HEIDELBERG got its season off to the best of starts with a 27-point win over Division 1 rival Bundoora at Yulong Reserve in Round 1.
On the back of four goals to both Jason Kennedy and William Knight, the Tigers ran away with the 14.18 (102) to 10.15 (75) win.
A new-looking Bundoora side came out of the blocks attacking and looked to put early pressure on last year’s beaten grand finalist.
But adjusting to life without Cameron Cloke, who provided the Bulls with 246 goals over the past four seasons, proved to be a tough ask for the Bulls as they were unable to find a target and convert chances going forward early.
The Tigers however, did not have as much trouble, going inside forward 50 once for their first goal thanks to a Callum Lewis snap.
Both sides squandered chances going forward late in the quarter, with the Tigers hanging on to a seven-point lead at the first break.
The match opened up in the second term, with both sides adjusting to the pace of the game.
Thanks to two-goal quarters from youngster Knight and Charles Gaylard, the Tigers were able to push their lead out to 15 points at the main break.
The Bulls looked to go back to their early pressure in the second half as regular high flyer Gary Moorcroft put in an early bid for mark of the year and slotted his second of three majors for the day.
The home side could not maintain their pressure though, allowing the Tigers to kick 3.8 to just a single behind for the rest of the third quarter in what could have easily turned into a blowout.
Trailing by 33 points at the last change, Bundoora came out looking to attack early in the final term but couldn’t convert its chances. The Bulls kicked four consecutive behinds before Andrew Carmusciano was able to slot his only goal of the match.
The Tigers then put the icing on the cake through three goals to captain Jason Kennedy in the last quarter to seal the win.
Heidelberg coach Craig Hunter praised his side after the game but maintained that they still had a lot of work to do to get them back to the high level they were playing at last season.
“We haven’t had a lot of continuity in our practice matches with guys coming in and out of the side so it will take us a few weeks to get going,” Hunter said.
Hunter also conceded that they came into the game with an element of the unknown, not sure what to expect from a Bundoora side without Cameron Cloke, Brayden Shaw, Trent Barbero, Kent Delbridge and David Mitchell, who all had left the Bulls in the off season.
“It was pretty hard to plan and prepare when you’re not to sure what you’re coming up against,” Hunter said.
The Tigers will look to make it consecutive wins when they face Lower Plenty at home in Round 2, whilst the Bulls will look to get their first win of the 2015 season when they travel to Montmorency to take on the Magpies.
Final score: Bundoora 10.15 (75) def by Heidelberg 14.18 (102)
