Bulldogs overcome plucky Dusties

PHILLIP Island welcomed Warragul Industrials for the Annual Easter Saturday Block Buster and despite an ordinary weather prediction throwing a bit of doubt over how many people would brave the elements, tradition won out.  

The Dusties and the usual tourists, along with the Bulldog diehards saw a huge crowd turn out. 

Quarter one began with a rain downpour and a slog out in the middle. 

Dusties were up for this and after downing PI during the regular season last year, before having their hearts ripped out after the final siren in the prelim, they were playing like they’ve been waiting for this.  Tough but in the right spirit they attacked relentlessly.  

The back half was busy repelling and Dyker was prominent, along with Tarquin McMillan.  

Eventually the dam wall cracked and the Dusties sharked a ball at ground level from a marking contest and they were on the board.  

Going to end of the ground being supported by a 35 knotter, the D’s looked ominous. 

Positive play from a back-half switch through Noah BH, back in a bulldogs jumper,  saw him find new forward Woodfield for a set shot.  Missed the conversion but it looked pretty into the gale.  It didn’t take long before the ball was again rushed forward and this time Coach Pederson marked strongly and goaled to level the scores.  17minutes in.

Not denied the Dusties kept pushing forward and scored two majors late, both from crumbing opportunities despite the good work of the defenders.  Woody got another couple of opportunities late in the quarter but could convert into the wind.  

The bulldogs went to the first break of the season behind on the scoreboard but with a sense that they were playing the more organised footy.

Quarter 2 commenced in the same way.  In blinding rain. A Philip Island snap from the boundary sailed through which led to a barrage of attack on the Phillip Island forward line that saw goals to Snake Blake, Captain Taylor and Hayden Bruce.  

The Dusties back line had been broken open like an Easter Egg and let’s not forget, every time it went down back Dyker, Pearce, McMillan, Walton and co just kept sending it back.  A late 50 metre penalty against Pappas say the D’s convert late and go into the half time break with a 7.5 to 4.2 lead.

During the break Coach Pederson re-enforced to the group that 3 of the 4 goals against were from crumbing opportunities, from the defenders doing their job but they needed more support from the ground fleet to dry up opportunities.  Sort that out and no reason why they wouldn’t be holding the Dusties at bay.

Not sure if he believes in Jeanie’s but he got his wish and the ground fleet rolled their sleeves up.  

Not a day of high possession for many players but everyone was doing their roll and preventing scoring opportunities for the Dusties.

Wiz Richard’s was proving he’d moved on from the cricket celebrations with a polished display.  

The HB pencil was prominent and showed he was over last year’s knee injury.

The second half was a bit of a low scoring slog between typhoons and sideways rain (bet the black puffer wearers were smiling like Cheshire cats) but saw the Island comfortably keep the Dusties at bay, running away with a comfortable winners.

A week off and then Inverloch, which would be a good indication of where we are truly at.