Bulldogs are benchmark after grand final rematch
West Gippsland Football Competition’s grand final rematch on Easter Saturday produced a similar result.
Reigning premiers Phillip Island have begun the season in ominous form, comfortably accounting for Kilcunda-Bass (83 points), Korumburra-Bena (85 points) and Garfield (54 points) to take all before them in the opening rounds.
Up against stronger opposition this time around, the Bulldogs proved once again they are the benchmark in the competition to easily account for Koo wee rup, 19-21 (135) to 7-4 (46).
It was the Demons who made the fast start, booting the first three goals of the match before the Island could get on the board through Jack Taylor.
The two sides traded goals before Luke Walker put an exclamation mark on a strong first term for the visitors, slotting the Demon’s fifth to take a two-goal lead into the first change.
Unfortunately for the Demons, they could only muster two more goals for the remainder of the match as once again the Bulldogs ran away with it.
Two quick goals to begin the second term evened the score, before former Melbourne AFL player Cam Pederson kicked his first of five to put the Bulldogs in front.
Nathan Voss provided the answer to cut the margin to just one point, but from that point the Bulldogs had all the answers.
Another three goals saw the Bulldogs set up a 21-point buffer at the long break.
Two goals to Jack Taylor and one to Jaymie Youle handed the Bulldogs a handy buffer at the final change, but the home side was not done with yet.
Mark Griffin began a run of eight goals in the final term, with Pederson coming to the party late with the final three goals of the contest to take his tally to five for the afternoon.
Jack Taylor also kicked five to feature among the better players, alongside Youle, Pederson, Alex Dyker, Alex Redmond and Brodie Anderson.
Matthew Voss, Tim Miller, Joel Gibson, Cody Miller, Caleb Milojevic and Walker battled hard for the Demons.
Phillip Island also proved far too strong in the other grades.