WHY NEAFL PREMIERS SOUTHPORT ARE YET TO HIT THEIR STRAPS
THE Southport Sharks are yet to reach the form of last year’s NEAFL premiership side but a run of five straight home games could help change all that.
The reigning premiers have had a brutal start to the 2019 season, playing five of their first seven games on the road while managing to come out with a 6-1 record to hold third on the ladder, one win behind leaders Brisbane.
Southport coach Stephen Daniel said the powerhouse side was still looking for constant improvement in a competition that had gone to another level in 2019.
“We haven’t hit our straps yet. We feel we are not playing as well as we were last year,” Daniel said.
“When you look back, last year was a massive year for us, only because of what Southport did the year before where they only won one game. Last year when you’re winning games everyone thinks you’re going really well.
“The stats will show from last year that we are very similar to this year.
“We are a little behind in a couple of areas and ahead in a couple of other areas. The competition itself without a doubt has certainly picked up.”
Daniel said the club’s offence had improved, scoring an average of 83 points per game, but they had slipped defensively, conceding 71 points on average.
“We seem to be scoring a little bit better this year than what we were last year and defensively we are probably not quite where we want to be at the moment,” Daniel said.
Southport will play the first of five straight games at Fankhauser Reserve this Saturday against Aspley and could have up to four players returning from injury, including Matt Shaw and Ryan Davis. Both will need to prove their fitness at training tonight.
Shaw is now tied for the lead on the NEAFL MVP leaderboard at 36 votes with Sydney’s James Rowbottom after missing recent weeks with a hamstring injury.
Shaw’s Sharks teammate Tyler Roos has also moved to within three of the leaders after polling nine votes in the team’s win over Redland last weekend.
WE HAVEN’T HIT OUR STRAPS YET. WE FEEL WE ARE NOT PLAYING AS WELL AS WE WERE LAST YEAR SHARKS COACH STEPHEN DANIEL