Dragons resurgent
Honesty and pride in club’s performance fuel comeback
MAYBE the warning signs were there for Bell Park as early as Round 3. Things seemed to be on track, with the Dragons starting this year with three consecutive wins. However, after that third win of the season against Newtown & Chilwell, cocoach Luke Rayner perhaps gave a little insight that all was not as it seemed. “We haven’t jumped out of the blocks in any shape or form,” he said at the time. “We’re going to have to raise our improvement and raise our bar for a couple of big weeks.” Bell Park didn’t — and lost its next four matches, resulting in a 10-goal loss to South Barwon in Round 7 that led to an honesty session between the senior group the next day. Form, injuries and an influx of new players meant good football was hard to find. But since that tipping point in Round 7, Bell Park has won seven of its past nine matches and remains in the finals race heading into the final fortnight of the season. “I was chatting to a few of the people that have been around the club for a long time and they said, ‘That’s Bell Park, that’s what we do, we respond, we compete’,” Rayner said after Saturday’s upset 51-point win over fellow top-five aspirant Newtown & Chilwell.
“We’ve got pride in our performance and pride in representing the club. I have very rarely been able to question their effort.”
Rayner said he “put it on our players this week that it was do-ordie”, with the loser of Saturday’s clash virtually out of the finals race.
The Dragons, who have not missed a finals series since 2014, face another must-win clash against South Barwon this weekend, with only percentage separating the two sides as they fight for fifth spot. St Joseph’s then awaits the Dragons in Round 18.
Rayner and co-coach Tim Sheringham have rebuilt on the run this season, blooding 15 first-gamers and using 42 senior players.
Just three of those have played every game, highlighting why Rayner says there has “been fluctuations in performance”.
“You would like to have the best of both worlds and be in a position where you can develop a whole new group but still have the consistency of performance that rewards you with playing finals,” Rayner said.
“We’ve had a tough draw, a lot of injuries and we’re still competing with teams such as Newtown who have just won seven on the trot.
“That’s the really pleasing part, we haven’t lost relevance.
“We’re still competing and it’s our 10th win of the year, which keeps us alive and in the mix. All we can do is try to replicate it next week against South (Barwon).”
The result of the list rejuvenation in season may result in a finals berth or it may not, but Bell Park might be ahead of the curve heading into 2019. A FINALS berth for Winchelsea was going to be the feel-good story of the year, but that dream appears in real doubt after the Blues’ fifth loss in six matches to Werribee Centrals on Saturday. They sat second on the ladder at 9-2 after 11 rounds, but will be left to rue a one-point loss to Geelong West, followed by a five-point loss to Anakie in rounds 12 and 13. For the Blues to make a finals appearance from here, they would need to beat Belmont Lions and hope for Geelong West to lose to East Geelong. Anyway, it sets the scene for a ripping last round of GDFL footy, with the live score app sure to get a working over!