Dog’s bite buries Blues

By Ken Moore
BUNYIP is on the rise!
The Bulldogs gave their season hopes a real fillip when they sealed an impressive 24-point away-from-home win against Catani on Sunday.
They played four good quarters of football and adapted far better to the poor conditions and the regular ground-level contests.
The Bulldogs look a legitimate finals’ prospect and are coming together far more quickly than many rival clubs expected.
Kicking with the advantage of a swirling four-goal wind blowing towards the southern end of the Catani Recreation Reserve, the visitors started the game with real intent.
They were rewarded for five minutes of relentless attacking with a fine finish by emerging star Michael Ross, back from Gippsland Power due to the break in the TAC Cup last weekend.
Mid-term a spectacular kick on goal by talented Bulldog utility Dean Bassed floated through the big sticks.
A few minutes later centre half-back Brent Heus kicked an even more spectacular ball-burster from behind the centre and aided by the wind, plus a fortuitous bounce, scored a stunning goal that easily covered 100 metres.
In time-on, star Bulldog recruit Ryan Brown seized on a defensive mistake to snap a clever goal and put his team 30 points in front at quarter time.
Bunyip’s lead was in no small part due to ruckman Marc Rotunno and Jack Fitzpatrick, who put their bodies in well, while Michael Whyte, Robert Lee and Dean Bassed all excelled midfield and Heus showed good skill and judgement in defence.
Catani was held scoreless in the opening term and if not for defender Fiatupu Too Too and midfielders Phil Strahan and Antonio Benevenuto could have been further behind.
Despite working into the wind in the second quarter, Bunyip still proceeded to get its hand on the ball first and it frustrated the home side by often chipping the ball around to run down the clock.
Late in the quarter a goal from well outside 50 by Owen Fitzpatrick brought a sigh of relief to Blues supporters and trimmed the margin back to 27 points at the main break.
Justin Evans and Luke McFarlane were outstanding for the Blues in the second term, but there were far too many bystanders in the navy blue colours during the quarter.
Tight, accountable defence in the second quarter by the Bulldogs’ Dean Bassed, Marc Jolley, Rob Diereckx and Leigh Carmody played a huge role in setting up the upset victory.
Catani opened the second half brightly with an immediate goal by veteran Shane Warren, but it was quickly cancelled out thanks to a wonderful snap by Dean Bassed.
Between the 10 and 20-minute marks of the quarter, the Blues lifted their intensity and produced their most sustained spell of pressure for the match.
Ruckman Phil Smith started to make his presence felt around the field and coach Paul Alger led by example, winning plenty of the ball midfield that led to a second Owen Fitzpatrick major to keep the Blues in touch.
However, it proved to be their last hurrah as late goals by Robert Lee, Brown and Bassed again gave the Bulldogs a match-winning 35-point buffer at the last break.
Catani outscored Bunyip by three goals to one in the last quarter, but the result was never in doubt at any stage during the term.
Catani appeared far too top heavy in the windy conditions and could not exert its usual aerial presence.
Bunyip coach Steve Henwood appears to have injected a real workmanlike ethos among his young charges.
Their ability to chase, harass and corral their opponents all game played a major part in the club’s best victory since the 2007 preliminary final.