Chitham unlikely hero for Bulldogs

CENTRALS Trinity Beach are not counting their chickens before they hatch but the Bulldogs are on the way to playing finals footy in 2018.

The gutsy Bulldogs made it two wins in a row at Watsons Oval on Saturday afternoon, last week beating North Cairns before knocking over last year’s grand finalists Manunda by 13 points in the first game of the Saturday double-header.

The defeat all but ends the Hawks’ finals dreams unless they can spring a big upset or two on the way home.

Following 16 completed rounds of the season, the Bulldogs and Hawks are locked on 32 competition points, with Trinity Beach having the easier run home, facing North Cairns and Cairns City Lions in two of their final four games.

Bulldogs coach Mick Seymour is confident his club can make the top four if they continue to play the football they have over the past fortnight on the back of a glut of returning players from injury.

“We still have a lot of work to do over the last five weeks,” Seymour said.

“We obviously want to play finals but too much confidence can sometimes bring that ship down.

“We just have to do the little things right as we do have a pretty good run home.

“It is a big challenge to go to Port next week but we are confident with the group we have.”

Trinity Beach shot out to a 27-point halftime advantage following a Jackson Williams goal late in the second term.

The Hawks, who reeled in a huge deficit last start away at South Cairns, brought the margin back to inside a kick early in the final term after a smart Jack West major.

But it was solid ruckman Michael Chitham who became the unlikely hero for the Bulldogs.

Chitham usually much of the game spends battling away on the ball but was swung forward in the final term, extended his club’s lead from a bomb outside 50 and all but sealed the victory with a clever snap two minutes later.

“Chitham kicked a couple of long-range goals for us that gave us some good breathing space,” Seymour said.

For the Hawks, their finals dreams are not completely killed off but they will need to upset a finalist or two.

Tyler Gorogo was excellent in the loss as he was used as a key forward despite his shorter stature.

The former North Cairns Tiger led hard at the ball and marked strongly, kicking two key goals in the third term when the Hawks were on the march.

“We were our worst enemies today,” Hawks coach Marc Harbrow said.

“We just need to work hard from here for the rest of the season.”

WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO PLAY FINALS BUT TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE CAN SOMETIMES BRING THAT SHIP DOWN

AFL integrity department clears Port Douglas Crocs — Page 5