Cootamundra Bulldogs league tag side has suffered an early setback in their finals campaign, going down 32-nil to the Temora Dragons on Sunday at Anzac Park, Gundagai.
Finishing third on the competition ladder and defeating the Dragons last time the two teams met, there were high hopes for the Bulldogs as they went into their qualifying final.
Those hopes were dashed in the early stages, as the Dragons crossed in the first minute through Matilda Reardon following a Bulldogs error.
Regrouping and composing themselves after the early points against them, the Bulldogs gradually shifted momentum and seemed to giving a good account of themselves until a neat short ball saw Lilli Block slice through to extend Temora’s lead.
Block and Reardon both had doubles to their name prior to half-time and the Bulldogs were chasing down a 22-0 deficit at the break.
Sophie Bowley got in on the try-scoring act for the Dragons in the second half, crossing for a pair of tries 10 minutes apart as Temora went further ahead.
Try as they may, the Bulldogs attack continued to be turned away by a committed Dragons defence that left the Cootamundra searching for answers.
A successful regular season means the Bulldogs earned the right for a second chance, and that will be used up this coming Saturday, as they head to Junee to play the Tumut Blues.
The Bulldogs recorded an impressive 28-12 victory against the Blues in Round 3, with the Blues taking bragging rights in the most recent meeting between the two – an 18-6 win at Twickenham in Round 12.
Being the town’s last remaining hope of premiership glory this season, there is sure to be plenty of support in Junee for the Bulldogs ladies side on Saturday, as they hope to replicate the feats of the club’s Under 18s side of 2025 in now progressing through sudden-death matches to claim the holy grail.
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