BRIDGEWATER came through its practice match against Calder United as coach Lachlan Sharp hoped — with no injuries and with the Mean Machine’s younger players given a solid hit out.
The game also provided one of football’s rarest sights, that of Sharp playing in a sleeveless guernsey.
The extreme heat on Saturday meant the game was brought forward by a couple of hours and quarters were shortened, with both sides rotating players more heavily than usual.
“Some of our young players got to play against some real, quality country footballers,” Sharp said.
“For us, it was about effort to ensure they didn’t get a run on, and we did that well at times.
“It gave the kids an opportunity to play in positions they might not have played before.”
Sharp admitted his “guns” made their first appearance in many years.
“I can’t remember the last time I wore a sleeveless jumper,” he said, noting that most of the sledging he got was from teammates rather than the opposition.
While scores weren’t kept officially, Calder United — the new North Central league side created
from the merger of Wycheproof-Narraport and Nullawil — won the hit out comfortably.
Bridgewater will have its final practice match against Heathcote District club Elmore on Saturday
evening.
Sharp said the Mean Machine would field a mixed team over the six-quarter clash, with senior
players featuring towards the end of the match.
Bridgewater begins its Loddon Valley season with a mouth-watering contest against Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
Full-forward Josh Mellington will return for the Bears, setting up a new race for the century of goals with Sharp.
Last season Mellington kicked 93 goals in nine matches before suffering a major hamstring injury, leaving Sharp a clear run at the ton, which he duly reached on his way to 138 goals for the year.