Bendigo’s solid pre-season continued on Saturday afternoon when they scored a resounding 61-point win over Collingwood.
 
The victory follows a thumping win over Richmond the previous weekend in what has been a confidence-boosting couple of weeks for Bendigo following a winless 2009.

A number of Essendon-listed players took part in the game, including international rookie David Meli. The 17-year-old who hails from Papua New Guinea impressed coach Shannon Grant.

“He played up forward for most of the game but also had a run through the midfield. He won plenty of the ball and what pleased us most was the way he used it. It was a good first-up effort,” Grant said. 

 
Michael Still, Christian Bock and John Williams also took part in the game.

“Christian rucked for most of the game and did very well. His ruckwork is improving and he would have won most of the hit-outs. We were also pleased with his second and third efforts and his tackling – they are things he has been working hard on and we are starting to see it on match day,” Grant said.

“Michael Still played up the ground and deep forward at different times and he worked really hard. He took some strong contested marks – it was a really promising effort from him.

“John Williams is being used a little bit differently to where we have played him in the past. He is playing across half back and he had a good day. He used the football well and beat his opponent. We are trying to develop him down there and he is adjusting well .”

Other good players for Bendigo were Ben Gray, Lachlan Delahunty, Hayden Skipworth, Trent Shinners and James Flaherty.