FOR the first time since May 24 last year the Bendigo Bank Bombers will this Sunday play a home game at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.The Bombers will take on Port Melbourne in the long-awaited return of VFL football to Bendigo.Following the Bombers’ round seven game against Coburg last season, they were forced off the QEO for the remainder of the year after AFL Victoria deemed the ground’s surface unsatisfactory for VFL football.The Bombers played just three games in Bendigo last year, with their remaining five home matches played at Essendon’s Windy Hill.“The boys are really itching to get out there and play in front of a home crowd, so we’re very keen to see that happen,” Bombers chairman David Joss said yesterday.Asked if the Bombers had anything special to mark their return to the QEO, Joss answered: “Winning would be the most special thing we could do at the moment.“We haven’t had a win since July 2008, so all our focus is on turning that around.“We have certainly got some special things planned for home games later in the year, but for us, this one is all about getting down to business on-field.“Getting to play in front of a home crowd is really important for us.“It has been well mentioned last year we kind of fell off the radar by not playing in Bendigo, so we’re very keen to get that turned around.“And playing Port Melbourne . . . I can’t recall the last time Port Melbourne was in Bendigo.“I think it’s fair to say we’re not fans of each other. They are a traditional club in the VFL and knocking them off would be a great thing for us to achieve after the past year and a half.”Port Melbourne hasn’t played in Bendigo since round seven, 2004, with the past seven clashes between the two clubs all having been played at the Borough’s TEAC Oval.The Bombers under new coach Shannon Grant last week began their 2010 season with a 45-point loss to last year’s runners-up, the Northern Bullants.The Bombers trailed by just 17 points at three quarter-time, before the Bullants kicked away in the final term to win 16.13 (109) to 9.10 (64) at Carlton’s Visy Park.“The Northern Bullants were only four goals off a premiership last year and have probably improved again,” Joss said.“We were really competitive for three quarters and certainly put up a much better showing than what we would have last year.“So I’m buoyed by that, but at the end of the day it has to be converted onto the ladder.”Port Melbourne, which is coached by Gary Ayres, is coming off a 12-point win over VFL newcomer the Gold Coast at Southport last Saturday.“Shannon is doing everything at his end; he has some selection pressure this week, which is a good problem to have, so I expect we’ll have a strong side,” Joss said.“The other part is Port Melbourne is coming off a trip to the Gold Coast. They are not a team that travels a lot, so coming off a Gold Coast trip and then having to go to Bendigo, hopefully, that gets in their heads a bit.”Sunday’s game at the QEO starts at 2pm.