GOLDEN Square is back in the BFNL top five after thumping Eaglehawk by 69 points at MyJet Oval on Sunday.
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The 20.10 (130) to 9.9 (63) win lifted the reigning premier from sixth to fourth on the ladder.
For the first six rounds of the season the Bulldogs looked unlikely to challenge the top three teams in the competition.
However, 30 minutes of footy on Sunday proved the Dogs still have plenty to offer.
After having little reward on the scoreboard for its second quarter dominance, the Bulldogs blew the game apart with a third term that revoked memories of their undefeated season in 2011.
A ruthless Square side kicked 10.2 to 2.1 to turn a 12-point half-time lead into a match-winning 61-point margin.
The architect of the third term demolition – Corey Jones.
The former North Melbourne forward kicked four goals for the quarter, including two classy left-foot snaps.
Jones spent most of the day in the midfield, but still finished with five goals.
His partner in crime was Jack Geary.
The acting skipper picked up possessions at will all day, with the highlight of his game a superb running goal in the third quarter onslaught.
Square’s third-term avalanche included a cameo from star defender Clayton Anderson, who was moved to the goalsquare midway through the quarter.
He led out strongly and took two marks, slotting his first set shot for a goal before kicking like a true backman for his second shot and missing to the left.
“We’ve been fighting pretty hard to build some confidence in the past few weeks and today we achieved what we’ve been saying that we wanted to achieve,’’ Golden Square coach Nick Carter said.
“It was a real team effort today which was very pleasing.”
Midfielders Jack Daley and Dale Lowry worked tirelessly for Golden Square, while teenager Nathan Coyle did a great job of tagging Eaglehawk star Brodie Filo.
Filo still won his fair share of possession, but most of his kicks were in the back half of the ground and he didn’t hit the scoreboard.
Filo’s lack of influence on the game exposed Eaglehawk’s lack of midfield depth.
With Ben McPhee and Ryan Threlfall sidelined, the Borough didn’t have the midfield grunt or run to match Golden Square.
The Borough played well early to grab a slender lead at the first change, but they then went a quarter-and-a-half without kicking a goal.
Sean Williams was the shining light for the Borough, kicking five goals, while Glenn Daly battled hard across half-back.
After the inter-league break the Bulldogs face arch-rival Sandhurst in a mouth-watering clash at the QEO.
The Hawks are back on home turf to play bottom side Maryborough.