Mudcrabs down but not out
THE Mudcrabs slumped to a second straight loss against an FNQ powerhouse but coach Russell Todd is optimistic about his enthusiastic side’s progress this season.
The Mudcrabs fell 33-12 to a Southside Crusaders outfit yet to lose a game this year.
Todd said the contest was far closer than the end result, the Crusaders blowing the young Mudcrabs away as the game reached its end.
But importantly for Todd’s men, it showcased a character the side has striven to show in a tough season to date.
“They’ve got that perfect blend of size and speed and they use it so well,” Todd said.
“We gave away a lot of size compared to them but the boys stood up physically and battled them at the line.”
Southside crushed almost every team it played in the first seven rounds of the competition, but the nippy Northern Beaches outfit kept the Crusaders’ attack at bay.
The Mudcrabs’ 12 points was the most Southside has conceded in one game per year, equalling reigning premiers Barron Trinity’s effort in the fourth round.
“The past three weeks we’ve had a good win against Penrhyn then played the top two teams,” Todd said.
“We were in each of those games until the end.”
The Mudcrabs will regroup ahead of a clash with Brothers Cairns, who slumped to their fourth straight loss against Barron Trinity last week.
It is a big week for the Northern Beaches club, who will host a reserve grade double header on Friday night ahead of an A-grade triple header on Saturday at the Crabpot.