Ruck linchpin boosts Sharks

THE return of ruck dominator Jack Siggins and a home deck gives minor premier Dodges Ferry an advantage going into its SFL second semi-final against the Huonville Lions today, says Sharks forward Ed Stanley.

Siggins missed the Sharks’ last game of the season, but a week off for finishing on top of the ladder helped the Dodges big man to get back.

Stanley said the Sharks are rested and champing at the bit.

“We’ve played two games in the last five weeks so the boys are fresh as they should be, so we will be ready to go,” he said.

Stanley, whose best effort around goal this season is a bag of eight, said Dodges rated Huonville as “very dangerous”.

“You only have to look at the past six weeks, they are clearly the form side of the competition,” he said. “In the second half of the season they have turned it around and are playing sharp footy.

“We went to Huonville a month ago and got taught a lesson about how well they are playing.

“Any side that can go to Anzac Park and beat Lindisfarne in a final like they did last week is playing really good footy.

“They’ve got matchwinners all over the ground — forward, mid and back — so we rate them very highly.”

There was an lesson from their thrashing.

“Don’t start slowly, because they will kick goals and kick them quickly,” Ed said.

“We can’t afford to get beaten in the middle as much as we did that day.

“There are other things we know we didn’t execute well and also we learned some things to put in place for this game as well.”

Lions coach Tim Lamprill said with a spot in the grand final at stake, his side was ready to fire.

“Every game is important, but the reward for winning this one is what we all play footy for,” he said.

“It’s just playing team footy is what we want to keep rolling with.” important Huonville