BEATEN SHARKS LEAVE NOTHING TO CELEBRATE
Sydney Sydney Uni Brisbane NT Thunder Aspley Canberra Gold Coast GWS Giants Redland Southport 3 1 1 1 4 6 6 6 terry.wilson@news.com.au 649 550 515 418 642 740 734 712 101 74.3 70.1 58.7 12 4 4 4 Thunder in the first and fourth quarters, the Sharks fell by 15.17 (107) to 10.5 (65) and never really threatened.
What went on in between those terms was pretty ordinary fare for the players from flag years in 1977, 1987 and 1997 to digest.
It was unacceptable and frustrated coach Nathan Bock said as much.
Take away lion-hearted Jack Anthony who kept gun Thunder spearhead Darren Ewing virtually kickless, rookie first-gamer Dylan Lancaster, fellow teen Jack O’Shea and in-and-under pair Seb Tape and Jordan Keras and there was nothing to warm the hearts of the ever-dwindling number of Southport faithful.
Bock simply does not have the cattle to muster a winning combination.
“The last two games have been disappointing,” Bock said of losses to Sydney Uni and the Thunder.
“Before that there were good efforts against quality sides. You can sort of cop getting beaten by Brisbane with 21 listed players and Sydney Swans with 18 and Sydney Uni are very good.
“You can accept that if the boys are having a crack and you can see the effort there.
“Today it wasn’t – they can’t leave it to four or five players.”
Young Lancaster, rookielisted from Broadbeach, was certainly exempt from blame.
“He was super – he had a go and that’s all you can ask,” Bock noted of the flanker.