St Albans far from its Best

ST ALBANS co-coach Hayden Best has launched a scathing critique of his players after a 16-point defeat to Lara that leaves its GFL survival beyond this season perilously placed.

Best labelled the Supersaints an “excusedriven football side” and believes the players just “want to do their own thing” rather than follow instruction. The first-year coach was exasperated postmatch after the Supersaints became the first side in 33 games to lose to the Cats.

“It’s a very excuse-driven football side at the moment, it really is,” he said.

“We haven’t got guys who are able to think their way through a game or follow basic instructions and they want to do their own thing.

“We’re all self-assessing and having a look at ourselves now. At the end of the day, if you can’t hit a 30m target it’s not going to work.”

Best admitted the loss was “tough to handle”, as he saw an 11-point buffer at quartertime quickly evaporate, becoming involved in a shootout from then on as both sides traded majors.

Best conceded the team he and brother Jarrod had at the moment was not at the level they thought they were inheriting this season.

“Me and my brother took on this role to coach in the GFL and coach a self-driven group and when we put structures out they’ll be able to follow them, but at the moment we haven’t got those guys,” he said.

“The work rate wasn’t there and the skill level wasn’t there and it keeps coming back to how much we want it and how much drive we have to play at this level. At the moment we’re lacking that and haven’t got it.”

Best was full of praise for Lara, who he says was “the better team and deserved to win the game.”