Match Report: HBL v Bunbury

Roaring Lions tame Bulldogs

The Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault season got off to a flying start with a convincing 46-point win over Bunbury, which bore little resemblance to the Bulldogs of 2014.

The Lions had greater numbers with league experience and set up victory in the first half, when players held the Bulldogs to just 1.1 while adding 7.5 themselves, to claim victory 15.9 (99) to 8.5 (53).

Experienced ruckman Matt Bicknell was in fine form in the opening term, winning a number of hit-outs and booting a couple of goals.

The Lions midfield was on top and always had greater numbers at the fall of the ball, while up forward, Ashley Thornton and Braden Prentice stretched the Bulldogs' defence with their marking ability.

The Bulldogs owed a lot to Glen Howison and Jye Graham, who worked overtime to clear the ball from defence.

The Bulldogs' only goal for the half came late in the first term, when Codey Hay went forward and took a strong mark 50 metres out and split the middle.

Experience showed for the Lions when David Newman was left a couple of metres from the pack and goaled from the one-step and, later, when his pinpoint kick found Thornton close to goal.

The Bulldogs had a mini revival in the third term, when recruit Kurt Tropiano won a number of possessions, Kane Burmann booted two quick goals and Glen Howison scored a long bomb.

The Lions responded with three quick majors to stamp out any threat and, after adding the first two of the final, the team was out by nine goals.

The Lions would have been delighted with the fine form of Matt Doherty in his first game for the club since the 2010 premiership, as well as the standout performance of Keegan Fortescue, Brad Strano and Ty Armitage.

The Bulldogs went in with a very young side but, lacking experience at league level, will be all the better for the experience.

Although only early days, recruits Kurt Tropiano and Mitchell Houwen worked hard and did enough to suggest they could be handy acquisitions.

Harv-Bruns-Lesch 99 D Bunbury 53 * Harv-Bruns-Lesch 5.3 7.5 11.8 15.9 99 Bunbury 1.0 1.1 5.2 8.5 53

* *Goals *: HARV-BRUNS-LESCH - A. Thornton, C. Hay 3, B. Prentice, M. Bicknell, Z. Piper, B. Harris 2, M. Doherty. BUNBURY - C. Hay 3, K. Burmann 2, B. McMullen, M. Houwen, J. Graham. *Best *: HARV-BRUNS-LESCH - K. Fortescue, M. Doherty, T. Armitage, A. Thornton, B. Strano, M. Bicknell, B. Prentice. BUNBURY - J. Graham, K. Tropiano, B. Blake, C. Hay, C. McGuire, K. Burmann.