By David Nagel
Resilience and a never-say-die attitude.
Those two traits have been the hallmarks of Cora Lynn’s season and epitomised a courageous seventh win in a row against a brave Bunyip at Cora Lynn on Saturday.
The Cobras kicked four goals in an electrifying seven minutes of play, midway through the last quarter, to finally break the shackles of a brave Bunyip side that was looking to keep its faint finals hopes alive.
Bunyip led, 16 minutes into the final term, before the Cobras produced something special to record a season-defining 11.9(75) to 9.6(60) triumph.
The Cobras’ victory, combined with Warragul Industrials’ surprise win over Phillip Island, effectively shuts the door on Bunyip’s finals hopes and locks away the six finals contenders for this year.
The premiership race now comes down to Tooradin-Dalmore, Phillip Island, Inverloch-Kongwak, Nar Nar Goon, Cora Lynn and the Dusties.
This game built unexpectedly to a thrilling crescendo after an uninspiring first half.
Both teams were riddled with error early, before Cobras’ spearhead Nathan Gardiner kicked truly after eight minutes of play at the members end of the ground.
Dylan Quirk then out-marked an old adversary in Dillan Bass to put the Bulldogs’ first on the board, before the Cobras settled late.
Matt Ryan snapped one through at the 23-minute mark, before Gardiner kicked a goal after the siren to give the Cobras a 14-point lead at quarter time.
“You’re going toe-to-toe with them boys, everyone is nice and calm, we just need to tidy up a few things,” Tim McGibney told his Bunyip charges at quarter time.
McGibney’s main message was for his wingers to tighten up on Brent Urwin and Jeremy Monckton, who were having a huge impact on the match, as was Cobras’ defender Rylan Smith who was intercepting and spoiling marks for fun.
Smith’s stature continued to stand out in the second term, and when Kyah Cronin snapped a goal at the seven-minute mark of the quarter the Cobras looked set for an easy day at the office.
Cronin’s goal came after a dropped mark, fumble and missed tackle from Bunyip which triggered McGibney to just shrug his shoulders and raise his palms to the air.
The Bulldogs were making simple mistakes and if not for the efforts of Matt O’Halloran, Brent Heus, Ryan Quirk and Jack Blakey in defence, would have trailed by a lot further.
The Bulldogs also looked devoid of ideas moving forward, and it took two free kicks to stand-in full-forward Aaron Paxton to see the margin cut back to 11 points at the major interval.
But the build up to both goals provided an insight into things to come after half time.
Paxton’s first came after a brilliant stoppage-clearing handball from Dylan Quirk, while some terrific in-and-under work from skipper Jeb McLeod set up Paxton’s second.
Inside midfielders Quirk and McLeod came out with similar intent in the third quarter…and it became infectious to both sides.
First Bunyip lifted, with Chris Thuring and speed-machine Riley Rundell giving the Bulldogs the lead for the first time in the match, before Cory Machaya showed some Cobra class with a calm conversion.
There was no doubt now…we were in for an arm-wrestle!
The teams then went goal for goal, with Nathan Allen capitalising on some great running from Jack Tomkins, before Gardiner marked and goaled to give the Cobras a four-point lead at the 18-minute mark of the third.
Rundell then produced one of the goals of the day, hitting the pack at top speed to give the Bulldogs a two-point advantage after 20-minutes of play.
The next five minutes was intense, but probably the scrappiest five minutes of the match.
Pressure from both teams caused a multitude of turnovers…and a stack of ball ups…and it would take something extremely special to break the deadlock.
Urwin suddenly created something out of nothing, swooping on a loose ball and kicking a bomb from outside 50 to give the Cobras a two-point lead at the final break.
Cobras’ coach Shaun Sparks began with the negatives…before turning positive.
“Boys, the first 10 minutes of that quarter…50-50 balls, Bunyip, loose-ball gets, Bunyip, midfield, Bunyip, workrate, Bunyip…what am I getting at here?” Sparks asked his players.
“We’re not working hard enough,” came the reply.
“The positive is we are creating forward-half turnover, eight that quarter, so our setting up behind the footy is good, we’re causing chaos in our forward 50,” Sparks confirmed.
“I’m not going to change too much up here, we’ve got them where we want them, now it’s about execution.
“Have a composed mind, look for the free player up forward.
“Inside mids, crack in, outside mids, run, backline…lock on…now let’s go.”
Bunyip began the better, and when Ash Allen took a strong grab and converted at the three-minute mark a minor upset looked on the cards.
The Bulldogs still led by three points as the clock ticked over 16 minutes.
But Urwin once again had his say.
Similar to his previous goal, the left-footer gathered from outside 50 and delivered a raking kick that sailed through the big-sticks and sparked the Cobras into action.
Jaxon Briggs, who had just minutes earlier came from the field after a heavy hit to his shoulder, then broke two tackles to kick a long goal and the game suddenly felt over.
Then, just three minutes after Urwin’s initial blast…first-gamer Max McDermott stepped up to ice the game in style.
A mark and goal at the 19-minute mark, saw his teammates converge on the teenager after his first goal in senior football before he repeated the dose just four minutes later.
The Cobras had finally broken the shackles after a brave battle from the Bulldogs.
“I’m rapt, just the effort and resilience shown by the boys over four quarters was great, and to run over the top of them late…I’m just proud,” Sparks said, from outside a buzzing changeroom just minutes after the victory.
“It just came down to moments in that last quarter.
“Brent Urwin with his trusty left foot from 50, Max McDermott, in his first senior game, kicked two clutch goals, Rylan Smith going across third-man, Jaxon Briggs copping a shoulder knock and running out the game…. special moments got across the line today.”
Cora Lynn has been largely dominant during its recent run of victories, with a forward-half game the key.
But a clear advantage in that department was evened out by the Bulldogs.
“Obviously we were keen to have a high inside-50 count, but they matched it across four quarters, we were maybe plus-eight, where over the last six weeks we’ve been plus-25…plus 30,” Sparks explained.
“It was a reality check that our football wasn’t great…but our brand really stood up when it counted.”
Sparks was thrilled with the fact that his team had now won seven-consecutive games after beginning the season with five-straight losses.
“Credit goes to the boys for just sticking fat,” a chuffed Sparks said.
“We were copping it from all angles, hearing all the chatter, but we knew within the four walls where we were at, and I’m just proud as punch to get to the seven wins.
“With a new coach, new players, it could have gone a different way, but it just shows the culture and the bond we have and how strong we are as a club to come back to seven and five.
“To be honest, I’d rather keep playing because of the momentum we’ve built up, but I’m sure the boys will be really switched on after this week’s bye and we’ll see where that takes us.”
On a gruelling day of football, Gardiner’s three goals and a special two-each to Urwin and McDermott were critical to the Cobras’ win, as was the defensive work of Smith, Luke Ryan, Lachie Peluso and Robbie Hill.
Heath Briggs was instrumental through the midfield, while ruckman Billy Thomas gave his midfield first use late when the game was on the line.
McGibney should be super-proud of Bunyip’s effort.
They seriously could have rolled over and died midway through the second quarter, but took on the tougher option and decided to fight things out.
Paxton finished with three, and Rundell two, while some inspirational efforts from Dylan Quirk, McLeod, Nathan Allen, Rundell and Thuring triggered that stirring third-quarter resurgence.
Things don’t get easier for the Bulldogs after the bye, hosting Nar Nar Goon on July 9, while Cora Lynn heads to Cowes for a mouth-watering clash against a suddenly vulnerable-looking Phillip Island.
