***********************************************************************************************************
The Bullants disappointingly lost to Frankston in a closely fought contest which saw the side draw within under a goal of Frankston with only 5 minutes left. Classy play from Grainger, acountable games from the reliable likes of Zorzi and Cusack along with some inspirational goals by Scanlon and Cann weren't enough though to get the Bullants past Frankston, who answered with several late goals to run away with the game by 24 points.
***********************************************************************************************************
A strong first quarter by the Bullants on the vast open spaces of Waverley was not enough to keep them in the game against an experienced and physically stronger Werribee team. The dewy conditions hampered the Bullants players who lost footing on several critical occasions, with other skill errors costing the team far too many turnovers. Despite some great running play from Lee and Mitchell and man responsible play from Cusack, the Werribee team showed far greater poise, the well drilled and flawless skills of the Western Bulldogs players playing with them showing out. Mark Clayton stepped up well in defence for the Bullants in his first senior game, one positive to come out of the game.
***********************************************************************************************************
After a competitive first quarter last Saturday the senior team put in a woeful performance against a strong Sandringham team boasting several Melbourne players. The Bullants capitulated somewhat against the Zebras as their on ball brigade linked up well and made a lot better use of the ball in the midfield enabling their forwards far more opportunities, as evidenced in the amount of shots the Zebras had at goal. Lethargy and inaccountability cost the Bullants dearly, with only the likes of Cann and Lee providing strong running play for the team.
the team will be working harder than ever next Mondaynight under lights to make ammends for the previous weeks' losses and the wide open spaces of Waverley Park should suit the running game of the team. The game will be televised live on Optus C7 Sports, and all Bullants supporters are urged to make their way over to Waverley anyway they can to show a strong support for the Bullants on the night. We hope to see you there when the Bullants bounce back against Werribee for our second win of the year!
Last week's match against Coburg Fitzroy turned out to be a letdown for the Bullants after a very promising first round win against last year's premier Springvale. The Lions quickly jumped to an early decisive lead against the hapless Bullants. Strong contributions by Keenan, Little, Ljubic and Lock for the Lions despite the efforts in defence of Simon Grossman made hard going for the Northern boys who were unable to regain the ground lost in the first quarter and were out of the contest from then on. One promising note was the performance of under 18 player Todd Holmann on debut in the seniors, where he is slated to play further upcoming matches.
The Bullants are sure to put in much harder this week in the game at Beach Road against Sandringham, the former home of coach Mark Williams. The mood and intensity on the track has been much more positive and committment to a stronger work ethic on the track and in the games has been emphasised by the players throughout the week. So anyway, get along if you can and see the Bullants destroy the Zebra's on their home turf this Saturday!!
***********************************************************************************************************
Sunday 19th March
The Northern Bullants' today won a thrilling contest against Springvale by 6 points at Springvale's Newcomen rd ground, marking a fantastic first game under the new Bullants moniker and the reappearance of the traditional red and white playing strip.
Some tremendous team play in the last quarter after an inspirational address from coach Mark Williams at 3/4 time saw the Bullants lift to gain the lead going in to time-on, only for Springvale to repel the attack with several replies.
In a tightly fought contest which saw the final quarter extend to 32 minutes, the Bullants triumphed by a one goal margin thanks to late goals by Favrin, Clarke and Bonadio. Final scores were Northern Bullants 17. 13. 115 to Springvale Scorpions 16. 13. 109
look for a full report coming to the match report page and some words from Wilbur really soon!
***********************************************************************************************************
Well the first game of the season is this Sunday, against reigning premier Springvale at Springvale. The boys are very excited and ready to surprise Springvale, the mood and performance out on the track has been very positive. We hope to see you there, and hopefully we'll have our first win on the board at the end of the day!
The Bullants have launched our inaugural "Ants Galore" calendar, a professionally shot pictorial calendar featuring pics of the players in scenes ranging from working on the railroads to the showers - these "hot bods" of the young athletic men in their prime would look great any month of the year, but you get 12 different months to select from when you buy the Ants Galore Calendar! The limited edition calendar is on sale from the club for $15, if you're interested in buying a copy please email us at: kenand@melbpc.org.au
Read the article at Realfooty.com.au
Left: Chris Moyle holds out against Saverio Rocca in the Bullant's game vs Collingwood.
***********************************************************************************************************
The players relaxing and enjoying a breakfast of pancakes and fruit after an exhausting triathlon at Albert Park
Sunday March 5th will see the Northern Bullant's first jumper presentation where the new club jumper will be unveiled for the first time at the Cramer st Oval in Preston. Another first to be unveiled on the day will be the player calendar. The sealed edition will be available for sale on the day, and judging by the leaked photos from the cutting room floor, it should certainly be a good one and a favourite with the female fans! (yet still viewable by the whole family!) Look for Shane Mitchell exiting the showers in a rather skimpy towel, Ben Bailey playing some mean guitar, and Craig Caracella in not much more than a bow tie and football boots...There will be junior coaching sessions, food and much more on the day, so get on down there!
From left: The players enter the waters at 7am for the start of the first triathlon; Russell Lee emerges from the swim near the lead; Ben Hayward completes the final run leg; The wonderful ladies busily preparing breakfast for the players after the triathlon.
The players have been training hard recently, the hard sessions at Blake Park and at the Edwardes st athletics track paying off with players pushing themselves harder than before, with a new level of enthusiasm towards playing in the revamped VFL competition this year.
Recent arrivals at the club have shown a lot of promise in early training, with key position players Cam Blight (who has spent time on Richmond's lists) and Andrew Hill leading the welcome influx of ex-Tassie Mariners into the club. We are still looking for more players and prospective players are most welcome to contact the club if they are interested on getting on board in season 2000. Officials are still needed at the club with positions ranging from club trainers to statisticians to club doctor all still available. If you think you may be able to fill one of these positions contact the club again!
The ongoing triathlons have been a fantastic challenge for the players to test their physical endurance, and the performances in the events involving a 300m swim at South Melbourne, 15km ride to Elwood and run leg consisting of a lap of Albert Park Lake have been very promising.
The players and coaching staff will embark on their pre season camp at Queenscliff on the 25th - 27th of February for 3 days of team building, goal planning and fitness and skill work. The weekend away is always a good one, combining hard work with a great opportunity for the players to get to know each other better and focus on the season ahead.
Congratulations must go out also to Shannon Gibson, who was married in the off season, and the club bids farewell to Andrew Jarvis who has worked for us for quite a few years now, who will be taking off to Bendigo to fill a position in football administration there. Good luck goes out to Andrew in his new post.
left:Simon Grossman, after taking line honours in the second triathlon