Opportunity knocks for young Bulldogs

GOLDEN Square co-coach Brad Eaton says he is pleased to see some of the club’s youngsters making the most of their opportunities, as the Bulldogs battle a growing injury toll.

Three more pups made their senior debuts in last weekend’s fighting loss to Gisborne at Wade Street, with Billy Buhagiar, Xavier Grant and Logan Wilson coming into the side that was beaten by 39 points by Strathfieldsaye in round 8.

It followed the inclusion of Bailey Warfe for his first senior game of the season the week before.

It’s a sign of things to come, says Eaton, as the Bulldogs hit the halfway point of the home and away season in seventh spot on the ladder at 2-6.

“We are trending in the right direction. Injuries aren’t helping, but we’ve definitely got some young ones that have really earnt their spot and are playing good footy,” he said.

“Unfortunately now, with quite a few out, and a few out from our reserves who won’t be back in the short term, we are just going to have to give the young ones a go and see where they are at.

 

“We probably just lack the polish and aren’t the finished product hitting the scoreboard.

“Our deficiency in the forward half is probably where we lack compared to other sides, who have guys who make you pay if you turn the footy over.

“Whereas we are good at turning the ball over and we are just not making teams pay.

“That’s where we are at the moment.”

Not for the first time, one bad quarter proved costly for Golden Square against Gisborne last Saturday,

The Bulldogs found themselves 39-points down at quarter-time, eventually beaten by 23 points after having the better of the second and third terms on the scoreboard.

After missing the Storm clash, Tom Strauch’s return had the desired impact, with his and Jack McMahon’s three goals apiece sparking Golden Square following its poor opening term.

Jack Stewart, Jordan Rosengren, Noah Warfe and Liam Hoy were similarly keys in the fightback.

Admittedly, both sides were missing plenty of key personnel.

Among those most felt by the Square were the absences of Jayden Burke (knee), ruckman Daniel Keating (shoulder) and Archie Edwards (back) – all injured against the Storm – and the team’s leading goalkicker Archie Eaton (groin), while Dylan Hird’s season is already over with an ACL.

 

The news is at least positive on key defender Burke, with his injury from the previous week’s game against Strathfieldsaye not as bad as first feared.

Scans late last week revealed no ACL tear, with the interleague representative to spend a period on the sidelines before a return late in the season.

Reflecting on the first half of the season, Eaton believed the Bulldogs had produced quarters of good football in each of their games, with the margins of losses predominantly on the respectable side of the ledger.

“The Sandhurst game might have blown out a little bit and South blew out late, but we were in it at three-quarter-time, took the game on and they hurt us a bit,” he said.

“We haven’t really copped a belting and definitely the last month we have played a lot better than the first couple of games.

“If we can bring that every week, we’ll be in every contest.

“We are creating some opportunities for some young players, hopefully we keep getting the value.”

Encouragingly, Golden Square will play five of its remaining eight games on its home deck due to ongoing redevelopment works at the venue.