Eastern league: Bailey Lambert kicks five goals as Noble Park nails Norwood

Even without champion Kyle Martin, Noble Park was too strong for Norwood, winning by 39 points at Mullum Mullum Reserve.

WHAT a win for Noble Park. And what a slashing start to its season.

The Bulls have often known disappointment against Norwood at Mullum Mullum Reserve, but on Saturday they led at every change and triumphed 18.12 (120) to 12.9 (81).

An eight-goal blast in the final quarter turned it into a handsome victory.

BULLS PRIMED FOR 100TH YEAR

KEY RECRUITS FOR NOBLE PARK

Noble went in with 11 players listed at VFL clubs this year, and a chunk of them had a big influence on the match.

Bailey Lambert (Richmond) booted five goals, Will Collis (Casey Demons) kicked three, and Lachie McDonnell (Frankston), Nathan Oakes (Richmond) and Luke Nelson (Richmond) were among the best.

Nelson and McDonnell both had 26 possessions and acting captain Jackson Sketcher had 22.

Sketcher led the team in the absence of Eastern league champion Kyle Martin, who has an ankle injury.

Bulls coach Mick Fogarty.

He suffered it in Round 1 against Doncaster and took it into the Round 2 match against Montrose, but Bulls coach Mick Fogarty said the club wanted to get it right.

“He should be right this week,’’ he said.

“If not, the week after. It’s responding to treatment. He could have played yesterday. We don’t want it to linger and for him to have it all year. He can recover from it and reset and go again. It’s only Round 3.’’

Former Dandenong Stingray Mitch Cotter (Collingwood) played his first game for the Bulls and Fogarty said he was “outstanding with his ability to win hard ball at stoppage’’.

“He’s a little terrier, Mitch,’’ he said. “We were very happy to get him into the side.’’

As Martin sat it out, Yilber “Bella’’ Zijai made his return to football after more than 12 months out of the game with an ankle injury.

He kicked two goals as Dolphins coach Danny Ryan watched on.

Jake Gains had the job on crack Norwood forward Leigh Williams and held him to three goals.

“Really proud of our boys,’’ Fogarty said. “We had a plan and that was to hunt Norwood, beat them by getting numbers around the footy and winning the contest and give our forwards a chance and retain inside 50 ball with fierce pressure and tackling.

“That’s what we were about and the boys carried it out very well, pretty similar to what they did against Doncaster.’’

The Noble Park reserves also won, by 12 points, with Jake Bakes, Brenton Wells and Zac Roscoe among the best.

Noble Park 3.1, 6.6, 10.9, 18.12 (120)
Norwood 2.5, 5.7, 7.8, 12.9 (81)

Noble Park goals: B. Lambert 5, W. Collis 3, Y. Zijai 2, L. McDonnell 2, B. Marson 2, J. Sketcher, J. Cusack, N. Oakes, C. Anagnostou

Best: J. Gains, M. Ghanem, B. Lambert, L. McDonnell, L. Nelson, N. Oakes

Norwood goals: L. Williams 3, J. Naburgs 3, J. Bennell 2, J. Buceto, D. Fritsch, M. Wright, T. Maloney

Best: M. O’Donnell, D. Feltham, L. Kennedy, J. Naburgs, M. Wright, D. Stewart