After a winless 2011 where his club was relegated from Division 1 for the first time in its 54-year history, Gray can’t help but be proud of his club’s response this year.
The Bulldogs won 14 of 18 home and away matches to finish second on the Division 2 ladder behind Epping, before taking it right up to the Blues in one of the greatest grand finals in league history.
Despite heading into the decider as the rank outsider, North Heidelberg led Epping by 32 points early in the third term before succumbing to a four-point loss.
While it was a heartbreaking end to a successful season, Gray said it was ultimately the best team who won on the day.
"At the end of the day (Epping) had far more scoring shots and if we’d won it we probably would have pinched it,” Gray told NFL.org.au.
“It was disappointing because we played as well as we could on the day against a good side but we just weren’t good enough in the end.”
A diplomatic Gray said the Grand Final result didn’t dampen a positive season for his club where it won back pride after the worst season in its history a year prior.
“From our club’s point of view, and although we didn’t win the seniors or reserves grand finals, we thought we improved dramatically in other areas,” he said.
“Our training numbers had been an issue for a number of years but were up considerably this year. There was also a number of good developing guys who played senior footy last year.
“There were a lot of positives taken out of the season.”
Gray revealed he was sceptical as to how his team would respond at the beginning of the season.
Despite the Bulldogs eventually winning nine of their opening 11 matches, Gray said it took until halfway through the season for his list to play with full confidence as a result of the mental battering they received a year earlier.
“The season before took a lot out of everyone at the club,” Gray said.
“The confidence of the playing group was non-existent (after the 2011 season).
“I think if you look at the first five or ten games of this year our margins when we were winning were not great because the list was still trying to find its way after a difficult year. We were also trying to build the team with a number of new faces in it.
“Later in the year we finally started to hit our straps.”
Two of the standouts for North Heidelberg throughout the 2012 season were teenage midfielder Matthew Mahony and spearhead Shane Harvey.
Mahony, a former Yarrambat junior, dazzled in hid second season of senior football. He played 20 games to add to his 11 from last season and managed to boot 22 goals, including two in the Grand Final.
His efforts have earned him a trial with VFL club Northern Blues with Gray hopeful the youngster can secure a regular game with the Blues.
Harvey’s effort to claim the competition leading goalkicker award drew great praise from his coach.
After returning to Shelley Street Reserve in Round 6 after a short stint with Southport, the silky forward booted 83 goals in the regular season and added another 20 majors in the finals series – including nine in the Grand Final where he was adjudged best afield.
“Shane is obviously our headline player and for him to produce what he did after an interrupted start to the season is a credit to himself,” Gray said.
“He didn’t miss a night’s training and he was as dirty as anyone at the club when we didn’t win on Grand Final day.
“I think he’s set for a pretty decent year if his attitude and desire stays the way it is at the moment.”
With Harvey patrolling the forward line and an experienced midfield to continue in 2013, Gray said he would spend the pre-season strengthening the club’s defence as it looks to go one step better next year.
“Our whole summer is going to be about shoring up our defence and adjusting our game plan to help out our defenders,” he said.
“(Last year) we wanted to be aggressive with how we moved the footy forward but we probably didn’t put enough time into our defence. That probably got exposed a bit on Grand Final day with Epping having 14 more scoring shots.
“We think we’ve got a pretty decent midfield and a really potent forward line so if we can get our defence in order we think we’ll take some beating.”
North Heidelberg’s entire 2012 playing list looks like continuing with the club next year, and will be joined with returning pair Blake Holmes and Josh Gilbert.
Gray said the duo would have an immediate impact on the senior side, particularly Gilbert who he rated as arguably the best full back in Division 1 when he last played for the Bulldogs.
Jarrod King will also return to the playing field after missing almost the entire 2012 season through injury, ensuring the Bulldogs have far more depth next season.
But despite possessing a stronger line-up, Gray anticipates Whittlesea – returning from a two-year stint in Division 1 – will be the team to beat heading into the new season.
“I expect Whittlesea will start short-price favourites,” he said.
“They beat Northcote Park last year and matched it with most sides in Division 1 in probably the closest season in Division 1 of all time.
“I think they’ll be the side who everyone is trying to knock off but if we improve enough we’ll give ourselves every chance to go one better.”
