Sport
20 August, 2024
Bulldogs finish off 2024 season with upset victory over Navarre
NAVARRE 9.10 (64) def by AVOCA 12.5 (77)
The Avoca Bulldogs caused an upset when they defeated Navarre by 13 points in the final home-and-away game of the season.
It was a third quarter blitz of seven goals to three that set up the victory for the visiting team after a close first half.
Dante Lorusso was in great form for the Grasshoppers once again and he goaled just two minutes into the game.
Avoca responded when Sean Moyle burst out of the centre and kicked a long bomb to where Darcy Carey gathered the ball in the goal square and kicked truly.
This was followed instantly when Nathan Coghlan hit Shaun Cudmore with a bullet pass and Cudmore finished off to put the Bulldogs up by seven points.
A free kick to Mace Bibby just on the siren allowed the Grasshoppers to be within two points at quarter time.
Navarre opened the second quarter in control of the play but could only post five behinds, then Avoca entered their scoring zone for the first time at the 14 minute mark resulting in a snapshot goal for Coghlan, in his 250th game for the Bulldogs.
But the Grasshoppers responded with the next two goals to Sam Rickard to lead at half time by 10 points.
It was goal for goal until the nine minute mark in the third term, when Avoca lit the fuse and kicked five goals in a row, before Baxter Cheesman goaled for Navarre and then Daniel Howell slotted one for the Bulldogs at the siren to lead at three-quarter-time by 14 points.
Nathan Coghlan and Sean Moyle goaled for Avoca to push the lead out to 26 points before the Grasshoppers responded through Aiden Lee and Jack Jess to reduce the margin to 13 points and the siren sounded shortly after.
Avoca’s best and fairest player, Moyle, capped off a stellar season with a best on ground performance, and he was well supported by runner-up best and fairest Byron Wynd, Others to play well were Riley Hamilton, Scott Cawthan, incoming coach for 2025, Matt Newton and Coghlan.
Navarre named their best players as Lorusso, Jayden Fowkes, Daniel Reading, Rickard, Bibby and Jess.