A NEW chapter in the rivalry between Bundoora and Montmorency will be written this week, although the sides currently find themselves in uncharted waters compared with clashes from recent years.
Usually a match-up between two of the competition’s highest-placed sides, the Bulls and Magpies currently find themselves outside the top five ahead of this week standalone Division 1 fixture over the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
Despite winning three of its past four matches, Bundoora sits in sixth place with a 4-4 record. A win this weekend will propel the Bulls into the top five for at least the first half of the split-round, although they will need results to go their way next weekend to remain there at the halfway point of the year.
Phil Plunkett’s side will go in as the favourite this week after an improved run on form, which has seen them overcome a 1-3 start to the season.
Successive wins on the road at Eltham and Northcote Park have put the Bulls’ season back on track, while an eight-point defeat to Greensborough in Round 8 – when the Bulls were wasteful in front of goal – demonstrated they are still capable of mixing it with the best.
Without surprise, Bundoora’s improved form has coincided with the return of ruckman Matthew Dennis and Kent Delbridge. Both have only played four games this year, and have featured together in only the past three matches – Bundoora’s best three performances for the year.
Dennis received the three votes from the opposition coach in each of his first three matches to sit equal second in the Coaches Player of the Year voting, while Delbridge has 12 goals, including two bags of four in wins over West Preston-Lakeside and Northcote Park.
Dennis will likely be an omission this week however, with the ruckman expected to be named in the Vic Metro squad to take on AFL Queensland at Burpengary on Sunday. Montmorency’s Jesse Donaldson and Patrick Fitzgerald are also likely to be selected in the side.
Hit by injury in the opening half of the year, Bundoora has already used 34 players through its senior side and a number of youngsters have shown they will be regulars in coming years.
Liam Byrne, Ned McKeown and Kane Slater have all had promising starts to the year, while Beau Moorcroft and Dale Marshall – despite both playing in the under-19s in recent weeks – have shown they are capable at senior level.
James Lord has also impressed in his return from injury and has 11 goals in six matches – including four in last week’s five-point win over fifth-placed Northcote Park.
Having played finals in every season since 2007, Montmorency is looking to regenerate in Ben Haynes’ first season at the helm.
Despite an encouraging eight-point win at Heidelberg in Round 7 – their fourth successive triumph at Warringal Park – the Magpies have battled in recent weeks and currently hold a 2-6 record.
Without a host of key players, the Magpies were beaten soundly at Greensborough a fortnight ago, before becoming the first side to lose to North Heidelberg in a surprise 31-point result on Saturday.
Similar to Bundoora, Haynes has been willing to test the depth of his Montmorency list to see which players are capable at senior level. 35 players have already played a senior game this year, many of which are youngsters from the under-19 program.
Co-captain Jesse Donaldson has thrived with the added responsibility of being named skipper with Craig Flint, and has featured in the best in six of eight matches. He’s also booted 16 goals to sit second on the Magpies goal kicking list behind only Fitzgerald (17).
Midfield recruit Stephen McCallum has impressed since joining from Williamstown and has been named in the Magpies best two players in each of the past three weeks, while defender Michael Fitz-Gerald is enjoying a strong campaign after a 2014 decimated by injury.
While inconsistency has plagued Montmorency this year – as it does any young side – the Magpies have winning form over Bundoora courtesy of a thrilling two-point win at Montmorency Park in Round 2.
BUNDOORA
4 wins – 4 losses
Ladder Position: 6th
Points For – 749, Average For – 94
Points Against – 743, Average Against – 93
Average Winning Margin – 25
Average Losing Margin – 23
Leading Goal Kicker – Gary Moorcroft (23)
Most Times In Best – Brendan Carlyon (5)
MONTMORENCY
2 wins – 6 losses
Ladder Position: 9th
Points For – 603, Average For – 75
Points Against – 784, Average Against – 98
Average Winning Margin – 5
Average Losing Margin – 32
