Noble Park suffered an exodus of star players but is busy rebuilding with young talent

COACH Mick Fogarty is seeing possibilities, not problems, as Noble Park rallies from the loss of more than half of its senior team.

AFTER one of the most tumultuous periods in its long history left it winded and wounded, Noble Park has taken a few deep breaths and settled itself two months out from the Eastern Football League season.

The Bulls’ losses since the end of 2017 are extensive and have been an endless talking point in EFL circles.

One senior player after another set off from Moodemere St. It finished as an exodus, with captain Sam Monaghan, Zig Alwan, Tim Kelly, Trent Robertson, Brett Dore, Tim Harper, James Gwilt, Liam Tobin, Vergim Faik, Shayne Allan, Sean Corrigan and Will Petropoulos all moving on. Champions, best and fairests, premiership players, great clubmen, defenders, goalkickers and onballers, and many games of experience are represented in that list.

Noble’s stocks were hit and spirits were low. But when coach Mick Fogarty discusses 2018 he talks more about possibilities than problems.

“It’s happened, we move on. We go forward,’’ he’s said more than once in conversations with Leader.

Star Jackson Sketcher made the same observation this week, noting how the players had pulled together after the turbulence of the previous months.

The Bulls are constructing a new team and it will be based around champion Kyle Martin, Sketcher, Luke Bull, Kevin Kean, Adam Giobbi, Hudson Thomas and Lionel Benoit.

Bulls small forward Kevin Kean.

They’ll be supported by young players including Luke Nelson, Tom Glen, Jordan Marson, Lachlan Marolla, Dylan Jacotine, Cosimo Anagnostou, Brayden Haynes, Mouneer Ghanem, Omar Ashkar, returning Dandenong Stingray Frankie Mitropoulos and the recruits rounded up by team manager Steve Coats.

The Bulls have signed a string of players from VFL ranks. But the bulk of them remain on VFL lists and will play at Noble Park only when not picked in the state league.

Noble may not see a lot of Richmond’s Jake Aarts, Port Melbourne’s Anthony Anastasio and Frankston pair Yilber “Bella’’ Zijai and Brenton Hillard. But they should have regular use of Casey Demons defender Will Collis, powerhouse ruckman Kieren Byers and small forward Ali Zijai (the brother of Yilber, a Noble junior and a graduate of the Stingrays).

Ali Zijai playing for the Dandenong Stingrays last year.

The situation is similar with Jarrod Smith, who will be listed at the Dandenong Stingrays as a 19-year-old.

Noble’s ace fullback Ryan Morrison signed with Casey on Wednesday night, but will keep the Bulls as his “home club’’.

Jake Gains, another big man recruited from Casey, will be at Noble full-time, as will ex-Northern Blues and Frankston flanker Jacob Duscher.

Development coach Jamie Barnett and assistants Andrew Sharp, Daniel Mislecki, Justin Hamilton and Christian Kidd will support Fogarty.

Former premiership forward and AFL player Brent Williams is coaching the Under 19s and Rod Nelson and Craig Mulcock are looking after the Under 17s, important roles at clubs now as they grapple with points and salary caps and try to push through juniors.

Writing to supporters, president Grant Connolly said the Bulls were “excited about the signing of a group of players who will bring a wealth of VFL experience to our footy club and with an age bracket of 20-24 this should hold us in good stead over the next few years’’.

Connolly also acknowledged the players who had left Noble Park.

“Among them are some highly decorated players and premiership players … the club will be always indebted for their contribution while they were here and we thank them for that.’’

The Bulls have their first practice match on March 10, against SEFNL reigning premier Berwick.