A week on from reaching the dizzying heights of slaying the mighty Sandringham Dragons, the Murray Bushrangers boys were dragged back down to ground level at the weekend.
The Bushies fell to Geelong Falcons 8.11 (59) to 7.7 (49) in treacherous conditions at Chirnside Park in Werribee, the slick surface capitalised on by a handy opposition.
Jason Wells, who commandeered the Murray outfit on the day, cited a lack of effective ball movement high up the park as crucial during the 10-point loss.
“They probably just took advantage of territory a little bit more than we did through the game,” he said.
“It was really slippery down at Werribee on Sunday, you could get the ball deep into your forward line and set up behind the footy, that was probably going to be the team’s advantage.
“We probably didn’t utilise that when we had enough of the footy — the stats indicated we were pretty similar to them, we just were too shallow on our entries across half forward and that meant they got a lot more territory inside their forward 50.”
The Bushies maintained, if not controlled, the tempo for most of the first quarter, but it was the Geelong outfit to shoot into the first break a goal up thanks to a scoring effort deep into the opening quarter.
A similar trend swept the second term, and at the main change a sole major remained the difference.
However, the Bushies would be caught napping later on, allowing an assault on goal they wouldn’t recover from.
A barrage in the final six minutes of the third quarter allowed the Falcons to tick the scoreboard over at a rapid rate, kicking three goals including one before the siren to steam 20 points ahead.
Though Wells’ boys clawed the margin back inside 10 points, an opportunity deep inside 50 went begging with a minute to spare and that was all she wrote.
Shepparton United’s Oscar Ryan strung together yet another consistent performance, as did Mooroopna’s Coby James, while Euroa’s Darby Wilson battled valiantly at full back.
“Overall it was more of a consistent team effort without anyone standing out and having 30 touches and 10 tackles sort of thing,” Wells said.
“But it was pleasing, it was a big improvement from when we played them six weeks ago over in Bendigo.”
The Bushrangers hit the road again on Saturday, taking on Northern Knights at Preston City Oval.
It shapes as a shot at redemption for the side after falling to the Knights by a painful seven points back in round two.
“We had our chances last time we played them over at Wang, I think they kicked the last six or seven goals of that game when we were four or five goals up,” Wells said.
“Heading into the last quarter of that one, we probably should have put that one away.
“It’s another great challenge for the boys on the road again, six-day break and back to Melbourne but I think the kids are used to it.”
The Bushrangers girls take on the Knights in the later time slot, and will have pushed last week’s 81-point loss behind them with a clean slate prepared.
Emma Mackie’s side went down 12.17 (89) to 1.2 (8) against an in-form Geelong Falcons, and still remains in search of its debut win of the 2023 Coates Talent League season.