A drop in effort after quarter time is what Daniel Charles ascribed to Officer’s second-half fade out to against Healesville.
After kicking five goals and only conceding one in the first quarter, the Kangaroos bounced into quarter time with a 25-point lead.
From that point on, they would only kick another four for the remainder of the game, where Healesville kicked a further nine, to claim an 11-point victory.
Officer kicked just one in the second term and was held goalless in the third, to find themselves down by 22 at the last break.
While they won the final quarter, the 10.12 72 to 9.7 61 result will no doubt sting over the long weekend.
“It was probably the best start we’ve had to a game so far this year,” Charles said.
“Our midfield got on-top early and we controlled the outside and our forward entries were really good.
“But after quarter time, they (Healesville) picked up their pressure, they controlled the outside of stoppages.
“They changed lanes really well, they pretty much beat us at the game we were trying to play.
“I think in the second quarter, the players thought, ‘we’re all over this mob’, and the effort dropped.
“A lot of blokes started looking to others to do the work, ‘If he does it, if someone else does the work, then I’ll get an easy kick’ and Healesville took full advantage of it.”
It’s a tough lesson to learn, but one that should stick with his chargers for the remainder of the campaign.
“They realise that once we play our game-style, it actually works,” he said.
“We went away from what we’ve been teaching; (we) went to down the line footy, which doesn’t suit our team.
“We’re a fairly small team apart from Troy Tharle down forward and (Mark) Seedsman when he’s playing, so we can’t afford to bomb the ball down the line.
“That’s what we did in the second and third quarter, and their backs took advantage of it.
“Their backs are pretty solid, they work well together, and when the ball was in their back half they spread really well, try to get the ball into the corridor and take the game on.”
Seedsman was initially named in the side on Thursday night but was ruled out on Friday after pulling-up tight from training.
Having kicked 19 goals for the season and sitting third on the leading goalkicker’s tally, the responsibility in his absence fell to Brent Moloney and Tharle, who kicked six between them.
But with just five individual goalkickers, it was their equal-lowest spread for the season.
With such an even competition in Division One, lapses like theirs on Saturday could prove costly later down the line.
“It was (disappointing) because we showed in the first quarter and second half of last quarter that our best is good enough, but not if you don’t apply it for the entire game,” Charles said.
“It’s too close of a contest with all teams now, that if you don’t do the work, you’re going to get beat.”
At Seville, a 10-goal haul from key forward Dominic Aloi was too much for an understrength Hallam, powering their way to a 102-point win.
Without key defender Aiden Paton and star midfielders Adam Nekic and Rory Mcivor, the Hawks were simply overwhelmed by Seville’s big bodies both in the midfield and up forward.
The floodgates opened after quarter time, where Seville kicked eight goals in both the second and third quarter to Hallam’s one in each.
Six shots on goal to seven in the final term displayed the Hawks’ resilience and reflects a spirited playing group under Scott Kerr, still fighting for that breakthrough victory in Outer East football.
Dean Kelly and Harry Shalassian’s stellar individual seasons continued for the Hawks, as did Matthew Neve’s.
Emerald recovered from a slow start against Belgrave to keep their undefeated streak alive.
After a bye in round six, the Bombers found themselves 25 points down at quarter time, but by half time they had equalised the contest to grasp a two-point lead.
While the Magpies were able to keep pace in the third quarter, a powerful final term saw Emerald kick away and finish 40 points in front, 16.21 117 to 11.11 77.
Lachlan Hoye, David Johnson and Noah Van Haren each kicked four for the Bombers as their potent forward line continues to fire, averaging 106 points per contest.
Seven rounds into the season and every side in Division One has now played one-another, making for an exciting back-half of the season.
Can anyone stop Emerald? When will Hallam get that elusive first win? Who from the muddle in the middle will emerge as a true contender?
Only time will tell.
