Chargers on high note despite twin setbacks

A DISAPPOINTING pair of SEABL road losses has done nothing to dampen Chargers coach Anthony Stewart’s optimism, despite him knowing every slip for the rest of the season could be pivotal.

Hobart crashed to defeats against Bendigo and Ballarat — handing top spot in the South Conference to the latter in the process — while allowing both teams and Dandenong to keep in the running for a top-two finish.

And despite the high stakes the side is now in every time it hits the floor, Stewart has faith in the ability of his squad.

“It was frustrating to say the least, out of the five games we’ve lost it’s a total of 15 points all up,” Stewart said ahead of tonight’s home clash against Albury-Wodonga at the DEC. “We have got to try and make sure we are a team that is winning those close games, we seem to be coming off the wrong end of the stick at the moment.

“We are either blowing teams out or losing the close ones. It’s something going into playoffs, if we get there, we have to take care of that.

“We have adjusted a few things and got back to some really tough training on Monday night. Hopefully the guys respond off the back of last weekend.”

The Chargers were not helped on Saturday night against the Miners by losing star Tom Garlepp seven minutes into the contest when he was ejected for a second team technical foul for flopping.

Stewart said he was baffled by the officiating all weekend, and will be asking for some clarification. “It’s confusing, both coaches I coached against, it is really hard to understand the way it is being officiated at the moment.

“You are lucky to see one or two flops a year, we saw five in that game. There is an issue there and we’ll certainly be speaking to the officiating team.

“We are still on top of our conference, though it has really tightened up now.

“You lose two games and you are back out of the four.”

Tip-off tonight is 8pm, with the women to start proceedings at 6pm.