The Bulldogs, with just one 2014 grand final player in their squad, wing defence Natalie Meade, clawed a hard-fought 48-41 win against Nirranda at Panmure Recreation Reserve on Saturday.

The round two triumph — their first of the season — gave new coach Mandy van Rooy numerous reasons to smile.

“It is good for morale that we know that we can do it, so we’ve just got to work on those positives and go from there,” she said.

Panmure led at every change but Nirranda dug deep, challenging every time the Bulldogs built a handy lead.

Van Rooy, in her second stint as Bulldogs mentor, praised her side’s resilience. 

“It was just a hard-fought, really contested game,” she said.

“Everyone was going for it and it was actually a really good game for us to win because I think when push came to shove we really stepped up and I am really proud of that.

“They kept coming back and coming back and we just kept our composure.

“We could have dropped our heads and let them come over the top but instead we kept going.”

Panmure goal shooter Ellie Wright was productive, draining a game-high 39 goals, to give the Bulldogs a focal point in attack.

“She was being double-teamed all game and we did put her under too much pressure but she stood up and played a great game,” van Rooy said. 

Nirranda goalers Joanna Couch (25) and new coach Anna Murnane (19) teamed well for the Blues in just their second game as an attacking combination.

But van Rooy thought her defence was steadfast and did its best to curb the dynamic duo. “I thought Eliza Smith did a great job in the goal circle because they were working well together and she really stopped that flow-on a lot of times,” she said. “And Margie Kenna in the centre, she’s just a machine.

“She just runs the whole time and did a great job.”

Murnane said the Blues battled manfully for the second straight week.

“I am very happy. The girls all put in a good team effort,” she said.

“It is just the little things that we need to tighten up on, like the easy giveaways.”

Murnane said Nirranda would take time to become a cohesive unit but was thrilled with the promising signs it had shown in its first two games against Dennington and Panmure.

“It’s the first time us all being together as a team I suppose, with the Couch girls (Lisa and Joanna) and myself being new inclusions to the team,” she said. 

“We’ve never played together so we’re all still trying to find our feet. Poor Rose Delaney gives 110 per cent in defence considering she’s not really a defender.

“She normally plays attacking.”

justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au