It took 17 rounds, but Garfield was finally brought to its knees on Saturday…by the barking Dogs. Bunyip had too much bite for the Stars as Bulldog Stewy Edwards attempts to spoil Saxon Watson’s pass.Pictures: Stewart ChambersGarfield’s Daniel Fry sinks his slipper into the ball and watches it sail through the big opening.
By Ken Moore
GARFIELD’S anticipated smooth run to the finals was thwarted by Bunyip on Saturday, when the Bulldogs upset the Stars by 13 points in a fiercely contested encounter.
It was the Stars first loss of the season.
For most part, the defenders dominated the forwards, but the ability of Bunyip to exert pressure on the Stars ball carriers, making them turnover the ball at critical times, made the difference.
While the Bulldogs have few household names, it has a lot of committed players. And while it would need to win four games in a row to snaffle a premiership, its chances cannot be dismissed lightly.
Seconds after the opening bounce, Garfield teamed well to set up Matt Runnalls with a shot on goal – and the young wingman did his bit. Aside from a goal by strong bodied Stars recruit Daniel Fry midway through the quarter, the term was a stalemate, with neither side able to gain control.
The home side went into the quarter-time huddle with a 12-point lead.
In the second quarter, Bunyip showed it was not going to be intimidated by Garfield’s impressive record – and countered with goals by Brent Hues, Michael Laszczyk, Brad Walker and Marcus Cleary to race to a 13-point lead at the 15-minute mark. A late goal by Fry, his second, trimmed the margin back to six points at half time.
Garfield came out a rejuvenated team in the third quarter, and attacked persistently for five minutes, but failed to make any inroads on the scoreboard.
The next 10 minutes proved to be the most defining, because after absorbing the constant pressure, the Bulldogs responded with goals by Hues, Callum Pattie and emerging youngster Mitch Davies to skip to a 24-point advantage.
Garfield replied with a goal by silky skilled Dylan Collis, who sharked the ball off a pack and another to Jim Bow, to reel in the margin to only 12 points. However, the visitors responded with another major to Hues, his third, to set up an 18-point lead at three-quarter-time.
Goals by Mal McKenna and Bow again inside the opening 10 minutes of the last quarter reduced the difference to only seven points, before Bunyip once again showed it had a stomach for a fight when Pattie took a strong mark and kicked truly from 50 metres to restore a 13-point advantage for the visitors.
At the 12-minute mark, Bow, who was the most threatening of the Stars forwards, took a mark and converted to keep Bulldog supporters on tenterhooks. For the next 10 minutes, both teams tried valiantly to score, but could not penetrate due to tight defence. During time-on, a goal by Andrew Hobday allayed Bulldog fans fears of a late Garfield revival.
Bunyip’s teamwork and unity was first rate, and it did not have any passengers.
Midfield, Callum Pattie, Michael Laszczyk, Brad Walker, Ben Jostlear, Jake Buckingham and Michael Whyte played a big role, while across half back, Michael Davies, Stewy Edwards and Robbie Lee made more than their presence felt.
In a low scoring game, four goals by Brent Hues, who used good bodywork and judgment well, played a huge role.
“We had a big build-up to the game and were challenged four or five times, so I thought it was a sensational effort to fight it out,” said relieved Bunyip coach Pattie.
Garfield was out of sync all game.
Under pressure for one of the few times this season, it made far too many decision making and kicking errors – and often when going forward had nothing on offer inside its forward zone.
Ruckman Tom Marsh and ruck rover Brent Eastwell put in a spirited four-quarter effort, Luke Bee-Hugo and Matt Hobbs showed a willingness to make something happen and Saxon Watson did some nice things in and around the midfield.
Ben and Ned Marsh attacked the ball hard, and Jim Bow was the most productive Garfield forward.
The Stars lost hard at the ball utility Phil Burns to what looked like an injury to his left leg early in the second term and were also missing playmaker Ned Marsh, who has a season ending knee injury.
It struggled to find two adequate replacements.
“We didn’t win enough of the contested ball,” disconsolate Garfield coach Brent Eastwell said.
