A SENSATIONAL seven goal opening term helped Broadford senior footballers secure their third win of the season on Saturday.
Kicking with a strong breeze, the Roos blitzed Sunbury Kangaroos early, piling on seven unanswered goals to take a 48-point lead into the first change.
In the Roos’ best quarter of the season, Brett Spargo was instrumental with three goals.
The Kangaroos hit back in the second term with five goals, and reduced the margin to 15 points at the final change with three crucial goals against the wind in the third term.
In a thrilling final quarter the Roos defended against the wind superbly, restricting the home side to two goals.
Controlling the stoppages all afternoon, Broadford pushed numbers into defence and slowed the game down in the final term, holding on for a seven-point win.
Tom Butterworth was the Roos' best with two goals, while Trent Fisher and Adam Bright were resolute in defence.
Reigning best and fairest winners Wayne Myers and Grant Wearne were pivotal around the ground in the second half.
The win snapped the club’s seven-game losing streak.
"It was nice to get a scalp. We have been competitive all year against the top sides so to finally win one against a genuine contender was great for the boys," outgoing senior coach Chris Nolan said.
Fairytale finish for Nolan
The game was coach Chris Nolan’s last, with the well-respected leader stepping down after three seasons at the helm.
Nolan said that he had some off-field issues that needed to be addressed and that he wouldn’t be coaching the club again next season.
"It has been a privilege to be able to spend three years back at the club I grew up at," Nolan said.
"It has helped cover the guilt and regret of not serving the club more as a player when I was younger."
Nolan said that he hoped he had left the club in a good position, with much of his coaching focused on maintaining local youngsters at the club.
"I just hope in some small way I have made a positive impact on our club going forward, and the young fellas lives, as there are a lot of good people there who deserve to enjoy some success again in the near future.
" I’ve seen a group made up of predominantly 17 to 19-year-old boys grow into fine young men after watching them take on football responsibilities well before their time. I really hope they stick together, as this club's next premiership side must
be built around these lads."
Nolan said that the fact 23 former club juniors have made their senior debut and that 53 of the 63 players used at senior level during his time as coach had previously played junior football for the Roos was something he can step down being extremely proud of.
Assistant coach Bill Neilson will take over for the remainder of the season.
Nolan and Neilson have close ties – the pair were joint coaches of Yea’s 2005 premiership side, with Neilson acting as Nolan’s playing assistant at Broadford in 2007 and 2008.
"I had no input into my replacement, but whichever way the committee went between Tom Butterworth, Matt Finch, John Boulton or Bill Neilson, the group was going to get a very capable and experienced football brain," Nolan said.
SCOREBOARD
Broadford 7.6 8.7 10.8 11.9 (75) d
Sunbury Kangaroos 0.0 5.2 8.5 10.8 (68)
Goals (B): B. Spargo 4; D. Theuma, T. Butterworth 2; W. Myers, A. Bright, R. Horsburgh.
Best: Butterworth, Bright, T. Fisher, G. Wearne, Myers, B. Spargo.
Goals (S): L. Sporle, D. Keenan 2; G. Ploog, D. Ellery, M. Welsh, J. Baddeley, R. Johnson, J. Cuffe.
Best: L. McInerney, Welsh, Baddeley, L. Smith, Cuffe, S. Davis.






