Bulldogs bury Goannas in a dominant performance

By Matt Malone
Updated November 7 2012 - 1:55pm, first published September 13 2010 - 1:02am
TEMPERS FLARE: Players from both Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes and Turvey Park sort each other out in yesterday's Riverina Football League preliminary final at Narrandera Sports Ground.
TEMPERS FLARE: Players from both Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes and Turvey Park sort each other out in yesterday's Riverina Football League preliminary final at Narrandera Sports Ground.
UP FOR GRABS: Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes' Sam Balding contests in the air with Turvey Park's David Johnson in yesterday's preliminary final at Narrandera Sportsground. Pictures: Oscar Colman
UP FOR GRABS: Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes' Sam Balding contests in the air with Turvey Park's David Johnson in yesterday's preliminary final at Narrandera Sportsground. Pictures: Oscar Colman

TURVEY Park continued its charge through the Riverina Football League finals series with a 43-point demolition of Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes at Narrandera Sports Ground yesterday.The Bulldogs produced another dominant first-half performance to bury the Goannas early as they booked their ticket to their first senior grand final since 2003.For the third consecutive final, Turvey Park got the jump on its opposition and had the game virtually sewn up by quarter-time.The Bulldogs enjoyed a golden 23-minute period either side of quarter-time where they banged home 11 unanswered goals.The Goannas did not fire a shot as the Bulldogs led by 67 points at half-time, eventually winning 17.7 (109) to 10.6 (66).With Wagga Tigers, Coolamon and MCUE now under its belt, Turvey Park will go into Sunday's grand final full of confidence against undefeated minor premier Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong.Turvey Park captain-coach Brad Burkinshaw passionately addressed the players and supporters in the rooms after the game and was proud of what the club had achieved.The Bulldogs lost a handful of senior players over the off-season and were generally considered a greater chance of relegation than a premiership."Our pressure and attack at the footy was superb, the boy's didn't stop."Burkinshaw paid tribute to another brilliant start to a final."We had a period of play for seven or eight minutes, which we didn't capitalise on, then they had control for seven or eight minutes."But the last 10 to 12 minutes of the opening quarter, we really opened it up and the boys turned it on."The Bulldogs did not have any passengers and produced a very even team performance to get over the line.Chris Beckmans was very creative up forward and finished with three goals, while Dane Campbell was everywhere.Andrew Craig was good in the ruck all day, while Chris Cerato, Harry Cunningham, Ryan Blundell and David Johnson all impressed.The Bulldogs will now have to wait and see on the fitness of key duo Truman Carroll and Keenan Hanigan, who both missed yesterday's final.For the Goannas, it was a disappointing display after showing so much promise against GGGM in the second semi-final.Brad Turner was MCUE's best, and went forward to give the Goannas some spark in the second half, while Geoff Spriggs and Ben Coombe tried hard.

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