Kingscliff - 0 . 1 . 1
Byron Bay - 8 . 6 . 54
We were up against it from the get-go as we made the trek down to Byron Bay with a number of players out and a few key players carrying injuries into the game. And the large expanse of Cavanbah was a tough and soggy deck, with the heavy mud slowing down the runners and making for slippery conditions.
Then the Magpies proceeded to come out hard and fast, with a high pressure attack on the footy that our boys couldn’t match. The Dolphins were caught on the back foot, and Byron Bay constantly pressured and out muscled our boys in the contests and were hungrier for the ball. They were also very effective at finding space and we had trouble defending them as they moved the ball down the field. Our boys still worked hard which is always good to see, but the Magpies were dominant throughout the game and it showed on the scoreboard.
To the boys credit, the final quarter was a much more even battle. The Dolphins fought well to stay in the contest and managed to get the ball into our forward line several times, but we still struggled to get on the scoreboard. It was a tough day for the team but a good learning experience that we can take on board for future games.
Daniel was our player of the match, he didn’t back down all day and continually attacked the ball under high pressure. Milan carried a knee injury into the game but still managed to have a strong impact for us. Bohdi and Mason matched the intensity of Byron Bay and played very well. Billy and Boyd were impressive and worked hard under heavy attack in our back line.
At training we’ll focus a bit more on pressure contests, shepherding and getting the ball out quickly. These Div 3 teams with some stronger players are going to apply a lot of pressure, so the boys are going to have to use their bodies, get their hands dirty, and get some quick handpasses going.
This week we are playing at home (Murwillumbah) vs the Ballina Bombers, go Dolphins!
