THE dogs were talking at McDonald Park on Thursday night when East Gambier made an anticipated return to the training track.
It was the first time the team has come together as a group since the football world was shut down from COVID-19, albeit separated by three zones to comply with SANFL and government regulations.
Bulldogs’ coach Matt Willson said it was a great feeling to be back amongst his team mates at the “Kennel”.
“It was very exciting to be back out on the oval,” he said.
“It felt like a long time since we have been out there, but once we started, everyone was really happy.
“A lot of the guys probably have not caught up for a couple of months, so just seeing your mates again brought a little bit of normality back.”
With the club forced to comply to Stage 2 regulations in the SANFL’s return to play roadmap, bottles of hand sanitiser and marked off areas were a common sight.
Willson said it created a unique atmosphere.
“It was an interesting look for a football training, something I have never experienced before,” he said.
“There was plenty of hand sanitiser and players parked in different spaces around the oval.
“The guys had a little bit of fun laughing and carrying on how they could not high-five each other.”
Willson said it was a significant team effort to ensure a return to training was possible.
“I am fortunate to to have some very good off-field helpers like Nathan Stratford, Malcolm Lockwood, Robert Shepherd and Aaron Davis,” he said.
“They did all the paperwork and documentation to make my job a lot easier in the last few weeks.
“We ticked all the boxes.”
On the field, East just focused on easing into things after a long lay off from action.
Willson said he wanted to ensure his men “blew out the cobwebs” before increasing the workload when restrictions ease.
“It was more about getting back to the footy club,” he said.
“It was just a kick and a catch to get around each other again and have a bit of fun.
“We put a lot more emphasis on verbal cues and celebrations, but nothing was over the top.
“We did not want to push the boundaries or restrictions too much.”
To add to the occasion, the Bulldogs opened their venue to the public.
The clubrooms were open to a strict number of people, while some supporters parked their cars on the hill.
Willson said it was nice to see the club receive some support.
“We had a few inside the clubrooms and some cars parked around the sidelines, which is interesting for a football training,” he said.
“We tried to steer clear of it as players, but to have a few supporters up on the hill was great.”
SANFL has lifted restrictions this week and contact will be permitted in training sessions once again.
With this in mind, Willson sent a cheeky message to his playing group.
“I am excited to get stuck into it properly,” he said.
“There are a few guys I have missed tackling, so I am looking forward to laying some out.”
