Round One: The Return of CBL Men in Bairnsdale – Coaches Recap
What a fantastic way to kick off the season! It was great to see CBL back in our hometown, and the atmosphere was absolutely buzzing as our Bullets took on the reigning premiers on our home court.
From the jump, the Meteors were well organised and precise, with our boys making a few mistakes early on. We were clearly fired up and a bit too jumpy on the defensive end. This led to some rushed decisions and turnovers, putting us at a 26-point deficit by halftime.
Halftime brought a shift in the tide. The Bullets returned to the court with renewed focus and determination. Fueled by the roaring home crowd, our defense turned fierce, delivering nine quick defensive stops. An injury to one of Moe’s starters and a breakaway dunk from our Big Fella brought the deficit back to single digits, igniting the crowd even further.
The closing minutes were intense. With pressure mounting, three strategic timeouts, and some sharp offensive plays, Moe managed to stabilise and saw out the end with the W. It was a hard-fought battle and the Bullet’s spirit shone through.
The exhibition matches of the U12s and U10s were full of excitement and showcased the upcoming junior talent Bairnsdale Bullets have! Go Bullets! 
A massive thank you to the team of volunteers in the lead up to the season and on the night, the amazing referees on the night and our supporters that filled the Gippsland Lakes Medical Imaging grandstand! Special shoutout to our sponsors who made the night unforgettable, especially those enjoying the game from the corporate boxes. It was incredible to have CBL back in Bairnsdale.
A heartfelt thank you to Razor Images for the signage and setup of the stadium, our announcers Luke and Andrew for revving the crowd up, DJ Rosco for pumping the tunes, Bairnsdale Dairy for the corporate box nibbles, McDonalds Bairnsdale for the cookies vouchers for our junior Bullets, Phoenix Food & Coffee for the after game feast and the BARC team for all their help.
A very grateful thank you to Bairnsdale Stoves Heaters & BBQ’s, Paynesville Pantry, and Raspberry Rae Face Painting for their donations of fantastic door prizes, consisting of fire pits, face painting sessions, and yummy hampers. Your support and generosity are greatly appreciated!
Next up… tomorrow we’re heading down to Warragul to face the Warriors. Let’s keep the momentum going and head down there to support our boys!
And then get ready to support our team in the upcoming double-header against Sale Sonics and Pakenham Warriors the following weekend.
For these next three games we will be honouring the beautiful Charlee Neven by wearing black armbands and also having a minute silence at the home games 
See you all at the next game, let’s go Bullets! 
credit to Andrew Padula 
