By Trent Slatter
DARLING Downs coach Nick Barker believes the Demons can hold their heads high after Saturday's representative clash with the QAFA Amateurs at Warwick.
The QAFA Amateurs - which included players from north Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ipswich - proved too strong for the Demons as they romped to a 17.10 (112) to 9.9 (63) victory.
But the Darling Downs team didn't go down without a fight as it dominated the final quarter 5.5 to 3.0.
Barker admitted it was a tough challenge for the Darling Downs players but he was proud of their effort.
"The guys played well. They definitely put in a gutsy effort," he said.
"I think they were just stung by the speed and skill of the Brisbane guys.
"We worked hard to get back in the game.
That last quarter, I said to boys: 'Let's maintain some dignity for the Downs ... look at the scoreboard, it's shocking.'
"We dominated the forward entries. I wish the game went on longer. We really got on top of them in the last quarter.
"I'm really proud of the men. They were gallant in defeat and fought and fought."
The timing of the rep clash wasn't ideal for the Darling Downs with star players Brendan Iles and David O'Toole unavailable as they lined up for South Queensland in Brisbane on Sunday.
Barker said he was keen for the clash with the QAFA side to become a regular fixture and hoped to fix the scheduling issues for future matches.
"With just a bit more planning from myself and the league, I think we can make it a big event," he said.
"It's a wonderful opportunity and I think the talent we have here is very underrated."
Last Modified on 30/06/2014 14:41
