A five-goal return from Lachie Henderson has chiefly contributed to the Northern Bullants’ solid 46-point victory over Collingwood at Victoria Park.
 
The Ants, now third-placed on the table behind Williamstown and League leaders Port Melbourne,  opened brightly with a six-goal-to-two first quarter. The Magpies rallied in the second term to trail by three goals at the main change, although errant finishing cost the home team some valuable ground.
 
But the contest was effectively ended in the third quarter when the Ants slammed on 8.3, with Matthew Kreuzer again impressive in his bid for senior recall.
 
Other noted performers were Brock McLean and Marcus Davies - the latter having kept the Magpies’ elusive Brad Dick in check. As Bullants Coach Darren Harris said after the match: “He (Davies) kept Dick to seven touches and had 20 himself, and that’s the sort of form that helped him play the last seven games for Carlton last year and play in a final”.
 
Harris commended his team for wresting the initiative from its opposition after losing its way in what was a disappointing second quarter, and vowed that the team would maintain its focus into the second half of the season.
 
In terms of the immediate future, Harris remains suitably circumspect.
 
As he said: “At the moment all we are trying to do is win enough qualifying games to give ourselves the chance to play finals footy”.
 
The Ants now confront  WAFL outfit Claremont in this weekend’s Foxtel Cup fixture on the Gold Coast.
 
Northern Bullants            6.4          8.7          16.10    19.15  (129)
Collingwood                      2.1          5.7          9.8        12.11  (83)

Goalkickers: Northern Bullants: Henderson 5, Austin 3, Twomey, Kreuzer, Arrowsmith 2, Houlihan, Iacobucci, Thomas, Kerr, McInnes

Best: Northern Bullants: Davies, McLean, Henderson, Bower, Kreuzer, McCorkell