Bulldogs eyeing greater consistency in bid to rise up ladder

NARROWING the gap between its best and worst performances will be the aim for Golden Square in the second half of the BFNL season, according to coach Brad Eaton.

The Bulldogs return to action following the King’s Birthday long-weekend bye with a tough test against a rebounding Eaglehawk at Canterbury Park on Saturday.

It will give the Bulldogs a good gauge of their improvement after they were soundly beaten by the Hawks by 60 points in their season opener at Wade Street.

Despite a 1-6 start to the season, the Bulldogs have taken plenty of heart out of a last-start loss to Gisborne in which they led the Bulldogs by 12 points at three-quarter time before succumbing by 21 points.

Their three-quarter time lead came on the back of a seven-goal to one final quarter that summed the Bulldogs’ season in a nutshell – the disparity between their best and worst.

While pleased with the level of effort, Eaton said the key for would be to sustain it across a full four quarters.

“It’s frustrating when you get teased by what you can do for periods, but you don’t do it for a long time, or you can’t do it when it matters,” he said.

“It’s disappointing and I know the players feel that as well.

“But at the same time, there is proof that if we can be a little bit more consistent with the good parts of our game, we can definitely match it with everyone.

“We showed against Gisborne we can match them, and even against Sandhurst, while it wasn’t one of our best games, for three quarters we were still in the contest.

“As much as we have had probably three really disappointing games across the course of it, there have been some positives when we get it right.”

Indicative of what he would like to see going forward, Eaton branded the Bulldogs’ third quarter against Gisborne as ‘pretty relentless.’

“It is pretty difficult to sustain that sort of pressure for four quarters, based on the energy it takes to do that, but at the same time, it shows that if you can do that in key moments of the game, you give yourself more opportunities to be in the contest,” he said.

Mirroring the team performance, Eaton indicated there had been patches of consistency and great form from individuals.

Pleasingly, many of the highlights have come from the Bulldogs’ younger brigade.

“In the last few weeks, we have thrown the magnets around a bit,” he said.

“Xav Carter, although he has missed the last couple of games with a concussion, has shown a lot of promise as a forward for us.

“Harrison Kelly has finally got his body right; I think we have found a good mix of him being an inside and outside player.

“His last month has been really good, watching him mature in front of us.

“And Jack McMahon probably had his best his best game for the season against Gisborne, after some injury interruptions.

“He’s definitely feeling more comfortable where his playing and with his position in the side.”

Eaton hoped his players would take plenty of confidence out of their performance against Gisborne, particularly in view of a lacklustre effort against Eaglehawk in round one.

“In terms of our work rate and pressure, we’ve set a bit of a standard of where we need to go to,” he said.

“I think the boys will be a little bit more confident in their belief around being able to produce that every week now.”

Golden Square will be bolstered by the inclusion of up to six players, including a pair of Bendigo Pioneers.

Xav Carter (concussion protocols) will make his return, while defender Harry Burke – a BFNL team of the year selection last season – is expected to be available.

The Bulldogs will also regain Tommi Turner from suspension, while hopes are high Jack Stewart has overcome the knee injury that has sidelined him for the last month.

Riley Dillon, who impressed in round three against Sandhurst with 13 possessions and three goals, and Bailey Warfe return from Pioneers duties.

Eaglehawk will be eager to bounce back from only its second loss of the season, a 33-point defeat at the hands of Sandhurst.

Other round eight games: Strathfieldsaye v South Bendigo, Castlemaine v Sandhurst, Gisborne v Kangaroo Flat.