WHILE all the focus in recent weeks has been on Loddon Valley powers Marong and Pyramid Hill, Bridgewater has quietly strung together a patch of form that has the Mean Machine regarded as a genuine premiership threat.
Last Saturday’s 84-point thumping of fifth-placed Inglewood was the most impressive of a run of six lopsided wins by 86, 101, 78, 56 and 77 points.
The Mean Machine sit comfortably in third spot on the ladder ahead of their two biggest tests of the season so far in consecutive weeks – Marong (away) this Saturday and Pyramid Hill (home) on July 12.
Saturday’s 18.13 (121) to 4.13 (37) win over Inglewood was set up by a dominant first-half.
Inglewood had its fair share of the ball, but Bridgewater’s better execution by foot, multiple options forward of centre and stingy defence took the game away from the Blues.
Inglewood coach Fergus Payne probably described it best when he used the word “polish” post-game. Bridgewater had it, Inglewood didn’t.
“We played some decent footy in patches, but we came up against a good side that’s well-drilled,’’ Payne said.
“We worked the ball well from back to forward, but we lacked that polish going inside 50 and their ability to curve that was very good all day.
“I thought we were pretty good in the back half and I thought we were pretty good in the middle third. We talk about a launch pad zone and, when we got to that zone to go inside 50, we mucked it up too frequently.”
Bridgewater’s defence, led by Joe Mayes, Harry Conway, Josh Martyn and new recruit Jack Merrin, was outstanding. At the other end of the ground, Bridgewater’s two key forwards - Lachlan Sharp and Oscar McKinley – took advantage of their side’s better ball movement.
McKinley set the tone with a couple of early goals and finished the day with four, while Sharp bagged seven goals, including a couple of trademark classy finishes.
Sharp now has 70 goals for the season and leads the league goalkicking race by 15 goals from Pyramid Hill’s Ben Bisset.
Nic Naughton was lively across half-forward for Bridgewater, while Harry McKinley was their best midfielder.
Midfielder Liam Marciano, who spent some time on the wing on Saturday, was Inglewood’s most damaging player, while inside midfielder Bregon Cotchett did some great work around the stoppages.
Bridgewater forward Bo Alexander and Inglewood defender Josh Whittle were reported for striking each other in the third quarter.
If found quilty, a suspension will cost Alexander, who has been in terrific form, his spot in the team to play against Marong this week.
Payne said Inglewood was missing “15 of its top 44 players” across the seniors and reserves against Bridgewater.
The coach expected to regain “two or three” senior players for this Saturday’s home clash with Newbridge and Payne will be one of them.
It will be his first game since he injured his hamstring in round seven.