On Saturday the Dogs shocked the Tigers and the competition with a 54-point thumping of the reigning premier.

The win was remarkable on many levels, not the least being it took Merrivale until four minutes into the last quarter to score its first goal.

It was the Tigers’ first loss for the season, its first at home since round 14 last year and first to anyone anywhere since Dennington rolled them in round 17 last season.

The biggest similarity between that triumph by the Dogs and this latest one was that both games were played in wet, cold and windy football weather.

After the game, Merrivale coach Karl Dwyer acknowledged the Dogs’ prowess in the tough conditions saying his team was given a lesson in wet weather football.

While the Dogs dominated the in-close contests that are so important on a wet day, they also showed they are not a one-trick pony 

Dennington is known for its hardness but its finishing-off work when the opportunity came on Saturday allowed it to build an insurmountable lead.

Foul weather hit the ground just as the game began and the win was set up by a dominant first quarter.

Dennington kicked to the city end, favoured by the wind, but it was a combination of the Dogs’ skill and ability to pressure the Tigers that had the biggest say on the contest.

The normally organised and unflappable Merrivale defenders were under pressure every time they got the ball and four of the Dogs’ goals came directly from mistakes forced by Dennington pressure.

The other two major scores for the quarter were both candidates for goal of the day after a couple of big men opened their bag of tricks.

Chris Keilar received a free kick 50 metres out tight on the boundary on the netball court side of the ground.

The Dennington full-forward summed the situation up perfectly, running around to open the angle and letting fly with a flat punt that never looked like missing.

Just moments later ruckman Justin Wallace showed off his roving skills when he swooped on a loose ground ball with one hand and snapped truly from deep in the pocket for a memorable goal.

Any thoughts the 38-point quarter-time lead was purely wind assisted were dismissed in the opening minute of the second when the Dogs’ Leigh Evans kicked a goal off the ground to put the game out of Merrivale’s reach with nearly three quarters to play.

Dennington kicked two more goals for the quarter and one in the second half while the Tigers saved themselves the embarrassment of a goalless game with two to Brad Kelly in the last. Brandon Edwards, Luke Pearson and Darcy Lewis were as impressive as they always are for the Dogs but it was the additions to the 2015 line-up that had the biggest impact.

Wallace was a force in the ruck, particularly in the match-winning first quarter. He was not only able to hold his own against Rhys Raymond but was very mobile around the ground and gave the Dogs a hard-running big body in the contest.

Evans, Jake Boyle, Tim Chatfield and Grayden Russell have provided the Dogs with more grunt through the middle and speed across the ground.

While the Dogs are one of three unbeaten teams, the Tigers slip back to fifth after their first loss.

A two-goal game does not make for great reading but Dwyer has been around long enough to use the performance as a timely sting for his players rather than conducting an inquisition.