By Matt Fotia
Winners are grinners, but grinning will be tough for a handful of Bulldogs, following a damaging duel with Blackburn on a picturesque Anzac Day.
South Croydon did more than enough to deserve the win- their second of the season – but will be worried about the potential cost, with the Dogs finishing the game with just one fit player on the bench, despite a pleasing performance, as they defeated Blackburn for the second straight season, to the tune of 30 points, 17.10(112) to 12.10(82).
Chandler Medallist and South Croydon Immortal Daniel King was ruled out of the fixture late in the third quarter with suspected concussion after a big collision in the centre corridor, whilst Liam Cox and Brayden Kilpatrick finished the game in ice, Cox with a knee complaint and Kilpatrick with a tight hamstring.
Inside midfielder Jordan Williams had also been badly winded during the third quarter but finished off the game with no obvious impediment.
The Bulldogs midfield were challenged all afternoon by the Panthers, who were looking to avenge their disappointing Good Friday outing but pulled away during an action packed third quarter thanks to a four goal, ten-minute burst midway through the ‘premiership’ quarter.
Blackburn had kicked four goals to one in the opening stages of the third term, getting out to a three-goal lead, thanks to goals from Ryan Bathie, skipper Patrick Lawlor and impressive young tall Will Garner.
But it was South Croydon’s Max King who became the difference making, giving the midfield trio of Daniel King, Matt Jones and Jordan Walker first use more often than not, with Daniel King kicking two long range goals – one straight from the source, bursting away from the centre bounce to slot home from outside 50 – in between a classy Matt Jones set shot and opportunistic Thomas Sheridan snap, as the Dogs quickly turned a three goal deficit into a 21 point lead at three quarter time.
Blackburn had started the game well on top, with their pressure and work-rate up tenfold from their Good Friday drubbing at the hands of Balwyn, giving them more purpose and potency whenever they had the ball in hand.
The likes of Nicholas Gray, Liam Patterson and Samuel Harte were integral – with Gray kicking two goals in the first term, on his way to three for the game and five for the season – not only kick starting attacks, but also lowering their eyes to hit up leading forwards, with the Dogs zone sitting too deep in the early stages, providing plenty of space for the Jack Brooks, Garner and Charlie Oglethorpe to lead into, as the hosts kicked five unanswered goals to finish the first quarter in front by 18 points, after Jayden Cass and Tyler Charlton had opened the scoring.
After a stern word from Marcus Buzaglo at the break, the Dogs showed their class, matching the Panthers intensity around the contest to wrestle back momentum, before three goals in the latter stages of the second quarter from the aforementioned Max King, the beneficiary of some fine work by Matt Jones and Brayden Kilpatrick, set the tone for the rest of the day.
Blackburn had periods of dominance – particularly early in the fourth quarter as the Dogs began to fatigue- and on a number of occasions bought the margin to within reach, but each time the battle-hardened dogs were able to find a steadying goal, with underrated small forward Robbie Mallison one of the main culprits, kicking the sealer with a long left foot ball to the Central Avenue end in the fading afternoon sunlight, producing the final nail in the Blackburn coffin.
All eyes will now be on the physio table for the Bulldogs, with the 2017 Premier facing an agonising wait regarding the fitness of Daniel King and Liam Cox ahead of intriguing clash with fellow undefeated side Park Orchards in five days’ time, whilst Blackburn will take positives from an improved performance as they look to open their 2022 account against Doncaster at Schramms Reserve.
