By Marcus Uhe
Berwick Springs co-coach Hayden Stagg is calling for a four-quarter effort as his Titans look to break their winless start to the Outer East Football Netball’s Premier Division season.
A 43-point loss at home to Upwey Tecoma saw the Titans fall to 0-4 on Saturday, going down 6.3 39 to 11.16 82.
Berwick Springs was held goalless in the second term while the Tigers added four goals of their own to grow the lead to 34 points at the half, ultimately deciding the outcome of the game as the Titans failed to recover the deficit, with both sides kicking four goals in the second half.
Stagg believes his side allowed the visitors to “dictate the game to us” in the second quarter, as his backs struggled to cope with an overwhelming number of inside 50 entries.
“We were turning the ball over going forward and they were able to slingshot it the other way, but we couldn’t adjust to it on the ground,” he said.
“It’s just one of those things, we have to try to find a way to slow it down when it does happen.
“It is what it is, it’s just something we’ll have to learn from next time we play them.”
The second term on Saturday was the fourth quarter in which the Titans failed to kick a goal in 2024, making them unwanted leaders in that statistic, tied with Emerald after four weeks.
A combination of turnovers in the middle of the ground that put the back six under immense pressure and the gelling of a list that experienced major turnover from 2023 are contributing factors, along with making the jump to the top flight.
Stagg, however, remains confident that his side can get some wins on the board, despite a sluggish start to the season.
“We started well, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to put four quarters together all year in every game,” Stagg said.
“We keep playing three quarters and you can’t do that in Premier Division, you can’t give teams one quarter because they’ll run away with it.
“When we move the ball well in patches, we can see that we’re able to score and we’re able to keep up with teams, it’s just, if we keep turning the ball over and giving teams the ball back all the time, how do you find a way to score when you keep doing that?
“I think it’s also perceived pressure; the boys probably don’t realise that two or three seconds more that they do have, and when the heat’s on in the game, like it was against Upwey and all the other teams that we’ve played, it’s in the back of your mind that ‘I’ve got to get rid of the ball as fast as I possibly can,’ instead of realising that you’ve got that one or two seconds to kick the ball or handball it nicely.
“Once they figure out the speed of it all, we’ll be right.”
Michael Misso continues to lead the charge from the midfield alongside Chris Johnson, while teenager Jake Whittingham kicked two goals on senior debut for the Titans.
In other Premier Division contests, Gembrook Cockatoo’s poor kicking for goal and a slow start came back to bite them in a 17-point loss to Mt Evelyn on the road.
The Brookers allowed five goals to three in the opening term and kicked 6.12 (48) for the remainder of the afternoon, where the Rovers were a more accurate 9.11 (65).
Key position pillars Ben Schultze, Michael Firrito and Patrick Snoxell continue to hold the side in good stead, with recruit Cory Phillips also making an impact in the middle of the ground.
Gembrook Cockatoo has now kicked 13.30 in its two losses, compared to 20.19 in its two wins.
Wandin, meanwhile, was unable to overcome local rival Woori Yallock at home, as the Tigers remain undefeated.
The Bulldogs kicked 5.4 to 1.5 in the third quarter to cut the lead from 24 points to just one at the final break, but the visitors found another gear in the final term to finish 11-point victors, 14.15 99 to 12.16 88.
Olinda Ferny Creek, meanwhile, continues to impress, defeating Monbulk by 34 points to notch a third win for the season.
