There was no four points for a gallant Bendigo Gold yesterday but there was light at the end of the tunnel, writes David O’Neill
Gold’s 10-point loss to Coburg, which came after the visitors hit the front with only minutes left, was a turn-around of epic proportions.
A 175-point mauling at the hands of Williamstown last week had some critics questioning Bendigo’s place in the league.
But yesterday, coach Aussie Jones and his young players responded in the best possible fashion.
After a sluggish start against the breeze, Gold took it right up to Coburg and when captain Steven Stoobants kicked truly on his left from deep in the pocket, an upset victory loomed likely.
But with a fraction more composure and Richmond-listed players Robin Nahas and Luke McGuane standing tall, Coburg steadied with the last two goals of the match.
Jones said there were mixed emotions after letting the game slip but applauded his players for their commitment to the cause.
“I think they (the players) would have probably been forgiven by some if they’d struggled after last week, but their attitude and character yesterday was outstanding,” he said.
“We simplified things and identified three areas of focus, and we just didn’t have any passengers. When we looked around the room at the end of the day, everyone had played a role and you can’t ask much more than that.”
Jones said to get so close to the club’s first ever victory would serve as a valuable confidence boost for his chargers and hopefully reinforce that they’re heading in the right direction.
“We’ve got a lot of blokes who have come straight out of local footy and we’re still working on getting our structures right,” he said.
“Yesterday we had everyone buy in and commit to the structures and hopefully the guys can now understand that what we’ve been banging on about is actually pretty important.”
Daniel Toman was again a standout yesterday and the midfielder won high praise from his coach.
“He’s absolutely flying and just has an elite engine that allows him to run all day,” he said.
“They tried to tag him early on but he’s just very hard to stop.”
Stroobants, who finished with two goals, continues to lead Bendigo by example and according to Jones, is growing in stature every week.
“He was probably thrown into the captaincy earlier than expected but he’s just thrived with the responsibility and is just in our best six every week.”
Picture: Damian Visentini
Last Modified on 03/06/2013 14:20