An early start for the NAB Northern Bullants on Saturday with the match at Bendigo being covered by ABC-TV and thus starting an hour earlier than normal. 

Essendon's problems with injuries and suspensions (both internal and external) had been well-documented, but every tipster we sighted either in the VFL Football Record or dailies with the exception of the ever-loyal Daniel Harford still went for the Bombers.

Morrell made his long-awaited return after rib and calf problems, but just to ensure the Digger didn't get leadership ideas above his stature, captain Frankie also resumed, with Jordan Russell dropped back from the Carlton A-list in favour of Jordan Bannister in the only other change

A somewhat unconventional starting line-up saw Saddington freed up from his usual negating role and roaming the half-forward line and Jarrod Bannister surprisingly at full-back.   Hindsight is a fine thing, but Mitch's move worked beautifully, Saddo booting the Bullants first just two minutes in and Little Banjo repelling two or three early Bendigo thrusts.   Yakka nipped in to intercept a poor kick-in after a Morrell behind to have the Ants second on the board within five minutes and Saddington added his second from a free midway through the term.

The enigmatic Courtney Johns kicked seven straight against the Ants in round three at MC Labour Park and despite hardly being sighted at any level since sent a small shiver through the spine with a strong mark and goal at the 20 minute mark - he didn't seem to be Bannister's direct opponent, but an inspired move saw the latter switched forward to kick the reply with a minute and when Saddington made it a hat-trick in the time-on period, the Bullants had their best start since the opening round.

Perhaps just as well as chocolates turned into past-the-use-by-date boiled lollies in the second term with only some seriously malfunctioning Bomb-aiming keeping the Ants in touch.   Johns banged through his second three minutes into the term before Blackers got pinged after trying a pirouette and the Ants were under intense pressure both from the Bombers and the umpires who missed three of four free kicks to the guys in the red jumpers in as many minutes. As the behinds mounted and the lead dwindled, Jackson turned the tide briefly with a fine mark and goal, but the red-hot Bombers swept the ball from the centre to restore a five point lead and added another stretch the lead to eight points.   Into time-on and Morrell and Houlihan combined to find the loose Benjamin right in front to leave the Bullants just two points down despite having six fewer scoring shots at the main break.

To say the opening goal of the third term was critical would be an understatement, and a horrible start saw Ackland and Teague collide head-on chasing a hotly contested ball 30 metres out from the Bendigo goal, the latter stretched off in Na-Na Land (fortunately recovering quickly but unable to take any further part after a quiet first half) and to add insult to injury, an unlikely kick off the ground out of the pack eluded defenders and trickled through for a critical goal.

Another followed soon after leaving the Ants 15 points down and looking down the barrel in what pundits like to call "a season-defining game".

The Digger was working slowly into the game and suddenly supplied with the catalyst that the Ants have been searching for over many weeks as "Little Diesel" Jake Williams and Raso combined to give him his first and the smallest player on the ground in Boxer Bransgrove added another a minute later.  Bendigo replied with a goal after a pretty soft free kick against the hard-working Russell, but Morrell was warming to the task with two on the trot to put the Ants an unlikely 11 points in front, and despite another to the Bombers, Grigg added another in time-on after another strong overhead mark.

Still work to do, but Williams, improving leaps and bounds in every game found DMac to give the Bullants a 16 point break before Morrell classically demonstrated just what a touch of experience can add by running down a ball on the boundary line, feinting a charge towards goals and then backing off  and attracting three Bendigo defenders like bees around a honey-pot before firing a looping handball to the loose Blackwell running into an open goal for the sealer.

With Jason Cloke switched forward, Bendigo still had their chances but the big man has inherited the "yips" that sometimes has affected the family and finished the match with, we believe two goals (in reality, 1.6).

Not an attractive win and perhaps a bit lucky by any means but at this stage, four points is four points for the young Ants side.   

Ayacca-Bucci - Yewa Bewdy!  is the Bullant local catch-cry ala the Toyota - Jezza commercial and he took out the ABC-TV award.   Saddington reviled in his new-found freedom, Blackwell with 40 possessions (a sneak look at the stats suggest he was on the receiving end of 25 hand passes) and Jackson were the four stand-outs.  Other best players were something of a raffle - coaches came up with Morrell and Ackland - from the lovely old grandstand and the aid of a few cans of that nice lemonade that comes in green cans, we thought Russell, Ja. Bannister, Raso and Grigg were also worthy of a Mention In Dispatches.

Perhaps the downside was that four or five of the Carlton first-year players had very ordinary days, and while their heads were down a little in the rooms after the match, it was again the Digger to the fore, raising spirits with a few well-aimed rolled-up socks and bandages and a not-to-subtle reminder to "enjoy the day, this is what it's all about"

Northern Bullants 5.4 7.4 12.6 14.8-92
Bendigo Bombers 1.4 6.11 9.14 10.17-77

Northern Bullants
Goal Kickers: J. Saddington 3, D. Morrell 3, D. McLaren, A. Iacobucci, R. Jackson, J. Bannister, S. Grigg, L. Blackwell, B. Bransgrove, C. Benjamin
Best Players: J. Saddington, A. Iacobucci, L. Blackwell, D. Morrell, R. Jackson, C. Ackland

Bendigo Bombers
Goal Kickers: N. Carter 2, C. Johns 2, S. Rosa, J. Cloke, A. Connaughton, J. Maddern, K. Bradley, K. Reimers
Best Players: S. Rosa, H. Hocking, N. Carter, K. Bradley, M. Bolton, J. Cloke