At training on Tuesday night the Bulldogs administration was forced to make the tough decision not to send a reserve grade team to Southcity this weekend to play.
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Injuries and player absences forced the club’s hand. Officials wanted to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s debacle when 11 players had to back up and play two games. Backing up like that just isn’t safe and it reduces the Bulldogs’ competitiveness.
"We’re always looking to be as competitive as we can,” first grade coach Simon Vanzanten said.
Reserve grade will not play this weekend to ensure the that Bulldogs have a fighting chance.
The club had a successful training at the Cootamundra pool on Tuesday.
“We trained as a whole club,” Vanzanten claimed.
“It was a good session at the pool, the boys enjoyed it. Everyone was pretty positive.”
First grade has a tough assignment this weekend playing top of the table Southcity away.
“It’ll be a hard day at the office again on the weekend,” Vanzanten stated. Not fielding a reserve grade team will give first grade a boost. The team has started well in both of its last two games.
Hopefully, not having to play more than one game will allow the Bulldogs to play hard for the full 80 minutes.
It’s been a tough few weeks for the Bulldogs but Vanzanten can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“We’re going to stay away from the bottom of the ladder,” he assured the Herald.
The club’s success story for the year are the under 16s who sit third in the race for the Sullivan cup.
It’s highly likely that the team will be playing finals football and a win against fifth placed Southcity would all but guarantee a finals spot.
The 16s’ success this season bodes well for the club as they look to rebuild into the future.
A strong finals campaign could prove to be a big plus in a tough season for the Bulldogs.
In the Wiessel Cup Southcity are first so the under 18s have a tough game this weekend as well.
