Coburg Tigers coach Adam Potter said he had “flashbacks” to his round one loss against Sandringham last year when Northern Blues staged a final quarter comeback.
But the Northern Blues were unable to replicate the Zebras successful fight back in the final term of the Northern Derby, going down by 13 points with a string of injuries as Brittany Shanahan reports.
Dominating early on in the piece, it appeared that the Blues would run away with the win but Levi Casboult went down tearing a medial ligament, Matthew Watson copped a finger to the eye and Matthew Lodge hurt his knee, hampering the Blues rotations.
“Friendly fire, we seemed to smash each other – don’t worry about Coburg tipping us over,” Northern Blues coach Robert Hyde said on Saturday.
“I had no-body in the end,” Hyde explained.
Coburg had their own share of injuries, with Ben Griffiths leaving the field in the first half.
Tiger Gibson Turner turned it on in the second half, contributing to the change of momentum, attacking and running with the football.
Also impressing the Tigers coach was key position player Andrew Browne who played a key role deep in defence in the final moments of Saturday’s game.
“Defensively there were six or seven stoppages in a row inside their forward 50,” Potter said.
“It took time off the clock, Browne takes a good contested mark deep inside their forward 50 which probably iced the game.”
“I love coaching Browne.”
“Whenever he comes and puts a Coburg jumper on you know what you’re going to get from Browne.”
Hyde was left with no players to rotate off the interchange bench in the final term but believes the Blues endeavor was admirable and it’s not all bad news to come out of their first round loss.
“The last quarter we could’ve been blown a little bit out of the water but to their credit, their endeavor, their intensity and just effort to continue to try and have a presence is really pleasing,“ he said.
“It’s always disappointing to lose but at least I can take a positive out of it.”
Coburg is back at home again this week hosting fellow round one victor Casey Scorpions, whilst the Northern Blues host Williamstown at Visy Park.
Last Modified on 26/03/2012 14:55