If they hadn’t already, Gunnedah has well and truly asserted themselves as North West AFL title contenders after toppling reigning champions New England Nomads at Wolseley Oval on Saturday.
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Fresh from a 260-point demolition of the Moree Suns the previous week and unbeaten in over two years, it was a result few outside of the Bulldogs faithful would have predicted.
But as they prepare to mark their 40th anniversary next month, the Bulldogs pulled off a memorable 11.13-79 to 9.16-70 victory.
“It’s been a long time coming,” a delighted Bulldogs coach Greg Piggott said.
He said he knew with some of the other wins they’d had they’d be competitive, at least.
“I knew if we played our best footy we’d be around the mark,” he said.
One of only three multiple goalkickers with two, Piggott attributed the nine point win to a consistent four quarter, whole team performance.
“We knew it would be tight and the score was never more than 10 points either way,” he said.
The Bulldogs lead for three of the four quarters, and were crucially able to stop the run that the Nomads thrive off.
“They have always been a very good running side,” Piggott said.
“As soon as they get the ball outside of the contest they are very hard to stop.”
The Bulldogs were very good in the contest, winning probably 50 per cent of the contested ball.
“The big difference was we won our fair share of our own football and we made good use of it,” Piggott said comparing their previous games against the Nomads.
Probably the most dominant part of their game over the last 18 months, he said the whole backline was unreal.
“It was very pleasing to keep such a high-scoring and free-flowing team to nine goals,” he said.
They kept the Nomads to one in the first quarter, two in the second and only one in the final quarter.
“Ryan Cooper did a great job on one of their very dangerous players,” he said.
He got the job on James Treweeke and kept him to just three goals.
Al Hillard also did a great job in the ruck again in trying conditions. It was a hot day and the ground heavy underfoot.
Piggott was also singing the praises of Ben Maher.
“He’s only 17 but he’s very strong and a very tough young kid,” he said.
He helped turn the momentum back in the Bulldogs’ favour after the Nomads had made a third quarter surge to take the lead, kicking two of his three goals in the final quarter.
The win wasn’t quite enough to see the Bulldogs claim the competition lead with the Nomads still ahead on percentages.
