COACH LAMENTS LACK OF ‘TOP-END’ PLAYERS
IF the GFL had won, it may just have been its greatest triumph in a glittering six-year run.
But the region’s premier league was left to rue a collection of stars who did not play in Saturday’s 42-point loss to Eastern Football League.
While the side that was picked by first yearcoach Clinton Wells was strong enough to win the match, the margin of error was minimal with a lack of interleague experience across nearly every line.
Wells would not be drawn into excuses, simply conceding the EFL was “too strong”.
But Wells did admit missing top-end star power like Joffy Simpkin, Billie Smedts, Sam Darley, Campbell Floyd, Jordan Keras, Tom Gillies and Tony Armstrong did not aid their cause at chasing a sixth-straight interleague title.
“We had a squad of 42 and brought two or three into that, and there was still 20-odd who were unavailable, whether it was through injury, going away or through the VFL unavailability and I think a lot of them were top-end players. It does hurt,” Wells said.
The silver lining, however, came through the exposure to the big occasion some of the younger and less experienced stars of the competition received, with St Mary’s young gun Jack Blood taking out the best-afield medal with a tenacious and dogged display through the backline and midfield.
“‘Bloody’ was brilliant going down back with his pace, defending first and then using his pace out,” Wells said.
“We had to get him in the midfield because we needed him around the footy, so he was brilliant.
“Marcus Thompson — only 23 years old — but his pressure and his pace was brilliant also.”