Sunday was a trip back to an earlier era of football. We took the Geelong Road to what will always be Kardinia Park to me and watched the twos play in a curtain-raiser against the Geelong VFL team before the seniors took over.
Arriving midway through the first quarter of the VFL game, Kerri and I were chuffed to see the cheer squad already in full voice, lots of Doggies fans cheering around the outer for the team, and the team saluting with an early five-goal lead.
We shivered through the next 45 minutes, but at half time the sun was out and we mingled with the senior players, parents and club staff around the race as they clapped the players off and urged them on to a win. It was like old times and a good feeling.
By the time our seniors took the field the weather had turned again and we faced the Cats, the cream of the competition on their home ground in appalling conditions. You had to feel for Jack Redpath having his first game against Harry Taylor in such conditions. You had to admire the tenacity which saw our skipper Griff [Ryan Griffen] and Jordan Roughead overcome injuries to play key roles for us. Club stalwarts Murph [Robert Murphy], Matty Boyd, Dale Morris, Sean Higgins, Will Minson and Liam Picken were hanging tough against a high tide.
But the main feeling I had was that the hard yards of a number of bleak winters were about to yield a result. Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore dominated the contests. Bonty [Marcus Bontempelli] was great again and Jack Macrae played an astonishing second half. Luke Dahlhaus, Mitch Honeychurch and Stewie Crameri were persistently dangerous forwards and young guys like Lachie Hunter and Nathan Hrovat showed what they might be capable of.
We lost by 13 but had two more scoring shots amid some mistakes and lost opportunities. It’s the last time I’m heading down there feeling at all intimidated.
BULLDOGS IN FOCUS
PETER GORDON
THE PLAYERS
Mitchell Honeychurch | My first six months
Jordan Roughead | Still living the dream
Tom Campbell | Heartbeat of the West
