Eastern league Premier: Noble Park sees off Norwood

Even without champion Kyle Martin the Bulls were able to pull away in the last quarter at Mullum Mullum Reserve.

Goy Lok takes a kick for Noble Park. Pic: Mark Hillard, Noble Park FC.

Before selecting him for Saturday’s match against Norwood, Noble Park coach Steve Hughes had not seen Goy Lok play football.

“I’d watched him on TV, but never in the flesh,’’ he said.

And his opinion now of the Sandringham VFL vice-captain?

“Super footballer. Goy was outstanding,’’ Hughes said after Noble made it three wins from four matches with a commendable 33-point victory at Mullum Mullum Reserve.

“He just hunts the ball aggressively, covers the ground so well and he’s so strong.’’

With Sandringham having the bye in the VFL, Lok took the opportunity to play for the Bulls, and Hughes said the club was chuffed to have him.

“We’ll take him any time he can play for us. He definitely helped us win the game,’’ he said.

Big Brayden Haynes takes a kick for the Bulls.

Captain Kyle Martin presented Lok with his jumper before the game.

The Bulls had another first-gamer in Blake O’Leary, a former Sandringham Dragon who was squeezed out of Frankston’s team.

O’Leary was busy in the first half but got a touch of cramp in the third quarter and it slowed him up.

“He was exactly what we needed. We were lacking a genuine crumber sort of buzzing around the forward half, and Blake played the role beautifully,’’ Hughes said.

His Frankston teammate Josh Stern kicked three goals.

Martin is struggling with a back injury and missed the match; Hughes said the champion was a “week to week’’ proposition.

“He’s really sore. He’s walking around like a bit of a mummy at the moment,’’ he said.

“Hopefully it improves. He’s going to see the doctor on Monday.’’

Noble Park was also without Ziggy Alwan (groin) and ruckman Kieren Byers (ankle), who is still a month away from resuming.

Noble started slowly after acting captain Jackson Sketcher chose to kick “up the hill’’ at the Norwood ground, trailing by four goals to one at quarter time.

But the Bulls finished strongly, booting five goals to one in the final quarter.

With Byers watching on, Jake Gains and Brayden Haynes did the ruck work for the visitors and Hughes felt they gradually got on top of Norwood’s Michael Wenn.

Hughes thought the move of Lachie McDonnell to play as a one-out, deep forward helped turn it the Bulls’ way.

The Collingwood VFL-lister booted three goals and was named best.

“His movement and energy and his speed … and he’s a really nice user of the ball, Lach … he made a difference,’’ Hughes said.

“Our last quarter was really good, ran it out well. We controlled it. We had a lot of inside 50s and we locked it in.

“But I think the most pleasing thing was that we had a numbers of players who weren’t great all day, but found their way into it the contest.

“They didn’t shut up shop, which is a sign of maturity in the group. Very pleased. It was a good win.’’