Northcote Park bundled out of NFL Division 1 finals by merciless Bundoora

NORTHCOTE Park coach Harmit Singh denied his side had spent its petrol tickets to reach finals after crashing out of the premiership race on Sunday.

Northcote Park’s Brody Ricardi gets pursued by three Bundoora opponents. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin.

NORTHCOTE Park coach Harmit Singh denied his side had spent its petrol tickets to reach Northern Football League finals after crashing out of the premiership race on Sunday.

The Cougars kicked the opening two majors against Bundoora in the Division 1 elimination final but then went goalless for the next 41 minutes.

In that time, Bundoora slammed on nine goals without answer to open a 44-point lead.

There was no way back for Northcote Park, which won six of its last seven matches to earn a top-five berth.

The Cougars kicked the last three goals of the first half to get within 25 points, but that was as close as they came to the relentless Bulls.

Bundoora stretched its lead to 59 points by three-quarter-time after a term in which Gary Moorcroft stole the show.

The veteran Bulls forward booted two majors to extend the margin late in the quarter, but it was his screamer over Northcote Park’s Marty Hore which had the crowd in raptures at Preston City Oval.

Bundoora's Gary Moorcroft takes a hanger over Northcote Park's Marty Hore during the NFL Division 1 elimination final. Picture: Nathan McNeill.

Bundoora coach Phil Plunkett urged his team to “leave nothing in the tank” and with only minutes on the clock the Bulls were still pressing.

Willis Flanders sprinted 50m to lay a tackle with the Bulls 72 points in front deep into the last term, typifying Bundoora’s merciless attitude.

Julian Violato slotted the final goal of the match after the siren, cutting the margin to 66 as the Bulls cruised into the second week of finals with a 22.7 (139) to 10.13 (73) victory.

“It wasn’t good enough, especially after how hard we’d worked to make the finals winning seven of our last nine,” Singh said.

“(We were) just completely outplayed and didn’t come to fight the fight when the heat was on.”

Moorcroft finished with six goals for the victors, while ruckman Matthew Dennis was dominant around the ground.

Brock McLennan, Hore and Jordan Perry gave their all for the Cougars.

“We were really up for the game and just didn’t execute that well,” Singh said.

“The skills weren’t great, but credit to Bundoora’s pressure.

“Our ability to win clearances really hurt. Bundoora was able to get first possession and win the territory war throughout the day.”

Singh said discussions about his future and re-signing the club’s senior group would take place in coming weeks.

Bundoora will meet Greensborough in Sunday’s knockout semi-final, while Macleod takes on minor premier Heidelberg for a place in the grand final on Saturday.