A 12th placed finish is traditionally nothing to call home about, however, for Daylesford, it's a ladder position that does not reflect the competitiveness it showed throughout the 2021 Central Highlands Football League season.
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Four of the Bulldogs' eight losses were by eight points or less.
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They trailed Waubra by just one point at three-quarter time in round nine and led Bungaree and Springbank at the final change in rounds 11 and 12, all games Daylesford went on to lose.
In round 10 it led Skipton at half-time and trailed by two goals at three-quarter time but went on to lose by eight points.
Bulldogs supporters are probably wondering why they are being made to live through these tough losses again.
It's because they highlight the side's ability to compete with the league's best teams.
Three of the four games mentioned were against eventual finalists and Bungaree who finished ninth, and they were all matches Daylesford feel it should have won.
For coach Hamish Jarrad there was a feeling of disappointment but positivity also on the year.
"Definitely a sense of disappointment. It was really good to see the playing group hurt more and more after every close loss," he said.
"I think the playing group is at a point now where they believe they can win those games and 2022 will be about creating a winning culture and ensuring we win those games."
It means the 2022 season has a positive outlook for the Bulldogs.
Daylesford's ability to compete strongly was especially impressive considering the brutal way its season began.
Co-captain Josh Cowan, a junior of the club that had returned for the 2021 season from St Mary's in Geelong, broke his leg in the opening term against traditional rivals Hepburn in round one.
An ambulance took 90 minutes to get to the ground and attend to Cowan, forcing the game to be abandoned and declared a draw.
Jarrad said he was impressed with how the side bounced back after the incident.
"Definitely really happy with our competitiveness," he said.
"We always knew depth was going to be a concern, to lose our two best players in Josh Cowan and Michael Cummings for the season (early) and several other key injuries early in the year I was really worried.
"With such a new group together it would've been easy for the boys to drop off and go through the motions but they fronted up every week and consistently put ourselves in positions to win games."
Christopher Peart and Scott Hughes were especially impressive on a regular basis all season long.
Peart finished high in The Courier's Central Highlands player of the year award, polling consistently all season.
Hughes finished third in the league's goalkicking award with 35 majors, three behind Gordon's Ashley Munari in second.
He averaged just under three goals a game.
The midfield is an area of focus for Daylesford in the off-season.
"We'll look to add some pace through the middle of the ground and strengthen our midfield," Jarrad said.
Record: 3-8-1, 29.17 per cent games won, 81.29 traditional percentage
Ladder position: 12th
Leading goalkicker: Scott Hughes (35)
Season:
Round one: drew with Hepburn
Round two: defeated by Rokewood-Corindhap 5.13 (43) - 14.11 (95)
Round three: defeated by Creswick 8.12 (60) - 10.7 (67)
Round four: defeated Ballan 11.13 (79) - 5.6 (36)
Round five: defeated Clunes 13.14 (92) - 10.6 (66)
Round six: defeated by Learmonth 8.13 (61) - 9.9 (63)
Round nine: defeated by Waubra 8.9 (57) - 13.6 (84)
Round 10: defeated by Skipton 3.12 (30) - 5.8 (38)
Round 11: defeated by Bungaree 5.9 (39) - 6.9 (45)
Round 12: defeated by Springbank 11.13 (79) - 11.0 (66)
Round 15: defeated by Gordon 8.4 (52) - 25.15 (165)
Round 17: defeated Beaufort 7.9 (51) - 4.5 (29)
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