EAGLEHAWK inflicted a first-up defeat on Bendigo Football Netball League reigning premier Golden Square on Saturday with a 19-point victory at Canterbury Park.
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In what were perfect conditions for the continuation of round one, goals were at a premium in the first half with the two sides combining for just seven to the main break.
However, the Hawks busted the game open with a seven-goal to two blitz in the third term to propel an 11.12 (78) to 9.5 (59) win.
"I thought we played the first half in our shells a little bit whereas Square was much more cleaner and used the footy better," Eaglehawk coach Travis Matheson said.
"We were reluctant to put some speed on the footy in the first half and our mids were a bit flat footed, but I thought our second half was really impressive and there was some good signs there for us."
In what was a game typical of round one with both sides blowing the cobwebs out scores were level at just 2.3 apiece entering time-on of the second quarter.
However, in the dour contest Golden Square opened a handy 12-point buffer with back-to-back goals to senior debutante Zac Tickell and recruit Jordan Rosengren.
Tickell, who nailed a 45m set-shot, was among five Bulldogs playing their first games along with Kai Daniels, Harrison Kelly, Xavier Carter and Zac Wescott
But what would signal the turning point of the game came on the half-time siren when after being awarded a free-kick from a stoppage Jonty Neaves in his first came back for the Hawks since their 2018 premiership converted his set-shot.
Forward Neaves' goal cut the Bulldogs' lead in half and would be the first of six-consecutive majors for the Hawks.
After the low-scoring first half in which the Bulldogs led 4.3 to 3.3 at the main break the game opened up in the third term as the Hawks took control.
For the first 18 minutes of the third quarter the ball lived exclusively in the Hawks' front half.
Led by new ruckman Brayden Frost - who was enormous first-up for the Hawks with his ability to get first hands on the ball and work around the ground - Eaglehawk dominated the Bulldogs out of the middle and were able to lock the ball in their front half with their strong forward 50 pressure.
The result was a 7.6 to 2.0 third quarter as the Hawks went from six points down at the main break to 30 up at the final change.
Having kicked the goal following the half-time siren Neaves quickly added the first of the third quarter, with his goal followed by majors to Darcy Richards, Sam O'Shannessy and Bailey Ilsley (two).
The Hawks had added 5.5 to no score and led by 29 points before the Bulldogs were able to end the home side's scoring run thanks to a mark and goal from Rosengren at the 18-minute mark.
And when Jayden Burke took a captain's mark running back with the fight of the ball and converted the Bulldogs had stemmed the tide with two goals in a minute.
However, the Hawks hit back with the last two goals of the quarter through impressive young forward O'Shannessy and the experienced Richards to push their advantage to 30 points at the last change.
Ultimately, it would be that salvo in the first 18 minutes of the third quarter that would define the contest as the young Bulldogs ran the game out better with three goals to one in the final term, but the damage had been done.
Four of the Hawks' forwards finished as multiple goalkickers - O'Shannessy (three), who provided some impressive moments with a strong contested pack mark in the first quarter and his left foot snap from the boundary early in the second term, llsley (two), Neaves (two) and Richards (two).
Among the standouts for the Hawks were two players playing their first game for the club - ruckman Frost and Pala Kuma, who provided plenty of dash off half-back.
"Brayden is a quality player... I don't know how he has gone this long without playing Bendigo footy," Matheson said of Frost, who has joined the Hawks from Harcourt.
"Week to week we will get a better feel for his taps and how to best utilise him and Pala was sensational for us and when you look at our side he gives us that bit of spark we need.
"The more footy he plays with us through the year the better he will get; we will learn to use him more when he's running past. I thought it was a really impressive game from a young kid."
Defender Charlie Langford, who was matched up on Burke, spent the last quarter on the bench with an arm concern.
"He broke his collarbone late last year and we're hoping that it's a bit of a scar tissue type flare up as a result of that," Matheson said.
"He went back on the ground after coming off, but when he got a hit on it he said it was a bit tender down the arm, so at this stage we're hoping it's just a bit of a flare up from that injury of last year."
Strong-bodied midfielder Rosengren (two goals) was the Bulldogs' most consistent player in his first game back at the club from Wedderburn with a strong clearance performance, while moving back to the forward line after playing the bulk of last year in defence skipper Burke kicked three of the Bulldogs' nine goals.
As well as conceding six-consecutive goals from after the half-time siren and across the third quarter the Bulldogs also missed some early opportunities to put scoreboard heat on the Hawks.
The Bulldogs had four set-shots in the first quarter that were either behinds (two kicked by Dylan Hird) or didn't register a score off the boot of Daniels and Rosengren.
"We just couldn't wrestle back the momentum in that third quarter," new Golden Square coach Brad Eaton said.
"Both sides have got a bit of a new look and it's a bit of an unknown how you're going to go first-up, but I thought the intensity and pressure in the game was really good.
"The players had a willingness to compete, but just some execution and turnovers between the arcs cost us at times.
"But it was just that third quarter where we couldn't stem the flow to keep us close enough. I thought we ran the game out well and had some opportunities, so there are some encouraging signs with seven new players playing their first games for the club, including five playing their first senior games."
