YARRAVILLE-SEDDON coach David Connell has put the blowtorch on his players, saying their first half in an 86-point win over local rivals West Footscray at Shorten Reserve on Saturday was “definitely the worst” they have played in this Western Region Football League division 2 season.
The Eagles have played some breathtaking football in 2012 to be perched atop the ladder without defeat and are premiership favourites in some circles.
Connell told the Weekly he was not happy with the collective mindset of his players from the outset and praised the fire in the belly shown by the opposition, who had not played a competitive game in 17 days. “We were pretty ordinary in the first half and gave them a bake at half-time. We might have got a little bit complacent, to be honest. We were about 10per cent off and probably fortunate to be in front at half-time.”
The Eagles were much better after half-time, turning in a nine-goals-to-one third term to be out of sight of the home side.
Jason Harmes, nearly unseen in the first two quarters, responded to Connell’s words to finish with four goals in an eye-catching second half.
“He had a shocking first half and I gave him a bit of a spray individually,” Connell said.
“He set us alight in that third quarter and came out and kicked four goals.”
Harmes was not alone. A number of Eagles who found the going tough in the opening hour suddenly lifted after choice words from the coaching staff.
The few who produced for the full four quarters were Andy Willis, playing on the ball and using his penetrating kick to gain valuable metres; Steven D’Orazio, who kicked four goals from a wing; and Craig Wells in a lock-down defensive role.
Connell is hoping the Eagles have got that lacklustre performance out of their system in time for Saturday’s blockbuster with Coburg Districts at Yarraville Oval.
“I can guarantee you one thing: we won’t come out flat this week after what happened last week,” he said.
“The boys will be keen to turn it around.”
