The Gunnedah Bulldogs will want to pick up where they left off against Narrarbi with a win against Oxley Diggers on Saturday in Tamworth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As the fight for finals heats up in Group 4, the Bulldogs lifted their semi-final hopes with a morale-boosting, if only narrow, two-point win over Narrabri on Sunday.
It was a great day out for the Gunnedah club with three of the four grades snaring wins.
Coach Wayne Griffiths was proud of the performance by all players but adamant the success would be for nothing if the side did not consolidate against Diggers.
The points race could not be tighter in the race for three and four on the first grade leaderboard.
Narrabri and Gunnedah are level-pegged and Diggers trail just a few points behind.
For the most part, it has been competitive football between the Bulldogs and Diggers sides all year.
The Tamworth outfit has continued to improve while Gunnedah, plagued by its own staffing and injury issues, continues its rollercoaster of a season.
In April, the Bulldogs weathered a high-scoring, round three encounter against the Diggers to win 46-34 at Kitchener Park.
Gunnedah co-coach Trent Hilton said it was a few “freakish” individual efforts and great support from the club’s young-guns that got them home in that match.
No doubt the club will rely on more of the same this week.
After the round three win, Hilton explained how the club was looking to improve every week, but pleaded for patience from the Bulldogs faithful.
“We’re trying to build something and it’s going to take time,” he told the NVI.
Just how far they have come will be determined in the final three games remaining in the regular season.
Hold on to third spot, where they’re currently equal with Narrabri and a home semi-final awaits.
Lose Saturday’s match against Diggers and the Bulldogs first grade season could be as good as buried.
The stakes are even more telling with the Bulldogs due to play Wests Lions away before returning to Jack Woolaston Oval to face defending premiers, North Tamworth, in the weeks to follow.
