Tara Murray
Hoppers is starting its turn around of form in the Bowls Victoria weekend pennant competition.
After a few tough seasons, which has seen the side drop from division 2 to division 4, Hoppers is starting to get some more wins on the board.
After the first four rounds, Hoppers is undefeated and on top of the ladder.
Coach Mark Coleman said it had been a really good start for them.
“We won one game last year, we’ve already won three this year,” he said. “It is going well on Saturdays, we’re undefeated,
“We recruited well for Saturdays and it’s come together, You don’t have to have the best team, you have to have the right combinations.”
Coleman said since he started in January playing numbers had increased from 71 to 96.
He said they had really been trying to get the club out there and show they were doing something different.
“We got six or seven players back from Deer Park,” he said. “I spoke to friends in the area and they wanted to come on board.”
Coleman said the early success was pleasing for the players that had been at the club for a long time.
He said they just wanted what was best for the whole club.
“The ones that stuck around, they are the ones that did the hard work,” he said. “They’re happy to get the higher recruits and go down to the second side.
“The second side is undefeated as well.”
Hoppers faced Yarraville Footscray on Saturday in round four of division 4, section 2.
Hoppers recorded another win, 92 (18)-44 (0).
Andrew Doyle and Coleman both had 20 shot wins in their rinks.
Coleman said the focus for the club the next few seasons is pretty clear.
“We want to get back into division 2,” he said. “If we do that, we can recruit even better and push for division 1.
“I’ve got a three year contract and I want to try and get promoted every year. We’ll see what happens with that.”
In other results, Palm Lake beat Bacchus Marsh 2 and Point Cook lost to Sunshine RSL.
