Panmure’s Gary Robinson kicked six goals in his side’s win over Kolora-Noorat on Saturday.
THE acquisition of a high-profile coach and a swag of recruits may have made Panmure the glamour side of the league but it was some trademark qualities which led the Bulldogs to a win over regaining premier Kolora Noorat on Super Saturday.
The Bulldogs showed the top-up of skill has not compromised their hardness and desire for the contest as they got home by 57 points in front of a big Super Saturday crowd at Terang.
In conditions more common to the middle of winter, the Bulldogs took advantage of their strong bodies to control the game in close and give their forwards greater scoring opportunities.
The game began brightly for Panmure with a goal to Sam Mahony in the opening minute getting it up and about.
But it was the Power who then made the early running as they attacked to the town end and scored the next two goals.
It took until the 17-minute mark for Panmure to get its next goal, the last of the quarter, to lead by a point at the first break.
The Power got their hands back on the lead with the first goal of the second quarter but Panmure kicked four of the next six to lead by 18 points at half-time.
A quick goal at the start of the third quarter extended the Bulldogs’ lead before the Power began to win more of the ball and had a deluge of forward thrusts.
But the Panmure defence stood strong and by the end of the quarter the Bulldogs had increased their lead to 22 points.
The Power needed some scoreboard gains early in the last quarter but it was the Bulldogs’ forward half which had all the action as they dominated the last term to press home for a big win.
The Bulldogs boasted the best players on the ground with Simon O’Keefe, Shaun Griffen and Paddy Mahony controlling the midfield battles.
They were given first use through the work of Daniel Roache who was the dominant ruckman on the ground.
Up forward, Gary Robinson had a productive day with six goals, while Chris Bant got better as the game went on and kicked two and could have had more if not inaccurate kicking.
While the Bulldogs remain unbeaten after five rounds, the Power have now lost their last two games. But anyone writing off the reigning champions does so at their own peril as the Power are still well short of their best line-up with a large number of key personnel still not playing.
Jonathon Gleeson, Brad Johnson, Luke Kenna and Luke Madden are on the list of A grade players set to return as the season progresses.