By MARK HEENAN
OCEAN Grove coach Wayne Walsh says the Grubbers need to execute their skills better against the BFL’s elite following a heavy loss to Geelong Amateur on 9 April.
The reigning BFL premier unfurled the flag at Queens Park in style with an 11-goal win over the Grubbers last Saturday.
Even without gun ruckman Peter Street and suspended midfielder Baden Dodd, Amateur, which had up to six stars missing from last year’s BFL premiership team, was too strong for Ocean Grove. The absence of Amateur sharpshooter Mitch Day, who missed with a hamstring injury, allowed Kristian Bucovaz to shine in front of goal with five majors.
Walsh said critical turnovers and Amateur’s six goals to Ocean Grove’s one in the second term had killed off any hopes of a Grubber revival. Ocean Grove went into the quarter-time break on even terms with both teams locked at 19 apiece.
“We started well, we just had a bad 15 minutes in the second quarter, which killed us,” Walsh told the Voice.
“We just turned the ball over all day, they (Amateur) would have got 10 goals from our turnovers – so that’s (almost) the difference in the margin. You can’t play footy that way – it is as simple as that. There are so many things we need to improve on against the good sides – it is (our) execution with the footy.”
A collision injury to Grubber prized recruit and on-baller James Linton, who later returned in the final half, restricted his side’s impact.
“We were playing really well and it stopped our momentum and it hurt us,” Walsh said. “There was a heavy collision – he (Linton) played the game out, but he could not play the way he wanted.”
Amateur, which led by 24 points at three-quarter time, went on a goal rampage in the final term with eight goals compared to Ocean Grove’s one. Despite the loss Walsh saw some positives from Ocean Grove’s midfield with its centre clearances wins.
“We won with centre clearances if that’s any indication that is pretty good,” he said.
The Grubbers sit in fifth position with a 2-1 record after three rounds with home wins against Drysdale in round one and Portarlington in round two. Ocean Grove will now meet Modewarre this Saturday at Community Bank Oval at 2.10pm.
“We’ve got to win this week, I think we will be better for the run against Amateur,” Walsh said.
