BATHURST Bulldogs might not be able to add just a second club junior title to their name this year but all members will be full of praise for the effort their under 12s Gold side showed this year.
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The extension of the COVID-19 lockdown recently prompted Central West Rugby Union to cancel senior and junior seasons, which was a big blow to a Bulldogs Gold team sitting in second on the ladder.
They were a decent chance of springing an upset on the minor premier Forbes Platypi but coach Gerard Lang said the team can still look back and be proud of an amazing season.
"They were very much keen to have a shot at a grand final so to have that taken out of their hands is pretty devastating for a group of 12-year-olds but such is life with COVID," he said.
"They'll officially be declared runners-up. They only lost the single game in the regular season, which was to Forbes who were coming first. After that season they were very keen to have another crack at them in the grand final, that's for sure.
"They trained hard all year. Even during thunderstorms we still did a lot of stuff in the clubhouse and they were able to learn a lot, so they never missed a session all year. The one thing they'll always take out of it is the mateship and the bonds that they formed, and they were always playing for each other."
Finals are a rarity for Bulldogs since they club rarely fields under 14s and 16s teams, due to players lining up for high school teams as a priority.
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Bulldogs fielded a pair of under 12s teams this year - Blue and Gold - with each team taking a lot away from the CWJRU season.
"The proudest thing for me as a coach is seeing those strong bonds they formed in their last year with the club, because a lot will go on to high school now. The majority will hopefully be able to play together in the future in some capacity," Lang said.
"When we're allowed to do so under health orders, it would be great to get together to have a dinner as a team to celebrate the great season that was.
"We can see it as one that got away as an opportunity because it's only the second time a Bathurst Bulldogs team would have made a grand final.
"There was a lot of excitement that we'd be able to do something like that again but we're still proud that they finished runners-up."
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