By: JAMES BRESNEHAN
But they fought their way back for what the coach described as an educational loss -- 16.8 (104) to 10.18 (78). ``The boys learned a lot more from losing than they would have by getting over the line by a few points,'' said coach Manny Lynch. After drawing with Gold Coast last weekend, the biggest lesson the lads learned yesterday was to come prepared. ``We weren't switched on early, we didn't come to play,'' Lynch said. ``That was uncharacteristic, but after we switched into game mode we won the next three quarters.'' Hard-working midfielders Marcus Davies, Jake Gillbee and Mark Marriott helped turn the tide. ``Their workrate and desire to swing the momentum of the game was first rate,'' Lynch said. He rated the Mariners' efforts highly against the Ranges, who have 11 players in the potent Vic Metro representative side. ``We feel we're ideally prepared for the championship, the loss not being too much of a negative,'' Lynch said. The Mariners' opening championship game is against Northern Territory at Carrara on May 23.
Last Modified on 03/05/2009 14:32