Brunswick’s perfect start to the season rolled on at Ted Ajani Reserve on Saturday as they recorded a convincing 10-goal victory over Bulleen Templestowe and moved to top-of-the-ladder in Division Two.

The conditions were tailor-made for the NOBs – a fast, dry track under blue skies – and they used them to their advantage in the first quarter. The opening goal was a perfect example, as they moved the ball cleanly and stylishly from half-back to create an opportunity for the hard-running Will McKenzie to slam it through. The game continued to be played in Brunswick’s half, with Nick Burgin oozing class with a couple of goals and the smooth-moving Johnny Haddad opening his account.

In the second term, Brunswick really started to assert their authority as Burgin and Haddad continued to give the Bullants’ defenders the run-around. When Tom Wilson kicked his first after a couple of earlier misses, it looked like the floodgates might open right up, but the home side got on a run of their own and kicked four goals in quick time – a couple the result of uncontested marks being spilled in defence – and it was again a three-goal game. That comeback proved to be short-lived, however, as the NOBs slotted the last two majors of the half to re-establish a 30-point lead at the main break.

For the second week running, Brunswick used the third quarter to make their decisive move, this time with four goals to nil. The Burgin-Haddad Show rolled on up forward, while busy small forward Matt Horan also got in on the action.

In the unseasonably warm conditions, players from both sides were running on empty in the last term, but the NOBs still did enough to win the quarter and make it a well-deserved 10-goal win.

Burgin was best-on-ground with his five goals, on top of a stack of possessions when running through the midfield, although Will McKenzie wasn’t far behind him with a fantastic game on the wing and pinch-hitting in the ruck. He also kicked a couple of goals of his own. Johnny Haddad was again great, this time with four goals, while new skipper Ben Wilson enjoyed his return from injury to control things in the middle. Angus Ross’ superior skills were again to the fore, while the defence led by veteran Liam Whelan was excellent.

A massive test awaits this Saturday at Gillon Oval when we face third-placed Parkside. See you there!