GISBORNE coach Ty Elliott is confident his side can defy history and keep its Bendigo Football League season alive tomorrow.
The Bulldogs will confront Kangaroo Flat in the first semi-final at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.
However, history is against the Bulldogs.
Since 1997, in all except two years has the team that lost the qualifying final - as Gisborne did last Sunday - been eliminated from the premiership race in the first semi-final the next week.
The Bulldogs were belted by Golden Square by 108 points in the qualifying final, while their opponents tomorrow, the Roos, comfortably accounted for Eaglehawk by 65 points in the elimination final.
Gisborne kicked just three goals against Golden Square, two of which came in the last quarter, having two weeks earlier kicked only six against South Bendigo in its previous trip to the QEO.
“I have a really good belief in the side that they will respond to the defeat of last week,” Elliott said yesterday.
“Last week Golden Square’s pressure on the ball-carrier was exceptional and we succumbed with our ball use.
“At times, we still gravitate to the contest too much where we have three or four players within a metre of the ball, whereas sides like Golden Square and South Bendigo will have three or four players a couple of metres off the ball, and one in and at it.
“I definitely think we’ve still got the talent in the side, but it just hasn’t come together as a unit for us yet.”
Despite last week’s dismal showing against Golden Square, Gisborne has made just one change.
Out of the side is ruckman Jason Duff-Tytler, who took a one-match set penalty for attempting to strike Nathan Bell.
His replacement is James Collins, who hasn’t played a senior match since round four.
“Duff is obviously a big loss because firstly, he would have been an ideal match-up for Joel West in the ruck department, and secondly, I think he could have caused a few headaches down forward,” Elliott said.
Kangaroo Flat will start favourites against Gisborne tomorrow, the first time the Roos have been in such a position since 2001.
The Bulldogs and Roos split their two home and away meetings 1-1, with each side winning their away games. Both sides have a 12-7 record over the course of the season, and remarkably, both sides have averaged a score of 94 over their 19 games.
“Kangaroo Flat beat Eaglehawk convincingly last weekend, and three weeks earlier Eaglehawk beat us convincingly,” Elliott said.
“We know Kangaroo Flat is a great side on its day, but so are we, so it should be a fantastic contest.”
One of the positives out of last week’s loss to Golden Square for Gisborne would have been the performance of Luke Saunders.
Saunders has played just four games in the seniors this year, but he took seven strong marks last week in what was a heartening showing. Tomorrow’s game starts at 2.15pm.
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