EFNL 2024: Noble Park stuns Doncaster East in season-opener

It was dealt a raft of star player exits during the off-season, but Noble Park answered its critics on Saturday with an almighty upset.

Lachlan Mcdonnell was best afield for Noble Park on Saturday. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Noble Park premiership mentor Steve Hughes says it’s among the best wins he’s coached.

The Bulls stunned 2023 preliminary finalist Doncaster East in their Premier Division season-opener on Saturday with an 8.13 (61) to 7.9 (51) victory at Zerbes Reserve.

Trailing the hosts by a point at the quarter-time and half-time breaks, Noble Park edged ahead by three at the final change before a three-goal-to-two last term.

“I’ve coached a long time and I said to the group that’s one of the good ones,” Hughes said of the victory, who described it as an “arm-wrestle”.

“We had to concentrate really hard all day because they are such a good side … if we allowed everything on their terms for more than a few minutes then they would’ve opened us up, being the good side that they are.

“We stayed the course and got the result.”

Wingman Lachie McDonnell finished best afield – albeit in a different role, shifting on-ball.

“We pulled the trigger on putting him onto the ball in the second quarter … he’s a very good player and probably changed the look of us a bit,” Hughes said.

“I’ve heard a few people say if the ball is in his hands, it’s usually in a teammate’s hands next, and that was the way he played.”

Meanwhile, first-gamer Brandan Young stood ex-AFL Hawk and Bulldog Tim O’Brien for most of the match – releasing Ariek Lual to half-back.

O’Brien kicked three goals on debut for the Lions, while Lual finished among the best afield.

“He (Young) did a solid job … it was a bit of a double win for us because we thought Ariek was extremely influential in the game when he did go to half-back,” Hughes said.

Blake O’Leary fired in attack for the Bulls with four majors alongside Matthew Nelson with two.

Noble Park was dealt a raft of departures during the off-season, headlined by full-back Ryan Morrison.

Pointing to Vermont’s rise from ninth in 2022 to a grand final berth last season, Hughes said this year posed as a “blank canvas” for his young group.

“It’s Round 1 so we won’t be wobbling the head,” he said.

“But we’ve taken a lot out of Vermont from last year … you never stop learning and it’s a bit of a blank canvas this year.”

Noble Park hosts South Croydon in Round 2 while Doncaster East is away to East Ringwood.

The Bulls are set to be without Lachie Quaife for at least the next two matches, after he suffered a concussion early in the match.