The Bulldogs turned things around in emphatic fashion, beating the Hornets 49:3 in their regular-season clash on 13 September. After a heavy defeat just eight days earlier, the home side answered with a performance that left little doubt about their intentions.
By then, the Hornets had come off a dominant 52:0 victory over the Delta Devils. To be fair, they carried momentum into this fixture, but the Eagles defeat on 29 August showed they were not invincible.
The scoreboard told a different story entirely. The Bulldogs' attack found space where the Hornets' defence had been vulnerable, and they did not let up. Three points on the board for the visitors was all they could manage.
And here's the thing about results like this — they shift expectations. The Hornets had looked strong in their previous outing, but this performance raised questions about their defensive structure. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, must have felt a sense of redemption after that 39-point loss to the Trojans.
What matters now is whether this result changes how people view both sides. The Hornets will need to address what went wrong. The Bulldogs might have found their rhythm at just the right time.