by Nicholas Duck
Sporting clubs go through plenty of ups and downs over their history. It's a given thanks to the nature of competition.
And while it's safe to say that the Bunyip Football Club are going through a down period at the moment, those at the top are determined to see them through to the other side.
One need only look to the ladder to see the situation the club finds itself in.
Currently sitting winless on the bottom of the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition with a percentage below 30, the Bulldogs have also been forced to deal with the effects of being the only side unable to field an under 18s side.
Many of the current issues can be traced back to the club's decision to end its relationship with senior coach Tim McGibney at the end of 2022.
The choice proved a controversial one, and an exodus of senior talent followed.
Further turmoil ensued in the off-season, leaving the club to turn to captain Lachlan Petch to take the reins as coach of an extremely inexperienced team weeks out from round one.
But those in charge have said that the club has to accept that the past is the past and forge ahead to take the football program back to a competitive level.
First-year club president Noel Mollison and vice present and head of football operations Austinn Jones, along with a new-look committee, have pledged themselves to moving forward.
"You can't look backwards when you're looking forwards. So decisions that have been made are done and dusted. We have to wear that sort of stuff. We can't control the past, we can only follow the narrative that we're on and pursue that," Mollison said.
"I think we're uniquely positioned. We're still a small community, country mindset, competing in arguably the best football competition in this district against bigger towns. I reckon we're unique."
Mollison further explained that while the on-field performances have been poor, the culture off it has been as rock solid as ever.
"The on field stuff is pretty much the polar opposite of the on-field," he said.
"I spoke to some of the boys during the week and they said it doesn't feel like we're getting belted. It's a tight knit group, they're having fun, creating their own identity and culture as a group of mates."
Credit for that cultural strength, Mollison said, should largely go towards Petch.
Despite taking on the role as coach on such short notice and having no expectation of retaining it beyond this season, according to Mollison the influence he's had on the group has been brilliant to watch.
"He's owned it and I reckon our football side's culture is a direct result of him. His leadership is unreal, he's a funny guy, he's likeable, he's a good looking rooster. He's just a good unit."
Due to the lack of an under 18s side and the sheer availability of spots in the senior side, the club hopes that the early exposure to top level footy for their young players will leave them better prepared for years to come.
"The unintended consequences of the predicament we're in is it's easier for kids to play ones."
"We can't do anything about the scores. Small victories are what we're after. Win a quarter, or if a kid whose never kicked a goal before kicks a goal. Small victories."
The club has already seen promising signs from its young talent, such as 19-year old vice captain Alex Dijkstra and brothers Seth and Ned Ashton.
With the club in a financially strong position, the priorities now lie in getting the foundations right for the future.
First and foremost is the senior coach.
Mollison and Jones, along with Bobbie Lee-Bray, have begun the process of searching for the person to take the Bulldogs forward in what will be an "aggressive" recruitment campaign.
"We think if we get that position right that we can then start to recruit and retain players," Mollison said.
The club conceded it's not going to be a short fix, however. Jones said that the club "was not naïve" and that they had been "caught behind" other clubs when they transitioned to West Gippsland.
"Our football program has been at least five years behind some of these top sides," Jones said.
Jones paid tribute to the local football community, saying that people from all walks of life, including opposition clubs, had gotten behind the struggling Bulldogs.
"The support has been immense, everyone's been able to help. I think that shows the strength local communities have."
Now it's about getting the right people into the right positions.
"We're taking every possible avenue to find our next coach, we're open minded about who it might be and we're going to make sure they're well supported," Jones explained. Through all the trouble and pain, though, one constant has been the unwavering support of the passionate Bunyip fans.
"No-one likes a losing team. So for the supporters to continue to show up is a testament to the character at the people at this football club," Mollison said.
When asked what his message for Bulldogs fans was, Mollison had two words.
"Stick fat," he said.
"The committee is, the players are. It's a tough road but it's not the first time the club's been through it. And we won't be the last club that has to deal with it, it's just our turn. Stick fat, show support and we'll get through it."