THE match of the round in Western Border football lived up to expectations on Saturday at Vansittart Park.
Last season’s reigning premiers faced the runners-up on their home deck, with neither a clear favourite, considering early-season form.
The Bulldogs had managed two wins, while the Tigers had chalked up just the one.
East had the wood over North this season, with a win in the opening round for the grand final rematch, but had not looked convincing in recent weeks.
While it was a 28-point win by East in the end, it was anything but a comfortable result, with North pushing hard throughout the contest, which included a six-goal haul from Tiger Tom McClennan.
An early stalemate in the opening stanza suggested a tight contest, despite the Bulldogs with much of the play in their forward half.
Jake McKeon broke the deadlock with a goal for the Bulldogs, before McLennan hit back with his first for the Tigers.
Jesse Fry was making his mark early for East, breaking out of the centre and pushing forward, while for the Tigers Nick Blachut was having a similar effect in his 200th game.
Bulldogs coach Matt Willson was finding plenty of possession, intercepting a defensive kick from the Tigers and goaling on the run, with another soon after by Matt McCallum threatening to blow the game apart early, with a 20-point advantage at the first break.
The second term saw much of the same early, with East controlling the play.
Frazer Scanlon was having a big effect down back, repelling the Tigers forward forays, while John Forster worked hard along the wing.
However, once the ball reached North’s forward line, a tough defensive zone was set up, with East then struggling to clear the 50-metre arc.
Blachut then went to work, intercepting an attempted chip over the top and passing to Will Stafford who banged a goal home to reduce the deficit to two straight kicks.
But East had all the answers, with Flyn Balshaw, Kev Thomson and Jayden Eldridge combining to set up a goal for youngster Mitchell Bryson and again the Bulldogs were up and about.
However, the see-sawing contest continued, with North making the most of the second term to head to the half-time break trailing by just 11 points.
The Tigers continued their run early in the third term to take the lead a few minutes in.
They continued to apply forward pressure, but the Bulldogs eventually found a path to their own attacking zone, with Jack Dawe initiating a run which saw Kev Thomson chip into Willson for a set shot and a goal to settle the game down.
Eldridge snapped another off the back of the pack deep in the Bulldogs forward zone and when Dawe finished off with a running goal a minute later, East was again looking the better side.
By the final break the margin had again opened up, but only to 19 points, with plenty of time for the Tigers to mount a challenge.
That came early through McLennan, with the margin then reduced to just 14 points and the game on in earnest.
But it did not take long for the Bulldogs to respond, with Rumbelow taking his best grab for the year and slotting home the goal.
When Dawe intercepted another Tigers clearing kick and found McCallum up forward for yet another major, it was all over, with the Bulldogs running out deserved victors.
For Willson it was a pleasing victory after a tough couple of rounds.
“It was a really good game against quality opposition and we are happy to get back on the winner’s list,” he said.
Willson said his side aimed to match the Tigers from the first bounce, who he said are a tough side early in the contest.
“Generally North get out of the box well and we thought if we could match them early in and around the contest, it would go a long way to us getting out,” he said.
“We rewarded ourselves on the end of the good play early on, which we have not done recently.”
Willson said extra pressure on the ball helped cause turnovers as the Tigers attempted to push out of their back line, with several players taking advantage.
However, he said the game was always in the balance, with the Tigers looking dangerous throughout the contest.
“North is the sort of side that is always going to be within striking distance,” he said.
“They are capable of kicking goals quickly, so we just had to stick to what we were doing and control the play.”
Willson said the big mark and subsequent goal for Rumbelow late in the game had a major impact on the outcome.
“After the excitement of taking a big mark it can be hard to go back and convert,” he said.
“For Rumnbles to do that was massive for us as a side at that time of the game.”
Willson said while the result was welcome, there were bigger tests to come.
“With North being such a powerful side over the last few years, any win you can get over a side like that you take very well,” he said.
“As far as wins go it was very pleasing, but we have our biggest test this week and another challenge for us.
“We want to be beating sides above us and pegging back that margin.”
Willson paid tribute to the milestone reached by Blachut on the day, saying it was a good effort to reach 200 games at the level he plays.
