Eastern league: Noble Park ready for 100th season of football
Noble Park is one of suburban football’s most respected and successful clubs. And this year the Bulls are lining up for their 100th season under their longest-serving coach.
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Noble Park is entering its 100th year of football with its longest-serving coach, “Mighty Mick” Fogarty, at the helm.
The two-time premiership coach and former player hasn’t thought about his own standing at the club.
But he does marvel at the fact that the Bulls are still full of ginger a century after they were established.
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“We’ve seen clubs around us go – strong clubs like Dandenong and Springvale – while we’ve sat there in our little ground at Moodemere St and survived,’’ he said.
“We’ve done so well. It’s a huge achievement by the footy club.’’
The 100th year was kicked off with a sold-out ball at Springvale Town Hall on March 23.
And there will be more celebrating if the Bulls can start their season with a victory over Doncaster at the Pat Wright Senior Oval next Saturday.
Fogarty knows it won’t be easy against the Sharks – and he’s saying the same about the season as a whole.
It’s a 10-team Premier Division this year with a top-five finals system.
After an exodus of senior players, the Bulls had to rebuild the team last year and missed the finals. But they played well in the second half of the season, culminating in a final-round win over Balwyn.
“We hope to build on what we were able to achieve last year,’’ Fogarty said.
“For us it’s probably about consolidation because it’s going to be an incredibly competitive competition.
“Everyone plays each other twice and it’s going to be fairly even, I would have thought. We appreciate Vermont and South Croydon and Blackburn and Doncaster are going to be thereabouts. Rowville too. Then you’ve got the rest of us. To get in there, who falls out? We’re in that group, with Balwyn, knocking on the door and trying to find a way in. It’s going to be bloody tough.’’
As it did last year, Noble Park has recruited a string of players on VFL lists. They will play with the Bulls when not selected in the state league, requiring some juggling from Fogarty’s match committee.
Noble Park will expect to see more of former Canberra Demon Nathan Oakes (Richmond), Joel Cusack (Richmond), Nick Stamatis (Sandringham) and Jake Bakes (Box Hill Hawks) than Goy Lok (Frankston).
Lok, Dylan Gordon, Ali Zijai, Lachie McDonnell, James Rendell and Brenton Hillard are other Dolphins listing Noble as their home clubs.
But “full-time’’ recruits include forward Zac Roscoe from Cranbourne, former Collingwood Category B big man Darrean Wyatt and ruckman Kieren Byers, who was on Casey’s list last year.
Then there’s the crew of Under 19s bubbling through: Lachlan Marolla, Jarrod Smith, Liam Scott, Tristan Brunning, Ben Marson, Declan Brunell, Lachie Quaife and Matt Ryan.
Fogarty said key forward Scott had been a surprise package.
“I’m absolutely staggered he’s not on a TAC Cup list,’’ he said.
“He’s 18, he’s 19 in December. Absolutely staggered – and I’ll put my neck on the line, which I have done with certain players – this kid will be star at local level.
“That’s not to put pressure on him. Terrific hands, he’s smart, good below his knees, he’s athletic, he probably needs to work a little bit on his kicking, but he’s working on that ….’’
Wyatt and SANFL signing Dallas Tilley will help cover the loss of gun fullback Ryan Morrison to Norwood. Adam Giobbi, Piva Wright and Hudson Thomas have also departed.
Fogarty said the Bulls would be a full strength for Round 1 and selection would be difficult.
He said he had drafted a squad of 25 “and even that was difficult’’.
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