BEYOND THE BOUNDARY – APRIL 15
Co-coach Jason Armistead is confident of a quick turnaround after Colac was on the end of a 69-point hiding from St Mary’s to open the new GFNL season.
The Tigers’ woes started before the first bounce, with co-coach Seb Ross injuring his calf, and it didn’t get any better.
Already missing co-captain Zach Zdybel, hard-as-nails midfielder Jarrod Walters, Geelong VFL-listed Geelong West recruit Ethan Liddle, and veteran Joffy Simpkin, Colac simply couldn’t get its hands on the ball.
The reigning premier racked up 493 disposals on the wide expanses of Central Reserve – 176 more than the Tigers.
The Saints were also +73 in contested possessions.
“St Mary’s were red hot and really clean. strong around the contest, and that’s where it started for them, and we just couldn’t match it,” Armistead said.
“We were just defending all day, and when you do that for a long period of time, you get worn out, and the floodgates opened in the second half.”
Colac makes its first trip to Geelong for the season for a meeting with Geelong West at Scaada Stadium, with Armistead keen for the Tigers to tidy up a couple of areas.
“It’s a little bit of ball movement that we need to work on,” he said. “And a little bit of pride in the way we perform as well.
“We’ve responded pretty well over the last 12 months when we’ve had a loss.”
Ross, Zdybel, and Liddle are all likely to be missing into May
Walters’ recovery from shoulder surgery for an injury sustained in last year’s finals series is expected to sideline him until mid-season.
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