Golden Square enhanced its BFNL flag prospects when it defeated Strathfieldsaye for the second time this season.
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The Bulldogs are the only team to defeat the Storm this year and they ended Strathfieldsaye’s 30-game unbeaten streak at home when they cruised to a 15.9 (99) to 7.14 (56) win at Tannery Lane on Saturday.
The Storm hadn’t lost at home since round three, 2014, when it went down to Sandhurst by 79 points.
Golden Square coach Bernie Haberman labelled his team’s effort as ”close to a complete performance”.
“We played four quarters. Strathfieldsaye had a moment at the end of the second quarter and at the start of the third quarter, but apart from that we controlled the game,’’ Haberman said.
“It was one of those days where everything that you plan to do, and hope to do, comes off.
“It’s not often that it comes off like that, but it says a lot about our players actions and I was really proud of the way they played today.
“Their application to what we wanted to achieve and their ability to maintain it mentally and physically was very good.”
Square set the tone with a first quarter that was arguably its best 30 minutes of the season.
The Dogs were efficient with the footy and their multi-pronged attack kept the pressure on the Storm’s defence.
“The inside 50s were pretty even in the first quarter, but we scored eight times out of our 10 entries which makes a big difference,’’ Haberman said.
“We looked dangerous every time we went inside forward 50 and we put some scoreboard pressure on.”
Square kicked 5.3 to 1.3 in the first quarter and there was no looking back.
Square’s back six has generated plenty of hype this season, while the forward line has flown under the radar.
Not anymore. Travis Baird’s career best season with the Dogs continued on Saturday. The Storm defence had no answers for his marking ability and he kicked six goals. His young sidekick Jordan Rosengren added four goals as the Bulldogs, despite being without reigning Ron Best Medal winner Dylan Johnstone, became the first team this season to kick more than 90 points against the Storm.
Strathfieldsaye went into the match without senior players Sam Heavyside, Jake Hall, Jacob Heavyside, Jayden Donaldson, Torin Petrie, Brad Stringer, Harry Crone and Tom Dowd and then lost Harry Conway and Jack Neylon to concussion in the third quarter.
Storm coach Darryl Wilson refused to blame the absence of key personnel for the defeat.
“Full credit to Golden Square, they were pretty good,’’ Wilson said.
“They beat us in a lot of areas and we weren’t up to it today.”
The Storm fell down badly across half-forward and showed an over reliance on star forward Lachlan Sharp.
Sharp kicked 2.3 and had an entertaining battle with Square veteran Clayton Anderson.
The result leaves the Storm, Square and Eaglehawk all on 36 points going into next week’s general bye.
