Suki
President
Preston Bullants JFC

Tackers White headed to the big oval of Heidelberg today, to take on a team of Tigers.

First quarter saw the Bullants battle against a strong and very well coached outfit, with the Tigers moving the ball very well.

Each quarter afterwards the Tackers improved with the last quarter being a good battle between both sides.

The Heidelberg coach gave great praise to the White Tackers and could see great improvement across both the game, and the season ahead for the Preston Bullants.

Keep going, Bullants!!

It was a little like groundhog day today as we took on another St Marys team, this time out at Greensborough. It’s a challenging ground this one, large, muddy and complete with slope. There’s plenty to be said about how to play such a tricky pitch, but alas there was only time to get the wristbands on and run out. Once again St Marys are short on numbers calling on Bullants to fill a gap or two.

Preston started the game well, with Remi winning the taps and Marc and Jamie hunting and getting the ball out of the middle and giving their forwards plenty of opportunities. It must be said that we probably didn’t make the most of our opportunities, kicking a goal or two, but plenty of points. I think we hit the post three times. Thomas C took a really lovely mark in the square but just missed. Bad luck Tom. There was a clear message back to the players, with foot skills needing to improve, particularly when kicking for goal. Look forward to that at training lads! One fella whose kicking was on show was Percy. His kicking from full back consistently found targets in the open. Well done Percy, clever and classy football.

The second term was very good, with heaps of effort going into keeping a surprisingly plucky St Marys at bay. Asher, Jayden and Jonah were really tough in the middle. Our backline of Mitch, Spencer and Harry met the challenge, manning up on players and running the ball out of defence. The highlight of the term however was a beautiful goal by Marc. Jamie Wilson started the chain in the middle, running 20m to chase down a St Marys player, lay the tackle, kicking it onto Coen who got the ball to Marc. It was a great passage of play that began with determination and toughness. We’ve also been working on our handballing and there was some excellent work from Asher in the middle, handballing to the running Jayden to get out of trouble.

It really was a big ground though, and as the game wore on we slowed down, becoming less inclined to pick up our men (even with two players up) and St Mary’s took advantage, getting the ball into their forward line. We were pretty lucky that they didn’t take their chances either and it was neck and neck.

They did kick two good goals though thanks to Joe Wood and Asher who swapped their red jumpers for teal and white…red looks better on you lads. They were both very good kicks so well done guys.

Come the last quarter we were begging for the siren after a real slog in the mud. Our boys were staying in it thanks to some really gutsy running from Harry, Benny P and Zachy H.  Remi kept going, punching the ball in our direction and taking good marks above his head, and Jett kept digging in, running to pick up his player, even when he looked out of breath.

So, another great game from the Bullants and a rousing rendition of the song as the kids played tribute to their wonderful mums on mother’s day.

Thanks to all the mums who make our team tick by getting the boys to training and to games and making sure the shorts and socks are looking great come Sunday. We hope you had a great day watching Tackers Red.

Go Bullants!

Rosebank CC U12 Bullants Round 4 Match report
 
On a drizzling Mother’s day we took on Beverly Hills at Zwar. Great to see so many mums out supporting their boys!

Great sportsmanship was shown by Daniel and Xavier who volunteered to play for the opposition at various stages.  
 
At quarter time, Beverly Hills lead 7 to 1 in a reasonably close contest though the Bullants were not yet firing. The mid field of Pat, Jake, Ned and Tom worked hard all quarter, notably Ned providing a fine example of the work rate we ask of the boys as he made 5 separate efforts & tackles to ensure no easy possession for his opponent.
 
2nd quarter highlights included a great crumbing goal by Marcus, and despite more of the play and an extra scoring opportunity, we were unable to convert. Trailing 9 to 14 we were well and truly in the game and starting to show a bit more intensity. A great tackle by Tom late in the quarter sent the message to Beverly Hills that we would not be pushed around.
 
In the 3rd quarter, Sage was an absolute warrior, inspiring his team mates and raising cheers from the crowd and bench. Despite his efforts, Beverly Hills managed 2 more goals to go further ahead. ¾ time Beverly Hills lead 28 to 10.

¾ time had the coaching staff praising & encouraging the boys strong tackles, “keep tackling even if you are not rewarded for them. Keep the focus and attack on the footy!” was the message.
 
The 4th quarter was the Bullants best for the game, a team goal with a streamlined piece of play from Andre, Clem and Tom saw Tom drill a goal with the same intensity as his tackling. A ferocious and hard fought quarter had all the momentum with the Bullants. Beverly Hills held scoreless and frustrated however it was too little too late for the Bullants. With the siren, the Beverly Hills coach admitted he was relieved ”Another 10minutes and you would have run over the top of us….”
 
In the end, Beverley Hills won 28 to 18. The strong tackles from the Bullants is a good indicator that a win is not far off.
 
Back in the rooms we wished all our Mums a happy Mother’s Day and praised our boys for their intent and constant focus on the footy. No matter the score, the culture of our club and the character of our team is paramount.
 
Thanks to all the Mums who do so much week in and week out. Thanks to Alissa Bubbers for the match report!
 
Go Bullants! Scott.

We travelled across to Tempelstowe to play the third team on the ladder. Anthony D.  playing his 50th game led the Bullants boys onto the field, they all went out all determined and ready to go and getting off to a good start, after conceding the first goal the boys settled and scored a further two goals, and after a few missed shots at goals the boys went into quarter time 8 points ahead.

In the second quarter the Templestowe boys outworked and outnumbered the Bullants at the contest to kick four goals to none, overtaking us and leading by 12 points  at halftime .

The third quarter was evenly matched with the Bullants more competitive at the contest and showing more composure going forward.  The Bullants trailed by 16 points at three quarter
time.

With some positional changes in the last quarter the Bullant boys were under pressure in the back line the midfield and the defence fought hard but were outscored by 7 points going down to a very well structured Tempelstowe by 24 points.

Better players for the Bullants boys on the day were Sunny and Jaxyn in the backline, Rylan, Tom C, Will and Grady in the midfield.  Lucas worked hard across half forward.

With a good week on the training track the boys will be in good stead for a better performance this next round.

Playing the undefeated Warrandyte team at their immaculate home ground in round 4, we knew we had to win the football all day to be a chance. I gave the girls one challenge in the rooms before the game: get to the ball first. We started like greyhounds that had been let off their chains, with Freya and Olivia playing a really physical brand of football now synonymous with our lady ants. Lauren had been moved to full forward while we set up with speed deep in attack. Gabby pounced on the ball in the pocket and snapped truly for our first. It was a great start but we were playing the top side and we knew they would fight back on their home deck. Caitlin and Ella in the backline made sure the opposition remained scoreless for the rest of the quarter, with Preston 1.0.6.

The second quarter saw us turn up the pressure on Warrandyte and they didn’t like it. I have nicknamed Olivia ‘The Tenderiser’ as her hard style of play turns the opposition ruck into mush. By the time we unleash Erin into the ruck they are soft and malleable. Ayva B continued her fantastic form and combining with Charlotte got the ball forward where we locked the ball in for most of the quarter. One of the most pleasing things for me as a coach is to see all the under-aged players performing way beyond their years. Gabby, Lucy, Caitlin and Ayva B could all play under 12s. Unbelievable. We were in total control of the match but we could not put the opposition away on the scoreboard. The second half was going to be huge for the rest of our season. Scores at the main break were Warrandyte 0.0.0 to Preston 1.1.7.

Emma, Jules and I made a few changes at half time aimed at helping us score. The main move was putting Erin into the ruck, Chaz at centre half back and Ginger to centre half forward. Libby and Zara along with the ever reliable Ella meant that the opposition was finding it near impossible to hit the scoreboard. When they finally did score it was only a behind. Again we had dominated the quarter in general play but could not pull away where it counted. Victoria was lively across half forward with some timely marks and long kicking and Rose tried hard to get into the contest. The game was on a knife’s edge and at the last change the scores were Warrandyte 0.1.1 to Preston 1.1.7.

A single kick separated the two teams, but only one was prepared to put the foot down and capitalise on a strong body of work done in the previous three quarters. When Gabby and Lucy combined to move the ball into our forward line for Ginger to mark and goal, the town gates were ready to open up and let the red and white ant army through this old gold rush town. Victoria, who has been our most consistent player over the first two years, was struggling for form over the past few weeks but when she snapped truly deep in the last the game was over. Special mention goes to Ella who is fast becoming the best full back in the competition. Her elevation to one of the vice captains this year has definitely helped her football. Erin keeps continuing to surprise me by pushing the already high bar she sets for herself. Ginger in her third game was sensational and reminded me of Wayne Carey, marking everything. Freya, Ayva B and Olivia were hard at the footy all day, as was Caitlin. Well done girls, let’s keep improving and keep taking our game to another level. Final scores were Warrandyte 0.1.1 to Preston 3.1.19.

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 and Sonja for their match day roles and Helen for the oranges.

George Cotsonis

After a challenging couple of weeks against quality opposition, the Preston Bullants visited Domeney Reserve for their away encounter against Park Orchards R. It would be another match against a highly-touted outfit and the boys would once again show they could remain competitive.

Whilst the Bullants would again face a deficit heading into quarter-time, Park Orchards R’s early lead belied the effort the Bullants boys were putting in around the ground. Ben showed good attack on the footy in defence, while Dion and Mahmoud were lively up forward, the latter involved in the passage of play which resulted in Seb R kicking the Bullants’ first. Not content with just kicking goals, Seb R made sure his tackles stuck, and also popped up in defence to help his team out as well.

The Bullants outscored Park Orchards R by a point in the second quarter. Coen and Liam were leading hard, and getting their hands on the footy, and Makaio was getting the better of his opposing ruck, winning the hit outs and trying to give his teammates first use of the footy. The boys’ second and third efforts were a highlight, with Brody taken out of one contest, yet following up to make an impact in the next, and Joel, dropping a mark up forward, but following up to kick a goal. The Bullants had controlled large parts of the second quarter, locking the ball in their forward half, but not getting the result, until skipper Phoenix showed some patience with ball in hand, waiting to honour a lead from Josh who kicked the Bullants second for the quarter, matching Park Orchards R’s output for the term.

The third quarter score would tell the tale for the result of the match. Where Park Orchards R kicked five goals, the Bullants had their chances but would finish the quarter with one goal and five behinds. Mahmoud and Brody, their heads over the ball, both winning free kicks within range but unable to convert, and Phoenix with a thumping kick from outside 50 which would hit the post. With the disparity between the two teams’ forward efficiency, the Bullants would head into the last quarter trailing by 41 points.

Refusing to give up, the boys threw everything they had into the last quarter, and when Seb R kicked the first goal of the final term, the belief was definitely there. Makaio would complement his beautiful ruckwork for the day with possibly more smothers than any other player on the ground. Ben worked hard to present up forward, and Anthony ran to create a stoppage near the 50-metre arc despite being outnumbered against three opposition players. Josh was tough around the contest, winning a free kick for wearing high contact, and kicking a goal. Nathan provided repeated inside 50s to give the Bullants every chance, and Lachie unrelenting with his chasing and pressure, ensured Park Orchards R would finish the game goalless in the last quarter after a great defensive effort. Well done again to the boys, an amazing finish in spite of the loss.

Go BULLANTS!

Round 4 was underway and after a couple of lack lustre undermanned weeks and poor weather we saw the under 15 boys definitely turn it up a notch on their home ground, still short on numbers but a clear improvement in game day attitude and willingness to prove the importance of team solidarity and sticking to team structures.

From the get go the boys were clearly in command and an emphasis on overall good ball use and general composure led to total control in nearly all positions on the ground. The usual suspects slowed it down on the ball and a long awaited return to form by a few more handy rovers and attacking defenders saw to a clear well scoring quarter moving the ball well, good ground coverage and an overall willingness to be accountable from one end of the ground to the other.

The third quarter showed a steady spread of scoring from good transition with unselfish play giving multiple scoring opportunities. A small lapse in concentration led the defence to suffer under a lack of numbers, however, the usual strong heads kept strong and weathered the storm.

The fourth quarter again with standout individual brilliance showed a clear understanding of the modern game and good team cohesion which led the boys to clearly dominate from defensive 50 to all parts of the forward line. A clear dominance, good worth ethic and willingness to share led to a great finish and a great win.

I have offered to write about the boys games honestly and from the heart, but have chosen to leave out their names, as I figured they know who they are and if you are watching you will know as well. It’s a team sport so I figured the team deserves the accolades.

I will break the rule and say best of luck to the ever brave forever working Tom R with a bad knock to the nose.

Welcome to Luca E and his family and congratulations on a great start with a new team.

Hurry back Xavier S, Xavier G and Yianni.

Strength in number, keep it up. Go Bullants 2019.

Cheers Mick & Josh

Esprit de corps boys, esprit de corps

That was Marty’s rallying call for this game. Translated it means, feelings, such as being proud and loyal, shared by members of a group. He asked this impressive squad to stand tall and take this game on knowing, trusting that your mates had your back. At half time, 44 points to the good the team had well and truly delivered on Marty’s rallying call.

In fact the game was epitomised in the first seconds by Kingy’s ruck work. He is the signature on the Bullants’ cheque; works his guts out across the ground and keeps on banging the ball into space for our midfielders or even down their throats.

The game underway, Bullants were moving the ball with a solid purpose. Terry, our back half general, had imposed himself on the game from the get go. Particular players were making an impression as both sides sought to find their rhythm. Rory down the wing. Josh, first to the ball. Terry out of a pack to Sam and on to Punter. You could sense our momentum building when Billy, sold the dummy twice, threading his way through Whitehorse’s defence, shot a cool handpass to Johnny and he made no mistake. Then straight out of the centre, Josh to Brodie who sliced through a pack and kicked it like an arrow into Punter’s chest. And our second goal was sealed.

A Lucas tackle exemplified our fight. Billy stole the ball from a Whitehorse kick-out and sent it to Johnny. Dead eye drilled it. Minutes later (Whitehorse couldn’t get it past the centre bounce) the ball from another kick-out into the TAFE side flank was handpassed to Jackson who, with a loping kick, over the defenders and through for our fourth. Kingy’s ruck work was the driver of so many of our runs and forward thrusts. Finally Whitehorse started to click and brought up their first. But the Bullants weren’t finished. Billy took a specky! Punter showed his class, in the far forward pocket and tight as angle lined up and with a clean as kick put us six more points ahead.

We actually had more shots on goal in the second quarter but we added more points than goals to our tally. Other than that the Bullants continued its dominance of this game. This time not only did Kingy ruck he also roved the ball and sent it forward. Alister’s good work sees the ball move into our front half where Billy did his thang and goaled. Ben D was given the task of shutting down Whitehorse’s best player and, well, he shut him down. Last week he was their team’s leading goal scorer. But that was last week!

A lot of this quarter was a struggle for supremacy with neither side taking control. For Whitehorse this might be as good as they could play. For the Bullants it was a case of a stack of effort but the return did not materialise on the scoreboard. That doesn’t matter, as the team, again, showed how it worked united. Our defensive lines were as usual impressively strict. Our mids, excellent getting the ball going and on the attack but this humble observers reckons they need more sprint and flint on rebounds. Our forwards are a bag full of goodies. We now need to get more creative in our array of delivery options. And maintain plenty of space for different players to be able to run into.

Ben D thwarted an attack. We scored a goal through a neat soccer kick. Josh and Jackson combined down the wing and deep into our forward 50. Johnny notched anotheree. Bash and Brodie combined to take the ball out of danger. What about Teddy’s bump. That was straight out of the Shinboner’s playbook. Zac V was hitting the contests with true grit. And Terry! Beats Whitehorse’s best attempts to drag him down and just kept attacking the ball. His second, third, fourth and fifth efforts had a ‘no surrender’ intensity going on.

In the Third Whitehorse finally found their mojo, just as the Bullants were tiring. Their best player had his first real impact since the first quarter. Terry was dynamite. Al, Punter and Josh were putting up a fight. Zac, reading the ball beautifully, took the ball out of defence. Johnny was doing his best to score up forward. While Whitehorse won the quarter we still had our moments. Zac B’s run, chasing hard after a Whitehorse attacker really showed team spirit. And Johnny’s smother was a ripper.

Even though the difference on the scoreboard at three quarter time was probably enough, us footy tragics still imagine the worst. That didn’t happen because the guys wearing the boots imagined something different. Josh, having a terrific game was excellent at the stoppages. Jack E took a solid mark. And we were on. Bullants teamwork following Brodie efforts and kick to Punter saw us chalk up our first for the quarter (and the second half).

Then Billy, from a Kingy tap took it out of the centre. Terry was sensational down the coaches’ boxes wing.  A goal to Whitehorse. This time Jackson takes it out of the centre. Then follows up his work and gets it free from a stoppage. Ben T laid a great tackle.

With 8 minutes to go it was down to a four goal game. Not dire. But not comfortable.  The boys put their shoulder to the wheel. Great Bullants smother (missed who it was, sorry). This was pressure footy and a fair scramble. The team that broke? Whitehorse. Their frustrations seeped into their game (well done Bullants for intense pressure footy and for not breaking). A stupid Whitehorse action (bit of biff and shove) saw a 50m free awarded to Sam. He kicked true. The Bullants got on with the business at hand. Whitehorse continued to fume. Anton took a great mark. Jakeb, who is one of our quiet achievers (and has come so far with his footy skills and nous) sent it to Johnny and he goaled. Again. Ben D, Brodie and Sam combined for a neat play. Ben T’s tackling was superb.

Today they proved their mettle. Playing hard but not getting dragged into going the man. The Bullants are playing some really good footy, running into form and starting to gell as a team. And I reckon we haven’t even seen them near how good they can be. This augurs well as we head into the season proper.