Recruiting drive gives North Brunswick depth to overcome injury-riddled campaign and push for VAFA finals spot

A CONCERTED recruiting drive has North Brunswick well placed to achieve a successful finish to the Victorian Amateur Football Association season.

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A CONCERTED recruiting drive has North Brunswick well placed to achieve a successful finish to the Victorian Amateur Football Association season.

The Bulls sit fifth on the ladder after eight rounds, equal on wins with Westbourne Grammarians and Box Hill North.

The club has benefited from a fruitful recruiting effort over the summer, which has compensated for the loss of about 20 players to injury this year. Coach Ange Sammartino said North Brunswick hoped to assemble its strongest team in a fortnight.

“We recruited really well, something like 40 new players over the off-season,” Sammartino said.

“Last year we struggled to fill two sides, now we’ve got about 70 players on the list.

“But we’ve got about 25 out injured at the moment.

“It’s looking good for (this) weekend, I think we get 6-7 senior players back, so a stronger unit again.”

The Bulls dropped games against ladder leaders Canterbury and Point Cook ­before an untimely loss to Mt Lilydale last week.

“We didn’t have that pencilled in for a win, we had it penned in for a win but ended up getting beat,” Sammartino said.

Peter Butler, Eamon Mcervale, Ashley Rae and Ben Gallagher have been regular contributors, while ruckman Matthew Dal Santo has been a dominant force in the middle.

The return of several senior regulars this weekend could not have come at a better time, with North Brunswick set to tackle the competition’s hottest forward — Dale Collins.

The Westbourne spearhead booted 32 goals in two games before the competition observed a bye over the weekend, giving the Bulls’ brains trust plenty to mull over.

“If a full forward is kicking 17 he’s got to have at least 25 kicks for the game,” Sammartino said.

“If the ball is getting to a full forward 25 times you’ve got to look to your midfield and say, ‘You guys have got to help out here and cut that delivery out’.

“I think we’ve got a match- up for him but time will tell whether it comes to fruition.”

North Brunswick faces Westbourne Grammarians away from home this weekend.

West Brunswick hosts Eley Park Sharks in Division 3, while Therry Penola faces a crunch match against Monash Blues.

In Division 1, North Old Boys-St Patrick’s tackles Prahran Assumption.