Tara Murray
Point Cook was made to pay for not turning up early in the Western Region Football League division 1 on Saturday.
Facing Spotswood, which is still fighting for a finals spot, the Bulldogs were slow out of the blocks and were made to pay.
The Wolves managed to hold on late when the Bulldogs started to get going, winning 17.9 (111)-11.14 (80).
Bulldogs coach Clay Smith said the playing group learned a valuable lesson in the loss.
“We didn’t come with the right attitude and they got the jump on us,” he said.
“The boys fought it out, but we couldn’t peg it back in the end, but they also played really well.”
Smith said they spoke to the group after the game about giving that respect and approaching it in the right attitude.
He said with such a young group, it was something that would take some time to adapt to.
“We had a very young side in,” he said.
“We brought in a couple more [Western] Jets boys. We had only three or four players over the age of 23-24. It’s really exciting for the footy club, but we lacked a bit of leadership and guidance which was really important.”
Sanipepa Egan and Nicholas Buykx kicked two goals each for the Bulldogs, with Egan and Simon Deery named their best.
One exciting moment out of the game, with former player and now Essendon player Massimo D’Ambrossio being the side’s runner for the day.
Smith said it was the Bombers player that wanted to get involved with his junior club.
“He approached me and asked me if he could,” he said. “He wanted to give back to the club and help, he doesn’t forget where he came from.
“No one knew about it. I wound the group up telling them a past player was taking on the role.”
The Bulldogs have a bye this week, with no division 1 football this weekend.
Smith said it came at the perfect time.
He said they were hoping to get Joshua Kuppen, Luke Dahlhaus, Sam Darley, Shaun Wyatt and Paul Tsapatolis back after the break.
“They are quality senior boys and they will help put us on track for the last bit of the year,” Smith said.
“Hopefully we’ll stay fit for the rest of the year.”
The loss to Spotswood has the Bulldogs slip from second to third, with Altona now a game ahead of them.
The two sides face each other after the bye.
Smith said they were focused on trying to get a top two spot.
“I think we have locked away [a finals spot],” he said. “Now we want to finish in the top two, I love to get the double chance.”
In other results, Werribee Districts beat Caroline Springs, 12.14 (86)-10.5 (65).
Point Cook Centrals and Hoppers Crossing suffered losses to Altona and Yarraville Seddon Eagles respectively.
