NEWBRIDGE has suffered a major blow with key forward and acting captain Brandon Dimech set to miss the rest of the season with a severe shoulder injury.
Dimech was hurt in a hip-and-shoulder clash early in the Maroons match with Pyramid Hill and will require surgery on his AC joint.
Undermanned Newbridge battled bravely against last season’s runners-up, whose summer recruiting spree paid immediate dividends with a 52-point win.
The Bulldogs’ three best players were first gamers for the club, led by full forward Ben Bisset, who kicked seven goals.
With last season’s top goalkicker Zach Alford suspended, all six of the starting forward line were new to the club, and among nine new faces in the lineup.
Dynamic ruck-forward Kai Daniels stood out around the ground, with Archie Hildebrant, who only joined the Bulldogs last week, also named in the top three best players.
The Maroons were jumped in the first quarter and trailed by five goals but were much more competitive for the rest of the game. Coach Matt McArthur said Newbridge was missing eight of its top dozen players, and the performance suggested the team’s depth had improved from last season.
He said ruckman Will Copland was outstanding against the athletic Daniels, with his tap dominance contributing to a strong centre clearance effort.
Recruit Andrew Willett was among their best players, while Billy Schilling kicked three of his team’s eight goals in his Newbridge debut.
- GARY WALSH