With just six regular season games to go, a big three is starting to emerge in the AFL South Coast competition.
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In round 10 action on Saturday - the big three in question - Wollongong Bulldogs, Northern District Tigers and Figtree Kangaroos - all recorded impressive wins.
The Bulldogs, last year's beaten grand finalists, remain on top of the ladder on percentages after recording a 14.10-94 to 6.4-40 win over Kiama Power at Keira Oval.
It was an important victory for the Aidan Leishman-coached outfit, who the previous week were well beaten by reigning premiers Figtree.
"It was really nice to turn it around after our dismal performance the week earlier against Figtree," Leishman said.
"It was nice to get back on the winners list and we were also able to bring in six new players on Saturday who made their debut for the club, which was really, really good.
"They all played really well. We had Gus Frank come into the back line, Colby Hamblin come into our midfield rotations and Chris Powell got his second game, so it was good."
Kiama were well and truly in the contest in the first half, going to the halftime break just six-points behind but Wollongong stamped their authority after that, outscoring the Power 56-7.
Leishman said Callum Burns, who moved from the back-line up forward kicked four goals.
"Kyle Hockley, our half-forward kicked three and played really well, as did Lewis Gooden who played in the ruck and up forward, and Jack Kelly in the ruck," he said.
"I also thought Bentley Murphy in the midfield and George Favero killed it."
During the week's break, Leishman plans on getting the Bulldogs ready to play their best come finals time.
"We've been having quite a heavy training load the last month, just trying to get extra fitness in and then we'll just taper off now and start to focus on structure and how we want to move the footy, coming into finals."
In Saturday's other matches the Tigers beat Wollongong Lions 17.14-116 to 4.7-31 and Figtree downed Shellharbour Suns 20.17-137 to 8.8-56.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
