BUSSELTON Magpies are comfortably on track to make the finals in all three grades, despite losing two out of their three games to Bunbury Bulldogs on the weekend.
The Busselton league side put in a strong performance against Bunbury and they took a two-point lead in to the first change after they kept the Bulldogs goal-less in the opening term.
The Magpies continued to press in the second quarter and both sides kicked two goals each. A couple of extra behind to the Magpies meant they again outscored the Bulldogs and they led by four points at halftime.
However, after the main break the Bulldogs came out firing and showed why they are the ladder leaders with a six-goal-to-two third quarter.
This gave them a 22-point buffer at the final change and they continued to pile on the goals in the final quarter to eventually run out 16.12 (108) to 10.10 (70) winners.
Despite the loss Busselton looks almost certain to finish in the Top 5 with sixth-placed Collie Eagles suffering a shock loss to Margaret River. Collie are now two and a half games and 35 percentage points behind Busselton with just four matches remaining.
The reserves match started similar to the league game in that Busselton kept Bunbury goal-less but it turned out completely differently as the Magpies romped to a 98-point win.
Although Busselton only scored seven goals in the first half, they held Bunbury to just a solitary goal of their own. And, in the second half the Magpies turned up the heat with 11 goals to Bunbury’s three to run out comfortable winners 18.19 (127) to 4.5 (29).
The colts game was the closest of the day with Busselton falling agonisingly short of an epic come-from-behind victory.
After being 32 points down at the final change Busselton came out all guns blazing in the last quarter to close within a point of Bunbury.
And, although they kicked more goals than the Bulldogs they were unable to snatch a famous victory with Bunbury winning by a point - 11.12 (78) to 12.5 (77).