FOOTSCRAY has drawn criticism from coach Junior Naufahu for “slackening off” in the second half of a 22-13 loss to Power House in the Victorian Rugby Union premier division at Henry Turner Reserve on Saturday.
The Bulldogs made all the play in the first half and scored the opening two tries of the match through Isaako Tuifeai and Stanley Ili, but like seven days earlier, could not sustain it for the full 80 minutes.
“We lost that hunger that we had in the first half,” Naufahu told the Weekly.
“You can’t just perform in one half and expect to win.
“It’s something to learn from that once you have a lead, you have to build on it and try to get points on that board to make it harder for the other team to come back.”
The Bulldogs’ problems stem back to their blunt attack.
They did a lot of things right, enthusiastically getting to the breakdowns, working their way into good field position and feeding the ball on a platter to their backs. But they struggled to put the finishing touches on their attacking moves.
“Our go-forward ball and our pods were working well in the first half,” Naufahu said.
“The urgency to the breakdowns was positive for us and we set up good ball for the backs.
“We couldn’t execute [at the end of plays] and put the points on the board. It’s frustrating when you know the boys have it in them.”
Tim Diack was best for the Bulldogs for the second week running.
The right flanker was a “nuisance” for a Power House team featuring three Rebels-listed players.
“He was making tackles and turning over ball, and his line breaks are what I am looking for every game,” Naufahu said.
Michael Toetu had a superb game at full-back.
Toetu gave up centimetres in height, but made up for that with a lionhearted performance. “He’s probably one of the smallest players on the team,” Naufahu said.
“The way he defended yesterday, he made some big crunching tackles to turn over the ball and it was spectacular to watch. It shows that rugby is not about size, it’s what you have inside of you.”
Young prop Sione Naufahu rose to the challenge of senior rugby.
The 20-year-old thrived on the physical battle.
“He was very impressive, really aggressive on contact and that’s what I’m looking for in that position because it’s a really tough position to play, especially in the senior grade,” Naufahu said.
“You’re coming against more experienced guys, guys who are more physical, and he stepped up.”
The Bulldogs will face an equally desperate Box Hill on the road on Saturday.
Both teams are looking for their first win of 2013.
Premier 1: Footscray 13 Power House 22
