Costly errors at crucial moments have cost the Bulldogs a second win against Gundagai over the weekend.
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Hosting the Tigers at Les Boyd Oval, Cootamundra crossed the line first thanks to Matt Forsyth who made 60 metres to score.
The Tigers responded through James Luff and leveled.
A missed penalty goal meant the teams were even with six minutes left in the first half.
The Bulldogs worked their way forward again, however an error cost possession and the Tigers scored off a downfield kick.
Tigers made the most of their lead in the second half and scored a further 14 points to win.
“I was a little bit disappointed we couldn’t get back into the game,” captain-coach Glen Buttriss said.
“We made a few errors. That try before half-time really hurt us.”
Buttriss praised the team for their great start to the match but said the errors at the wrong time made a big difference for the team.
He said it was a pattern which was evident in past two to three weeks, but said it was problem which could be fixed.
Those errors compounded and made it difficult for Cootamundra to build momentum and get back into the game.
Buttriss said the issue was partly a mindset and concentration issue as players lost possession of the ball in the ruck or were pushed over the sideline.
“We need to give ourselves every opportunity at the back end of game,” Buttriss said.
“Full credit to Gundagai. They turned up and played well and played for 80 minutes,” he said.
“It doesn’t help us when we’re clocking off at the end of sets.”
While getting “back to basics” was the way forward for the Bulldogs, it needed to come quickly with Cootamundra travelling to Albury this weekend for round nine.
From the Gundagai match, Buttriss highlighted the efforts of Matt Forsyth, Moe Clune, Jeremy Wood and “Chris Maher had a really strong game”.
Also making a strong impression is new recruit Jarrod Brackenhofer.
Brackenhofer played for the Penrith Panthers under 20s side in 2013 and 2014 before switching to the Canberra Raiders’ Mounties side in 2015. In the last two years he played in the NSW Cup.
Buttriss said Brackenhofer played well despite coming off the bench for his Cootamundra debut.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
