Sport
7 August, 2026
Baddeley-Kelly brings up his ‘surprise’ century
WITH 11 senior players missing and third place on the ladder all parceled up, Pyramid Hill coach Jarrod Fitzpatrick wasn’t too concerned about the result against Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
WITH 11 senior players missing and third place on the ladder all parceled up, Pyramid Hill coach Jarrod Fitzpatrick wasn’t too concerned about the result against Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
Forward Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, 13 goals short of kicking a century for the season and expecting to reach the 100-mark in the last couple of games, didn’t ask his family to drive up from Melbourne.
So, it was a shock to all that Baddeley-Kelly kicked 15 and that the Bulldogs won by 107 points. “Given the number of players we had out, I didn’t think we would win like that,” Fitzpatrick said.
“We had 11 out of the side that will come back for the finals – most of them will come back this week.”
He expects nine players to return for the clash with Macorna, which needs to win to ensure it makes the finals.
Fitzpatrick is among those to come in, after recovering from a knee injury.
Star midfielder James Sala is back from a European holiday, Zach Alford was rested last week, the Darwin contingent led by Brodie Carroll will return, as will Cam Ross and Jayden Dick.
The pre-finals stock up shows how a full-strength Bulldogs are a real threat for the flag.
The Bears were missing key players as well; they are limping to the finish line and will miss the finals for the first time in almost a decade.
Nathan Twigg, as ever, battled manfully in the ruck, but he had to fight against Tom Downie and Will Quinlivan, who provided a potent one-two punch.
Serp has some young talent such as Jaxon Addlem and Rising Star nominee Llogan Mayman, but the Bears still rely too much on their ageing senior players, including coach Jake Wilkinson, Farran Priest, Andrew Gladman and Tyler Miles.
Pyramid Hill kicked six goals in all four quarters, with Quinlivan (three) the only other multiple goalkicker beside the prolific Baddeley-Kelly, who has booted 41 goals in the past three matches.
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