Leader News |
WHAT a difference a fortnight makes. The Gardiner Reserve Bulldogs are smiling ear to ear, coach Kevin Fitzgerald is relishing his first pocket of breathing room and Gisborne is fifth on the Bendigo Football League ladder, and rising fast.
The local Bulldogs condemned a fancied Sandhurst side to the competition's cellar on Saturday, 12.17 (89) to 10.7 (67).
It could well have been all the more emphatic, too. Gisborne led by 39 points at the final change but peppered the goal face all day long but the Bulldogs nonetheless saluted for the second week running after a ferocious opening fortnight without reward.
But those sporting red, white and blue bellowing "back in business" cries will do well to steer clear of Fitzgerald's path.
"We've still got a long way to go but all our signs are pointing in the right direction now," he said.
"It's part of the year now and it's something we can learn from.
"I thought we played pretty good footy most of the day. We could have put them to the sword if we had have kicked straight and we made it harder for ourselves than we needed to."
Recent revelation Josh Krispyn was outstanding for Gisborne, the undersized engine room specialist showing his worth after relocating to the region to take a horse training job at Macedon Lodge.
"He's a former interleague player in Perth. He's obviously a quality player. He's a really handy pick-up," Fitzgerald said.
But it was a Bulldog mainstayer who really turned heads, Ollie Messaoudi again best on ground by a mile.
"His ability to stop the opposition getting out when they win possession is unbelievable," Fitzgerald said.
"On Saturday we were probably four or five goals up at three-quarter-time. We let them back in a little bit and they looked like they might get a run on but by the end of the day he had 13 tackles on his own."
Rod Sharp and Lachlan Crosbie are under injury clouds as Gisborne hosts Kangaroo Flat on Saturday.
