No excuses as Saints face up to early test
We need to win – it’s as simple as that, says playing coach Lamprill
THEIR TOP EIGHT TO 10 PLAYERS ARE REALLY QUALITY FOOTBALLERS CAMERON CAMPBELL, SOUTH CAIRNS CUTTERS
IT IS not very often a club like Cairns Saints play a “massive, massive game” in April.
Those types of games are usually saved for the final day of the AFL Cairns season or maybe a preliminary final at a stretch.
But, the boys from Griffiths Park find themselves in a fair predicament just six rounds into the 2017 campaign.
Saints playing-coach Tim Lamprill says there are “no excuses” for their poor performance last Saturday night as they were belted by Manunda by 73-points at Cazalys Stadium.
Saints play their first game of the season at home today as they host South Cairns, the club they knocked over in the 2015 decider.
There has been a “back to basics” focus this week for Saints as they look to regain their focus on contested footy against the deep midfield of the Cutters.
“It is a massive, massive game,” Lamprill said.
“We have got to bring that contested footy back to the table and win it in tight and then get it out to our runners.
“We did not win it in tight last weekend against Manunda so that will be a big focus for us.
“It is a massive game in terms of if we can stay in touch with the top two or you do not.
“We need to win, simple as that.”
Lamprill was pleased with the first-up performance of recruit Oliver Wetzlar, who came through the Sydney Swans Academy and played for Sydney University recently, and expects him to further improve with the more footy he plays. Saints have brought in some much needed speed with Fitzroy Greenwool and Tui Lowah named.
Cutters did not play their best footy on Tuesday against North Cairns but they did enough.
On-baller Hayden Pyke will bolster Cutters engine room while spearhead Paul Smith will again miss.
Playing-coach Cameron Campbell said his Cutters will take a leaf out of the Hawks book.
“It is a short turnaround for us after the Anzac Day game but we always set ourselves for Saints,” Campbell said.
“They were not great against Manunda by the sounds of it but in saying that, they knocked off Centrals a few weeks ago.
“Their top eight to 10 players are quality footballers.
“With Cairns Saints, they just control the footy, they obviously did not do that against Manunda because of Hawks pressure so we will look to do that too.”
Jesse Ritchie will be missing from the Saints side after he copped a one-week ban for an intentional or careless bump last week against Hawks.
At Crathern Park, Centrals will be without Aaron Robins after he accepted a week for striking as they host North Cairns.
Cairns City Lions travel to Port Douglas to complete the round.