FOUR-time premiership coach Phil Plunkett says he is pleased with Bundoora’s start to its 2013 premiership defence.
The Bulls were far too good for Montmorency in Saturday’s grand final re-match, romping to a 38-point win at Montmorency Park – the club’s first win at the ground since 2006.
The win puts Bundoora on top of the Division 1 ladder, with two wins from the opening two games of 2014 and a handy buffer over fellow premiership fancies Montmorency and Northcote Park.
“Yeah we’ll take that win any day of the week,” Plunkett said following the 19.13 (127) to 13.11 (89) result.
“With Northcote Park having a loss and being on two points and Montmorency being on zero, to have a six-point buffer has really started the year off well.
“Nobody in our side had ever played in a win at Mont, so it made the day very pleasing and showed what can happen when we put our mind to it.
“It’s been really pleasing how the boys have handled themselves so far. I’ve been really happy with how the new guys have slotted in.”
Kicking with a slight breeze to the northern end of the ground, Montmorency had the best of the first term but took only a two-point lead into quarter time.
The Bulls then made their move in the second term, splitting the contest open with a five-goal to one quarter to take a 27-point lead into the main break.
Returning ruckman Matthew Dennis was dominant in the opening half, Cameron Cloke (seven goals) kicked three early majors, while youngster Ned McKeown and Andrew Carmusciano found plenty of the football in open space.
Montmorency challenged during the third term and closed within 14 points after Mitch Anderson and Wayne Pavitt (three goals) kicked two goals in a minute midway through the quarter.
However, the visitors rounded out the quarter with four of the final five goals to take a commanding 32-point lead into the final change.
Gary Moorcroft (four goals) sealed the contest two minutes into the final quarter when he swooped on a loose ball and snapped truly from 25 metres.
Plunkett said the efforts of his midfielders played a telling role in the away victory.
“On a ground that size, the game is really won in the midfield,” he said.
“If you get one kick out of the midfield you’re probably only 20 or 30 metres out from goal. That was probably the area we won it. The on-ballers really fought out a four-quarter performance.”
He also made mention of new recruits Anthony Hogan and Brad Czerny, who both played solid games in defence.
“(They) have brought an element of toughness back into the side,” Plunkett said.
“It’s an area we thought we need to improve in and that’s the reason we targeted those two players and they haven’t let me down.”
After a solid start to the season, the Bulls now enjoy a week’s break over Easter before taking on Lower Plenty at Yulong Reserve in Round 3 – a team they have smashed twice at home in recent years.
Plunkett said his team would use the break to freshen up ahead of a long campaign.
“It will be a little bit of a refresher,” he said.
“That’s why I didn’t mind playing all those boys playing in the NFL rep squad because it was like a little pre-season.
“The three games have really given the boys a good start to the year. Over this next week we’ll have a really quick freshen up and then prepare ourselves for Lower Plenty who are travelling okay.”
