‘Club first, always’: Noble Park Bulls bring up 25th year in Eastern Football League
In 2000, Noble Park left the Southern league in search of stronger competition. The Bulls found it in Eastern – and across 25 years they’ve become a powerhouse on and off the field. Here’s how.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Can too much success start to be a bad thing?
At Noble Park Football Club in the late 1990s, officials were asking the question.
For the best part of two decades the Bulls had been a formidable force in the South East Suburban Football League and then the Southern Football League, regularly raising senior and reserves premierships.
The ressies won an astonishing 14 premierships on the hop.
But the club administration came to think that winning was beginning to work against Noble.
Sponsors were dropping off and supporters were losing interest, taking little satisfaction out of seeing their side regularly thump opponents by 15 goals or more. They wanted greater challenges.
“I think people were looking for a change,’’ Jeff Marshall, Noble Park’s president at the time, says.
It came with a transfer to the Eastern league, confirmed with a fax Marshall received on September 21, 1999.
It was from Eastern GM Craig Braddy, advising that his board had met the previous evening and agreed to accept the Bulls and place them straight into first division.
It was subject to a vote of Noble Park members and Eastern clubs. Both were in favour. The Southern league, of course, wanted to keep its strongest and best-run club and went running off to Football Victoria. But in the end Noble got the all-clear to kick off in 2000.
“As a club we’ve always striven to play the best footy we can,’’ Marshall says. “Southern was OK – I won’t say we dominated Southern but we were always up there – but I think everyone was looking for the next level, which was the Eastern footy league.’’
Twenty-five years later, Marshall – president in 1999 and 2000 and a staple of the committee in the years since – says it was a great move for the club and continues to be.
Since 2000, only Noble Park and Vermont have stayed in the league’s top division. In that time, 27 clubs have cycled through the Premier competition.
More than survive, Noble has thrived, winning five premierships: in 2003-04 under the coaching of Denis Knight, in 2010-11 under “Mighty Mick’’ Fogarty and in 2022 under Steve Hughes, who had played for the Bulls as they were setting out in the new competition and who is part of the Wright family, Noble’s nearest thing to royalty. The ground at Moodemere St is named after his grandfather, Pat Wright.
Marshall gives former Springvale champion Knight great credit for lifting Noble Park to the higher standard needed to be successful in Eastern.
He remembers Knight signing his coaching contract in the Blue and Gold room of the social club.
Later that day, Marshall was driving on the Princes Hwy when he saw a shirtless man running on the footpath in extreme heat. It was the new coach.
“I reckon it was two hours after we appointed him,’’ Marshall recalls.
Even before a ball was bounced, he knew the Bulls had made the right appointment.
“The professionalism he brought to our club and the way he drove the players was unbelievable,’’ Marshall says. “He left no stone unturned, which was a bit of a motto back then.’’
Knight also brought players with him from Springvale to strengthen the ranks.
Marshall says the Bulls were “hoping to be competitive, to hang in there’’ in their first season.
Their improvement was steady.
They won eight games in their first season, 10 in the second and 15 in the third to make the finals, in the process defeating perennial Eastern power Vermont for the first time.
The contender became the premier in 2003 when the Bulls defeated East Burwood in the grand final. Knight was judged best-afield and also won the league medal. His side lost only two games that season.
The result was the same 12 months later, with Noble again getting the better of the Rams. Young James Gwilt claimed the medal as best-afield. A few weeks later, St Kilda claimed him in the national draft, a smokey from the suburbs.
“Our success did come quickly,’’ Marshall says. “We did a lot of recruiting with the right quality footballers and people. If I can say this, we have an anti-dickhead policy. We try to get good people into the club and we’re about families and the community. Footy’s not all about winning flags.’’
Knight retired as a player before the 2004 season and he left in triumph at the end of it, pursuing a work opportunity in Queensland.
His dashing defender Shane Burgmann took over as coach and steered the Bulls to two grand finals, both bringing the bitter taste of defeat.
It was left to Fogarty’s team to resume the premiership success, twice over. In 2010, Tory Dickson kicked a century of goals for the Bulls. Six years later, he was in the Western Bulldogs’ drought-breaking premiership team.
Yes, it’s true about Fogarty: he was once passed over to coach Noble Park’s reserves!
Outstanding in the role, he finished up at the end of 2013 and returned two years later to coach through until the end of 2019.
It hasn’t all been chicken and champagne.
Twice the Bulls have dumped coaches during the season – former Essendon star Alan Ezard in 2009 and Jon Knight in 2014 – and they suffered an exodus of players and great turmoil when Gwilt, disappointed at his treatment from club officials, left after the 2017 season.
Captain Sam Monaghan, Zig Alwan, Tim Kelly, Trent Robertson, Brett Dore, Tim Harper, Liam Tobin, Vergim Faik, Shayne Allan, Sean Corrigan and Will Petropoulos all moved on; champions, best and fairests, premiership players, great clubmen, defenders, goalkickers and on-ballers were lost. It left the Bulls winded and wounded. There was even talk of relegation.
But the club steadied, with president Grant Connolly and football manager Steve Coats recruiting from the VFL when the Development League was wound up.
Four years later Hughes added a proud chapter to Noble’s history when he guided it to a flag, lifting the cup with the Bulls’ greatest ever player, Kyle Martin.
Noble knocked over Rowville in atrocious conditions at Bayswater.
“Some people still say, ‘Oh, you wouldn’t have beaten Rowville if it wasn’t pissing down rain that day’,’’ Marshall says.
“We would have beaten anyone that day. The way the boys came out and the pressure-factor they put on, there was no way we were going to lose that flag. Probably the hardest celebration I’ve done, that one, because we’d had a bit of a drought and were underdogs. It galvanised the club again.’’
It meant a third premiership as president for Connolly, who had succeeded his great mate Marshall in 2001 and experienced the 2003-04 flags. He served through to 2005 and returned in 2017, taking over from the late David Allan, a fine fellow who developed a deep passion for the Bulls as he watched his son Shayne.
Allan had taken the reins from Kevin Wright, whose time at the top (2006-11) took in the premierships of Fogarty’s teams.
As Marshall points out, off-field stability has been a strength of Noble Park.
Tireless Tracy Walden has been secretary since 2002. Dianne Waller, Eric Caughey, Chevonne Watts, Jim Laidlaw and Mark Paturzo did good stints as treasurer.
Team manager Mark Durdin and timekeeper Brian Duggan are other long-serving volunteers.
Time ticks. This year’s side features Kane Marshall, the son of Jeff. When he was a teenager, club greats Martin and Jackson Sketcher used to pick him up and take him to away games. He made his senior debut alongside them in 2023.
There was a significant turnover of players at the end of last season and Noble found it difficult to bring in high-profile recruits (points and salary caps are in play and the Bulls will never spend more than they are allowed).
Hughes had a young team and again some Noble supporters (they can be tough judges) worried about relegation. That threat was seen off some weeks ago. In fact, the Bulls are only a game out of the top-five.
Coats was a century goalkicker and four-time premiership for Noble Park, and has been football manager since 2017.
He’s always said one thing about Noble.
“Grant Connolly, Kevin Wright, David Allan, Peter Chandley before them … no one is bigger than the footy club,’’ he says.
“The footy club comes first. That’s the way it is. That’s why Noble Park is successful. Club first, always.’’
25 NOBLE GREATS FOR 25 YEARS IN EASTERN
SHAYNE ALLAN
In his peak years Allan was among Eastern’s best and most productive forwards, a left-footer who could kick goals from anywhere. He was a key man in the 2010 and ’11 flags and returned to be part of the 2022 success, bagging 40 goals.
ZIG ALWAN
Alwan won an Eastern league Under 18 best and fairest medal in 2005. He turned that promise into continual performance at senior level, settling as a centre half-forward who was supreme in the air and agile on the ground. Like Allan, Alwan’s premiership count finished on three after he came back to the club after a stint at Rowville and was part of the Steve Hughes-coached flag in 2022. It went with his 2010 and ’11 medals.
CRAIG ANDERSON
With relentless running and canny distributing through the midfield, Anderson became one of Noble’s greatest players after joining the club from Epping in 2006. He won the 2007 and ’11 Chandler Medals, three clubs best and fairests, was captain for five years and was at the heart of the 2010-11 premierships.
KRIS BARLOW
The ex-Hawthorn forward linked with Noble Park as assistant coach in 2007 and beat Peter O’Brien and Craig Anderson for the best and fairest. He took over as senior coach from Shane Burgmann the following year, relinquishing the role after one season.
SHANE BURGMANN
Burgmann was a fine full-back for Springvale and Frankston in the VFL, and became one of Eastern’s premier defenders when he joined the Bulls. The right-footer featured in the 2003-04 premierships and took over as senior coach from Denis Knight. The 2006 and 2007 grand finals were made under his watch, but the Bulls lost both matches to Vermont.
TIM COURTNEY
Another of the former Springvale VFL players who followed Denis Knight to Noble. And another who appeared in the 2003 premiership. Courtney was a courageous left-footer who rarely fumbled and was regularly in the best players.
DANIEL DONATI
Donati stands as a towering Eastern league figure this century, for his playing career at Noble Park and his coaching at Balwyn. “Nutsy’’ captained the Bulls, won a best and fairest, and helped raise the 2003-04 flags with his incisive runs and unfailing skill.
CRAIG JACOTINE
Jacotine emerged from the Springvale juniors to play 16 games for Collingwood (debuting at the age of 18 in the Anzac Day clash against Essendon in 1999). He joined Noble in 2001, figured in the 2003-04 flags, left to play with Broadbeach but returned to Moodemere St in 2009 and was part of the 2010-11 premierships.
MATTY JOY
There was little flash or dash to Joy, but he was a dependable and determined player for the Bulls after making the move from Springvale. He played in Noble’s 2003 and ‘04 premierships, success to go with his VFL flags with the Vales in 1998 and ’99.
TIM KELLY
There was just a hint of the great Peter O’Brien about Kelly in the way he coolly and classily delivered the ball. He was a popular player at the Bulls and 2010-11 premiership player too.
STEWART KEMPERMAN
Kemperman owned a penetrating left-foot that from half-back made metres disappear and forward entries appear. “He’s the best kick of a football I’ve ever seen,’’ former Noble coach Mick Fogarty once said of Kemperman, who played in Fogarty’s 2010-11 premiership teams and stood in as caretaker coach when Jon Knight was let go in 2014.
DANIEL KENNEDY
“DK’’ could play in just about any position on the ground – and play well. The tall and tough right-footer captained Noble’s Under 18s and developed into a player of 2003-04 premiership quality.
DENIS KNIGHT
No player or coach has had a more profound impact on Noble’s Eastern journey than Knight, who took on the coaching position ahead of the transfer from the Southern league and built a playing list and club culture that lifted the Bulls to the 2003 and ’04 flags. In his first four seasons the former Springvale champion led by example as a strong and skilful midfielder who could kick an inspirational goal. He won the league medal in 2003, nosing out teammate Daniel Donati. Knight stepped down after the 2004 season, heading to Queensland for work. But he later returned to Eastern to guide Norwood to its first top-division premiership.
ADRIAN LITTLE
Little was Noble’s Mr Fist and its Mr Fixit from centre half-back. Many forwards who thought they were set for marks would be disappointed when Little imperiously raised his left-hand and came in with spoils that sent the ball flying. Like Burgmann a former Springvale and Frankston VFL player, he was an essential element of the 2003-04 title teams and a great of the Eastern league.
BENN LOGAN
A left-footer with an evasive step and running power, Logan was unfortunate to suffer knee injuries at Noble. But no one doubted his ability. It was all on show in 2004, when he played in the premiership, jagged the Chandler Medal and split the best and fairest with his former Springvale teammate Peter O’Brien.
GLEN MANSON
Recruited from Frankston in the VFL, big “Chuck’’ was the ruck through the 2010 and ’11 premiership years. Manson was a powerful man with a touch of aggression that made some opponents wary, but also well skilled and schooled as a ruckman.
KYLE MARTIN
Probably the greatest Bull of all. Certainly no one has won more best and fairests than his nine, a tally that began when he was a youngster in 2009 and finished with his victory (his seventh on the reel) in 2022. The midfielder also played in the 2010 and ’11 flags and captained the 2022 premiership team. It was Noble’s luckiest day when he decided to turn his back on league football with Collingwood and return to Moodemere St in 2015. He won the best and fairest that year. He won it every year!
SAM MONAGHAN
Supporters didn’t know a lot about Monaghan when he arrived from Sandringham in 2010. But they quickly realised he was a top-bracket player. He was part of the 2010-11 premierships, won the 21013 and ’14 best and fairests, and was captain in 2016-17.
RYAN MORRISON
An outstanding full-back who liked to launch attacks with his long left-foot kicking, “Morro’’ joined Noble from Narre Warren in 2016 and was a leading player until 2023, when he took off for Dromana. He was named in the best 12 times in the 2022 premiership season.
STEWIE NAGLE
The strong-marking forward was with the Bulls for their kick-off season in Eastern, running second to club legend Peter Reece in the best and fairest. He was named captain in 2001 and lifted the 2003-04 premiership cups. Nagle finished up at the end of 2005, crossing to Keysborough.
PETER O’BRIEN
They called him “OB’’ and, oh boy, was he a player. His skills were spun from silk and allowed him to do damage even under the fiercest pressure. He had a season as captain, and won four flags, four best and fairests and an army of admirers for his enduring consistency and class.
ADAM QUINN
Quinn’s versatility was a strength of Noble’s earliest Eastern teams. He could play on the ball or in the forward line, where his marking made him a tough opponent for even the best backmen. The right-footer was in the 2003-04 premierships and later had great success as a coach and spearhead at Dingley.
JACKSON SKETCHER
For a long time the Morrish Medal winner and former VFL player pushed but could never pass Kyle Martin in the club best and fairest. But he had his moment in the sun in 2023, when he also won the Chandler Medal. He was a brilliant, ground-taking player for the Bulls – he’s doing the same now at Springvale Districts – and he did everything with a grin as wide as the Westgate.
GAVIN VASSALLO
Remarkably, Vassallo is still playing senior football into his forties, for a strong Springvale Districts side. Bouncing around like a pinball and kicking goals from all angles, he was a dazzling small forward in Noble’s first two premierships and added a third flag in 2010 after returning from Districts.
BRENT WILIAMS
Williams once kicked 25 goals in a reserves game for Noble Park, having been sent to the seconds for missing a compulsory Sunday training session. But Williams playing twos was like Black Caviar running at the Balnarring picnics. He was a tremendous force in the forward lines that took the Bulls to the 2003-04 premierships, winning league goalkicking crowns with long set-shots or snazzy snaps.
Honourable mentions: Will Sangster, Andrew McConnell, Tim Howe
Originally published as ‘Club first, always’: Noble Park Bulls bring up 25th year in Eastern Football League
All-in on Harley? Burnt Bombers not afraid to chase big fish again
Brad Scott has conceded Essendon’s past chase for big fish has backfired, but says there’s no reason the Bombers wouldn’t be all-in on trying to nab Harley Reid if he wants to leave the Eagles.
Coaching, AFL rule changes and Stevie J’s smoky premiership tip
Steve Johnson has long been known for having one of the more astute football brains in the game. And the AFL legend is all-in on one smoky coming from nowhere to claim the 2025 premiership.