Dusties down Bulldogs in one-point thriller

by Nicholas Duck
There are good wins, there are great wins and then there are wins that can define a season.
Warragul Industrials may have just secured one of the latter on Saturday after taking down premiership hopefuls Phillip Island by one point and snapping the Bulldogs' six-game win streak.
Bailey Beck was the hero late for the home side, intercepting a kick from full back and driving home the winning goal to propel the Dusties to a famous victory 8.11 (59) to 8.10 (58).
These two clubs have played out some classic clashes in recent years and despite the rain and wind making things challenging there was still plenty of quality footy wherever you looked.
Players were happy to put their bodies on the line and the lead changed hands numerous times, making the result a hard one to pick right up to the final siren.
Pressure was the name of the game and Warragul Industrials were up the task, winning the tackle count by 27.
Even still it was a battle that came down to key moments, and when the gauntlet was thrown down and the win was on the line it was the home side who rose to the occasion.
For the Dusties, whose form has wavered as the season has worn on, it's a significant result that sees them two games clear in fifth position as they look to build some form heading into finals.
The result was built largely off the work of backman Kyan Willis, whose bodywork and defensive nous saw him repel a plethora of Bulldog attacks and help keep the dangerous Jack Taylor to one goal.
Todd Beck was deployed to half back in the absence of Matt Herbert (facial fracture) and did it with aplomb, making his disposals count in challenging conditions.
Kuiy Jiath and Brenton Hillard both exerted their influence in the midfield, Jiath the smooth mover who always seems to have time and space and Hillard the human wrecking ball.
Bailey Beck's late game exploits will be remembered but the rest of his performance up forward shouldn't go unnoticed while Michael Debenham's leg speed and footy IQ at half forward was similarly effective.
For the Bulldogs young Beau Davies put in his finest senior performance yet, earning best on honours.
Backman Brady Ross was impassable for much of the day while Max Walton and Cameron Thompson both impressed.
Hayden Bruce played his usual starring role in the middle and coach Cam Pedersen racked up some ludicrous numbers playing primarily in the ruck.
The home side got things rolling in the first term when Bailey Beck cleverly chipped it to his skipper Debenham, who didn't let him down.
Mark Collison, the man who at one point would have been the Dusties coach, ran in Phillip Island's first following some beautiful ball movement from full back and from there the back and forth tone of the day was set.
Warragul Industrials were able to generate plenty more chances but couldn't quite make them count, instead forced to watch as Bulldogs star Jack Taylor showed them how it's done up the other end in the pouring rain.
Ky Bannister stood tall in the second term, kicking both of his team's goals for the quarter and taking his total to three before half time as the Dusties were again wasteful.
Pedersen really began to exert his influence in the ruck, dining out whenever he was leaping against anyone not named Bob McCallum.
The third quarter saw the roles reverse somewhat, Phillip Island now missing their shots while the Dusties took theirs.
A poor kick out of defence from Billy Taylor ended up with Lachlan Bambridge hitting the scoreboard not long before Bailey Beck made his mark on the game, steering one through from deep in the pocket.
A late beauty of a set shot, drawn back to perfection by Bulldog Oliver Duggan, ensured the Island wouldn't go unrewarded heading into the final break.
The Bulldogs kept that momentum going early in the decisive fourth quarter when a downfield free kick allowed Charles O'Garey to put them ahead.
Bambridge wasn't having it, however, charging through and collecting a loose footy before driving it home on the run.
Pedersen again rose to the occasion, clunking a great mark and finding Duggan inside 50 to restore the visitors' advantage with the clock winding down.
As the pressure rose Bulldogs defender Brady Ross, who had hardly put a foot wrong all day, sent a long ball out from the goal square only to see it land in Bailey Beck's waiting arms 40 metres from home.
They say diamonds are made under pressure and Beck proved that to be true, his gem of a kick sending the home fans into raptures as it sailed through and put the Dusties a point ahead.
Brenton Hillard had a flying shot soon after that was touched to double that advantage.
Bulldog Darcy Thompson had one last chance for the visitors, snapping towards goal only for Willis to once again deny them, smashing it through and ensuring the Dusties would walk away big-time winners.
Speaking post-game, McCallum said it was "our most important win of the year."
"After they knocked off Nar Nar Goon we certainly knew they'd be up and about and licking their lips. We've been pretty good the last couple of weeks, building with our personnel back has helped," he said.
"When we were down in the last it looked like a task too much just with the amount of scores that had been had, just to find that energy was going to be tough. To the boys' credit they found it, I certainly didn't have it."
Warragul Industrials have now passed their first test in a brutal three-week stretch and will now prepare for an away trip to face Inverloch-Kongwak this weekend before taking on ladder leaders Nar Nar Goon the week after.
With Herbert, Tim Hancock and Goy Lok still to come back there's plenty of life in the Dusties' campaign yet.