Bunyip is through to the Ellinbank League under-16 grand final after a thrilling 5.2(32) to 4.6(30) victory over Trafalgar in the qualifying final at Catani Recreation Reserve.
It’s a significant achievement during a tough period for the Bulldogs, with the seniors winning just two games, the under-18s winless and the reserves also missing finals.
Sydney star Tom Papley was down supporting his childhood club, celebrating the milestone with the players in the rooms post-game.
“A couple of our players were breathing fire, they were that dialled in,” coach Ben Cunningham said.
“We talk about capacity and capability: capacity seems to have a limit but capability doesn’t, so we dug into that during the game and the players felt they went until they were empty.”
Four of the Bulldogs’ five goals came in the third quarter, but the defensive effort in the second quarter was just as influential, with Bunyip preventing the Bloods from cashing in with the wind.
It was an even team performance with almost all members of the 22 standing up at different points of the game, well led by captain Lachie Knight and Heath Mollison who played an important sacrificial role.
“We knew it would be an arm-wrestle early,” Cunningham said.
“‘Traf’ are bigger bodied than us so when they hit contests, it’s hard to stop them and that’s how they beat us a few weeks ago.
“We know we’re a team that probably needs to get them on the outside, which was tricky in those conditions so we prepared for that.
“I think we frustrated ‘Traf’ in the second quarter because we were tidy in the contest.
“That gave us confidence in the third quarter to get a run on and we held sway late and locked down in the last few minutes.”
The Bulldogs will meet either Poowong or Trafalgar in the Ellinbank League Under-16s grand final.
Meanwhile, first-placed Ellinbank won its second semi-final clash against Longwarry in the Under-18s, with the Crows set to face Buln Buln for a spot against the Eagles in the grand final.
In the reserves, top-placed Lang Lang is through to the grand final and will face either second-placed Trafalgar or fifth-placed Ellinbank.
