WARNERS BAY coach Nathan Harkness feels like "the boys have now got belief".
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Described by Harkness as one of, if not, the best performances during his tenure, the Bulldogs (10.17-77) beat men's Black Diamond Cup heavyweights Newcastle City (9.3-57) for the first time in a decade.
Saturday's showing at home at Feighan Oval, coinciding with 'old boys' day and the wearing of a heritage jersey, sparked celebrations at the club.
"It was absolutely huge for the club," Harkness told the Newcastle Herald.
"The crowd was going off, the song afterwards in the sheds was rocking and rolling, we went back to the Blackbutt. It was just such a great day."
Harkness knew it'd been a while between drinks, but didn't realise the extent of the drought.
"I didn't even know this, but there was a [inter-club] trophy City's had for 10 years and they passed it back to us yesterday," he said.
Warners Bay raced out of the blocks, unable to convert chances but kicking 11 behinds and keeping City scoreless for a 17-point advantage at quarter-time. They were never headed. Sebastian Thomas, Joe Harrison, Tom Gardiner and Zachary Lauristen were among the best performers for the Bulldogs.
That result, coupled with wins for Terrigal Avoca and Cardiff (also on 28 points alongside Warners Bay and all now four behind City, 32), means the semi-finalists have essentially been locked in while also keeping the minor-premiership race alive.
Terrigal Avoca (13.14-92) easily took care of Maitland (4.3-27) while nine majors for Max King helped Cardiff (25.14-164) thrash The Entrance Bateau Bay (2.3-15).
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
