Gundagai downplayed concerns over another knee injury to star James Luff.
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Just three games back from his second knee reconstruction, Luff was carried off the field in the second half of 28-6 win against Cootamundra at Les Boyd Oval on Saturday.
Luff admitted he panicked after coming off second best following a challenge from new Bulldogs recruit Jarrod Brackenhofer while he kicking down field.
However he’s confident it’s too not serious and believes he has just hyperextended it.
Gundagai captain-coach James Smart reiterated the early diagnosis.
Still sidelined with a broken hand, Smart was thrilled with the team’s performance.
“It was outstanding and I couldn’t be happier,” Smart said.
“It was just a really good performance.”
The Tigers scored 28 unanswered points as they were able to overcome an early defensive lapse which led to Matt Forsyth opening the scoring with a 60-metre effort after eight minutes.
It was the defensive effort of the Tigers which pleased Smart most.
“Obviously we have struggled for most of the season to hold on the football, but we held on the ball really well today, especially in those conditions, but most pleasing was our defence,” Smart said.
Luff levelled the scores for Gundagai after a Bulldogs mistake close to their line then game changed complexion when Forsyth missed a regulation penalty goal from right in front.
Instead of going up 8-6 minutes before half-time, it was Gundagai who scored off their next attacking set when a towering bomb from Luff proved too hot to handle and Tyron Gorman scored to give the Tigers a 12-6 lead at the break.
Cootamundra struggled to pick up any momentum in the second half while the Tigers found their way over the line three more times.
James Curgenven scored 11 minutes into the half and two minutes later Gundagai surged clear when Jordyn Ballard failed to clean up a grubber kick and Brett Eccleston swooped on the loose ball to score.
Dane O’Hehir then finished off a short side play to make it three straight wins for the Tigers.
The victory keeps Gundagai in the thick of the finals race.
They are now on the brink off the top four and moved around Cootamundra, on percentage, and Kangaroos with the win.
Joel Field didn’t take his place in the side and Damian Willis (shoulder) and Brock Dunn (knee) also failed to play out the game.
However Smart is confident the win will be a big boost coming into the grand final rematch with Southcity next Sunday.
“It is good to be going into the Southcity win off the back of that performance,” Smart said. “The boys were really happy at half-time, and so was I, so we will take a lot out of that.
“We might have rediscovered a bit of that spark we were missing.”