 4.7.31.

Thanks to Emma, Jules and Simon for their coaching and running assistance. Thanks to Mish for taking on the role as Team Manager and Bek the role of Trainer. Thanks to Pauline, Marc, Stuart, Sonja and Jim for their match day roles.

George Cotsonis

Back for a home match against Fitzroy 1 at Zwar Reserve, the Preston Bullants fought valiantly to the very end in what was also Seb F’s 50-game milestone. As was the case last week, the team surrendered a sizeable margin, trailing by 22 points at quarter-time. However this time around, the boys were able to claw that deficit back right until the very end, losing by just seven points and left pondering what could have been.

The first quarter started with some good early play from the Bullants. Defenders Rufus and Seb F attacked the ball hard, and Lucas and Caspian continued with their good form. While the Bullants had some early chances, it would be Fitzroy 1 that would get the first goal of the match. There were great contests around the ground. Fitzroy, with some strong marking targets, would add three more goals for the quarter, while Bullants would have to wait to register a major score.

Once again, the Bullants trailed at quarter-time and would need to work hard to reduce their opponent’s lead for the remainder of the match. When Fitzroy 1 threatened to kick the first goal of the second quarter, further extending their lead, desperation from Seb F and Oscar prevented an almost certain goal. Phoenix was rallying his troops and leading by example, Caspian continued to read the play exceptionally well. The Bullants forwards were showing great intensity, and the boys were getting their hands on the ball, but weren’t able to capitalise, until Josh found an unmarked Cooper with a pinpoint pass that would result in the Bullants’ first goal. When Joel ran onto a bouncing ball from Phoenix’s kick into an open goal square, and kicked the Bullants’ second, it was most definitely game on. While Fitzroy 1 would kick a late goal, the hard work from the Bullants saw Fitzroy 1’s buffer reduced to 14 points at half-time.

The Bullants continued to work hard as play resumed after the main break. Callum showed great attack up forward, despite being outnumbered on a few occasions. Harry and Nathan defined toughness, both back on the ground after sustaining heavy knocks in the first half. Makaio was unlucky not to kick a goal, his dribble kick from the boundary hitting the post, and the Bullants controlled large parts of the quarter, the team making tackling a priority around the contest. Fitzroy 1 would get the breakthrough goal for the second half extending their lead, before Josh marked within range and kicked a goal.

With a goal apiece for both teams in the third, the Bullants trailed by 12 points at the start of the final term. Caspian and Lucas remained influential. There was lots of hard running from our boys desperate to get the win. Jacob and Jordan maintained their intensity, even as the final siren loomed, it was truly a great contest from both teams. When Cooper kicked his second goal, it felt like time would be a factor, and indeed it was, ending the match with a 7-point loss after what was a brave fightback. Well done to the boys, and congratulations Seb F.

Go BULLANTS!

Coming into this Round 3 Grading game in Colt (4) Brunswick were on top of the ladder with an imposing 700% on the back of two big wins and a 245/35 win/loss ratio. When the final siren sounded their percentage had dropped a massive 432 points on the back of a comprehensive loss to the Bullants.

I would guess that most of the Bullants Colts players travelled to Gillon Oval, deep in the heart of bohemian West Brunswick, with a less than positive frame of mind. Footy is a funny beast. Teams can convince themselves despite all reasonable evidence, that they don’t have what it takes. And a thousand PhDs could be written on teams talking themselves into losses. As the Bullants prepared for the game in their cavernous change-room under the old stand, the one with the nonsensical sign, ‘Ball games prohibited in these rooms’, it did seem as if they had already written themselves out of a win.

Marty and Nick focussed the team. They congratulated this year’s appointed captain, Jack King (as good a choice for captain as we have had these last ten years) and the leadership squad of Billy, Leo, Zac and Tezza. The team picked its leadership squad. Good, mature thinking from this Colts team.  Then the coaches got down to business. We want voice, pressure, ball use. We expect defensive running, switching, rebounding and forward pressure. Footy should be fun. Four points is the cream on top of the fun pie.

Our first quarter was decent.  We took a lead into the break. Johnny kicked our two for the quarter. Both were eye-catching but his second was a beauty. After some fast paced and terrific teamwork he burst out of the pack and kicked true. We started better but the contest see-sawed from one end to the other. Then Brunswick appeared to be getting on top. But we did not buckle. Our tackling was the thing. It would be all afternoon. Preston Pressure. Brodie is our tacking machine. His first quarter was good and it got better and betterer as the game went on. With Johnny showing up everywhere we had the spark. With Kingy doing what he does so well we had clearances. With Terry, Hamilton and the two Bens down back we had the trust. We just needed momentum. That would come in the second half. But you already know that!

At half time Brunswick had gone from three points down to eighteen points up. They looked the goods. Their mosquito squad was damaging, taking the ball at speed from clearances and making good use of these attacks. We didn’t capitulate. Brodie and Billy played lead roles in a no surrender game. But I don’t think I was alone in wondering whether Brunswick’s poor kicking up forward was the reason we weren’t staring down a bleak second half.

Who knows what makes someone tick, let alone 22 individuals morphed into a team of one. Something clicked in the long break and our boys took to the second half with a resolve that if I was hyperbolic I would say gave you goose-bumps. I think it was damned fine coaching - giving Josh a key tagging role, building Kingy’s belief in his rucking, for example. The coaches put their trust in their playing group. The players took that to heart and ripped the game apart.

It was a five goal straight to two points quarter. That’s impressive. Brodie cleared from a Kingy tap and in less than thirty seconds we had our first. Minutes later Josh moved it to Johnny who centred it to Rory and we had our second. Jakeb was doing the job with a terrific punch to clearance (a real Gibson moment). Billy took a great mark. Have I mentioned how good Brodie’s game was? Lucas showed true grit, going in hard. Anton, down back, was excellent. Ben T took a great mark then got it quickly to Tezza who sent it up the wing. It wasn’t as if Brunswick wasn’t throwing everything at the Bullants. They just couldn’t crack our defence.  Not even with a sledge-hammer. The Bullants won this arm-wrestle. Our hunger, intensity and skills across the ground were superior. Jack B was terrific (and he is just going to get better as the season goes on). Jackson worked his way into the game and got a good pass to Rory who scored our third for the quarter. We hit the lead.

Brodie, again took it out of the centre and found Punter, who from what seemed like out of nowhere kicked our fourth. Terry reads the play brilliantly. Certainly a beat quicker and better than his opposition. In fact he set off what might have been the play of the game. He kicked it to Josh who passed it to Jackson. Then with a handpass from Jackson Josh sent it forward to Sam. He passed to Johnny and Johnny goaled. It was, as they say, a coast to coast goal. Josh, by the way, was on fire. Out backline work was excellent. On the siren, you guessed it, Brodie did a run-down tackle.

Brunswick did not kick a goal in the second half. They had their chances but fluffed them. Put it down to Preston Pressure or Brunswick yips but they couldn’t score to save this game. Down back Anton and Ben T took great marks. Jackson applied a tackle on the wing that said we mean business. Up forward Johnny took a great mark and with a clear to the horizon eye kicked dead straight.

Ben D, getting more match savvy every game and reminding us of his terrific skills, was a key part of our defensive line. Anton and Terry held firm. Billy worked hard. Brodie got the ball deep into our forward line where Hamilton (aren’t you playing down back?) kicked true. The team celebrated one of our new player’s great goals.

Then we witnessed real old school footy when Johnny on the far wing pulled out the old, handpass to himself as he was about to be tackled trick. Marty called it a Bartlett play. As a West Australian it reminded me of Robert Wiley. Either way, respect. Another great team run saw Hamilton notch his second in less than ten minutes. The last goal was kicked by Jackson intercepting a Brunswick kick-out 50m out on the boundary.

The key difference after half time was Bullants centre and clearance taps and roving. It was worth bottling. Or taking to the pool room. We saw this in Round 1 against a lesser team. Signs of it in Round 2. But today it was decisive. The team is good. The more they play together against whoever and win or lose the more they will understand this. And that will make them better still.