News

THE Coburg Tigers staved off a gallant Northern Bullants side by 12 points at Preston City Oval yesterday, getting up 10.14 (74) to 8.14 (62) on a bitterly cold and rainy afternoon.

Despite going into the game as underdogs, the Bullants fired the first shot and when Mark Austin kicked the first of his three goals, the Tigers had some catching up to do.

With a patient forward structure and seemingly endless space, the Bullants looked the better side in the opening term and had a two-goal advantage at the first break.

David Teague and Josh Houlihan led the way with 10 possessions each.

The second quarter was sloppy as expected as the ball gathered mud, but Coburg came to life and began to run numbers behind the ball. The forward pair of Kent Kingsley and Jay Schulz were clearly hampered by the conditions.

"It was always going to be tough for those two. The conditions didn't suit them at all," Tigers coach Andy Collins said. Inaccuracy also cost Kingsley, who should have kicked at least four goals but ended with two.

At half-time, the Bullants clung to a nine-point lead, with brothers Jordan and Jarrod Bannister having worked consistently to gather 31 disposals between them. Alister Neville had chalked up 15 for the Tigers.

The intensity lifted in the third quarter when the teams went goal for goal.

When Schulz snapped a clever goal midway through the term, the Tigers supporters began to smell a victory and their team responded.

"It's a real credit to the group to win in those conditions," said Collins. "I rate this win very highly against our home-town nemesis."

Discussing the AFL prospects of best-on-ground Neville, Collins said: "I think it's just a question of which club takes him."

Coburg moves to eight wins and fourth place on the ladder, but will play three of the top four teams in the coming weeks. For the losers, their seventh loss for the season and ninth spot makes a finals appearance unlikely.

Box Hill Hawks v Port Melbourne, 2pm, Box Hill City Oval.

Williamstown v Casey Scorpions, 2pm, Burbank Oval, Williamstown.

Frankston v Geelong, 2pm, Frankston Oval.

North Ballarat v Bendigo Bombers, 2pm, Central Park, Stawell.