Mathoura unable to cut it against strong Katunga

By Oliver Shedden

Apr 21, 2024

Forward press: Mathoura's Jacob Simpson looks to pass the ball to a teammate up field. File photo. Photo by Steve Huntley

Injuries and absences hampered Mathoura en route to its defeat at the hands of Katunga in round four of the Picola and District Football League at the weekend.

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The 95-point hiding contrasted the Timbercutters’ efforts the week before when they bested Blighty by 69 points.

Despite fill-ins playing their role and a great all-round effort from reserves call-up Ollie Connors, who was listed among the team’s best on ground, Mathoura’s slow start meant Katunga ran away with the contest 15.18 (108) to 2.1 (13).

Coach Tim McCormick attributed the loss to a lack of intensity early on and Mathoura’s inability to move the ball forward.

Yet, he was impressed with how the team rallied in the second half by placing defensive assignments on Katunga’s midfielders and forwards, stemming the flow of goals.

“We were just slow out of the blocks. Katunga is a very well-drilled team. We knew we were in for a tough day because they played the reigning premiers and runners-up in the first two games,” McCormick said.

“Our second half was much better; we were more accountable, we were just too loose, and we couldn’t get the ball forward in the first half, which really hurt us.

“We gave our guys a couple of jobs to try and curb some of their better players, which seemed to work in the second half, but we were too far behind at that stage.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t simultaneously put the score on the board to start pegging it back.”

McCormick could not blame injuries to key players Sam McHale and James Mackenzie and their Lachlan Carmody’s absence for Mathoura’s failure, as their replacements did their job.

Yet, McCormick wondered whether the deficit would have been smaller if the side was at full strength.

“The guys that came in for replacement did their role; injuries just hurt our structure a little bit when we’ve got guys playing in certain positions, and suddenly we have to mix it around,” he said.

“It’s probably had some sort of impact, but we can’t use it as an excuse for not winning the game.

“Would we have been more competitive if guys weren’t out? More than likely, but the guys that came in played great; young Ollie Connors, who came up from the seconds, was in our best on the weekend, so he did really well.”

McCormick was pleased that the team will have a bye in round five to regroup and iron out some aspects of the game.

The Timbercutters hope to mount a strong return when they play Yarroweyah in round six.

“Having the bye this week has come at a good time after yesterday. We suffered a few injuries the week before, so we will be addressing our sense of structure,” McCormick said.

“We’ve backed ourselves to pressure around the footy, which was lacking yesterday, we will get back to basics with that.

“We have to be more switched on at the start of games; we’ll have a few solid sessions next week with the bye, so we will try and put some things into play.”