In an even more emphatic display than last week’s qualifying final win over Rutherglen, the Bulldogs have earned the luxury of a week off before a shot at breaking their TDFL premiership duck.

Thurgoona exploded out of the blocks once again and slammed on the first five goals of the match.

Aydan Brown and Todd Miller booted two goals each in the first term which ended with Mitta United rover Nathan Reynoldson sent from the ground with a yellow card for striking Bulldogs’ big man Josh Lloyd.

Lloyd, who sat out the final quarter and a bit of the qualifying final as a precaution, began the match on the bench before returning to the pine after the Reynoldson send-off.

Lloyd re-entered the fray after the break only to be helped off the ground with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

But again he returned to play a starring role in the second half demolition of Mitta United.

He pulled down some strong marks around the ground and booted two final term goals.

Kade Brown marshalled a tight-knit Thurgoona backline which kept Mitta United goal-less in the second term and to only five goals for the match.

Veteran forward Matt Fowler had a purple patch in the third term with three goals from strong marks close to the big sticks.

Ben Lloyd and Dylan Rake also provided the Bulldogs with plenty of run on the big expanses of Sandy Creek.

Four quarter contributors for Mitta United were difficult to pinpoint, but Jarrod and Sam Gorupic won their share of touches and key forward Alex Beggs was the team’s most threatening forward option.

The Bulldogs opted not to risk injured key defenders Mark Haydon and Tim Madden, who have another week’s rest to prepare for the grand final.

Coach Peter Copley couldn’t have wished for a better preparation for a shot at the flag.

“It was a decisive win and we were pretty clinical today,” he said.

“Their last hard game was us and probably came in a little bit underdone.

“But we were terrific and we’ve now got a headache at selection.”