World Footy News

Saturday 21st November saw the Canterbury AFL's two best teams of 2009, the Christchurch Bulldogs and University Cougars face off. This in itself must be considered as demonstrative of the evening up of the competition as it must be many seasons since the powerhouse team of the competition, the Eastern Blues, missed playing on the last day of the season.

The game was played in hot, windy conditions with the strong nor’wester providing a 3 goal advantage to the City end of Westminster Park. The Bulldogs won the toss and kicked with the breeze and this proved beneficial with Dan Oliver winning the first hit-out to Toby Bennie who kicked to Tom Sattherwaite 15m out from goal. He then duly slotted the first major of the game.

The game was played largely between the half-back lines and intense pressure was applied whenever the ball went inside the 50m arc. The Cougars were moving the ball well through the midfield and looking for Matt Rushton in front of goal. This attack proved successful with Rushton marking 30m out on a slight angle and kicking a valuable goal into the breeze to give the Cougars some confidence.

The Bulldogs continued to attack hard and they were rewarded with Jared Kilday & former West Adelaide Blood, Chris Simon, getting among the goals. The Bulldogs went into the ¼ time break leading 4.3.27 to 1.0.6. Second quarter saw the Cougars make good use of the wind with none better than Keiran Rae who kicked the goal of the day – a 70m bomb from the wing which just kept on going and took everyone by surprise. Kurt Barrington snapped truly from 40m to bring the Cougars within striking distance. The Bulldogs were on the defensive and managed a solitary behind for the quarter. At half-time the scoreboard read Bulldogs 4.4.28 Cougars 4.2.26.

Several tactical moves by the Bulldogs brains’ trust proved decisive in the second half; Caulfield Grammar boy Todd Andrews moved into the centre, Toby Bennie to the wing and Matt Crighton to centre-half back picking up Cougar’s dangerman, Jamie Day. However the Cougars continued to run hard through the midfield and goalsneak Brad Fleming kicked across his body from 30m to goal and lift the spirits of the Cougars. Bulldogs centre-half forward Kilday was presenting well and marking strongly despite the attention of multiple opponents. At ¾ time the Bulldogs had opened up a 16 point lead with the scoreboard reading 7.6.48 to 5.2.32.

The final stanza was going to be a titanic struggle between the previously undefeated Bulldogs and the fit & fast Cougars. The Bulldogs big guns needed to lift a gear to secure their maiden title and the Cougars had to peg back a lead with the aid of a dying breeze. The Bulldogs midfield responded to the challenge and ran rampant with Andrews, Bennie, Dow & van Gruting winning multiple contested possessions and using the ball better than earlier in the day. The Bulldogs kicked the first goal through Kilday to extend the lead out to 22 points but Barrington replied with another miracle goal to keep the Cougars within striking distance. Bulldogs big man Steve Howard was an impassable barrier deep in defence and the tired legs of the Cougars were starting to fall off their opponents. A break for a seemingly serious injury to young Pup Dan Oliver took the heat out of the game and when play resumed the Bulldogs took the ascendancy with Kilday, Dow & van Gruting kicking 1 goal each to seal a sweet victory. The final score was Christchurch Bulldogs 11.6.72 University Cougars 6.4.40. The 32 point margin doesn’t give a true indication of the tight contest which had the crowd of 300 enthralled until the very end.

The final siren saw near-hysteria with a large group of family & supporters joining the ecstatic Bulldogs for a resounding rendition of the Bulldogs club song. The presentation ceremony saw Jared Kilday presented with the best-on-ground medal in his last game before moving to Ballarat and the brown & gold of the Inverlea Hawks. Captain Courageous Steve Langridge accepted the Prime Minor Premiership trophy before Bulldogs Coach Lachlan Keating stepped up to the Green Acres Lawn & Garden Care stage to be presented with the Thomas Stanley Hill Memorial Trophy.

The Bulldogs’ maiden premiership is testament to the tenacity and determination of Steve Langridge to make the move from the University Cougars in 2006 to form the Bulldogs. In 2007 the Bulldogs struggled for numbers, in 2008 they stepped up to be a competitive team and in 2009 have taken all before them and gone through the competition undefeated. With 9 teenagers in the premiership team the future looks bright in the Bulldogs kennel.

Congratulations from WFN to all in Canterbury for what must have been a momentous season of footy.