Warriors fall in 4-0 loss
NORTH Geelong Warriors coach Luciano Trani says his side needs to improve their mental application after a dejecting 4-0 loss to the Goulburn Valley Suns on Saturday.
The Warriors started the match in their usual organised rhythm but an easy goal to the visitors against the run of play negated all their early momentum.
A second Suns goal from a set piece just moments later shook the Warriors and a comeback became highly unlikely in murky conditions.
A “disappointed” Trani said post-match his side’s desire to compete in the contest wasn’t there. “Today we were just second to the ball and Goulburn Valley were winning those contested efforts around the pitch and then hit us on the break,” Trani said.
“You can be as technical as you want but I think today it was all about the desire and you needed to win those 50-50 challenges.”
The Warriors looked unrecognisable to the Wednesday FFA cup side that hunted the ball and tackled with vigour, as a calamity of errors became infectious across the pitch.
The defensive unit wasn’t as compact as usual and once they conceded, the Warriors’ offensive fluidity then broke down, resorting to low percentage long balls as an avenue to goal. The second half provided more promise but a third goal conceded from a corner, ended all hope.
Stunningly it got worse, with a fourth goal to Goulburn Valley coming in the 70th minute, after keeper Marko Stevanja had the ball stolen from his grasp and could only watch as striker Cody Sellwood walked the ball across the goal line.
Trani said the three games in seven days was obviously a factor in the match and makes his analysis of the loss hard to judge.
“It was a tricky game. It came at a time when our resources aren’t where they need to be to cater for those three games in seven days,” he said.
“When we looked at the first six weeks, it was all very much away from home and with a settled team.
“Then came the cup. The cup became the one where we needed to make some changes.
“But we’ve got to be beyond that now. We have to accept there are going to be responsibilities and we’ve got to be up for it.”
The Warriors are still well placed on the top-half of the NPL2 ladder and their fans will be encouraged of their early season form, a motivator Trani will use in the upcoming games to reignite the belief. “We just have to look back on some of the earlier games and those good moments. Reflect on why we did certain things and how it came off,” he said.