Tigers into bye week with a win in Round 9

At the start of the season if you had said we could be sitting on top of the table at Round 9 and into the mid-season bye we would have been really pleased to take that. An indifferent start to the season; some real challenges through injuries to key players, a challenging schedule with games on 5 different days of the week within the first 9 rounds, and a really close competition where you have to be at your best consistently week after week. Round 9 against North Adelaide this was evident, and credit to them for the way they went about the contest from start to finish. We were made to earn that win and a very sore and exhausted playing group after the game told that story.

A slow start to the game and a really efficient opposition had us on the back foot throughout the first quarter; we were getting beaten around the contest and not quiet at the level defensively and this was compounded with some poor decisions by foot when we did have some opportunities. We were a little fortunate to be only 21 points down at the first break but did feel like we had got some momentum back late in the first period and some confidence to get ourselves back into the game. That has been one of the pleasing aspects in the first half of the year, we have found ourselves behind at times and been able to change little things and work the game back into our favour and that was the case in the second quarter, some exciting ball movement, much more energy and ascendency around contest allowed us to turn the 21-point deficit into a 10-point lead at half time.

The 2nd half became a really strong battle with both teams having strong periods, while we didn’t help ourselves at times again as we have throughout the year, we were able to be really strong late in the game and once we were able to get in front the maturity of our group to close out games is really pleasing. This is certainly an area of growth in the group that we have played out a lot in scenario training over a period of time. A strong result and a 5^th win in row, a credit to all in how they have gone about their work.

A really young Reserves group took the field in the early game, with some injuries through the group comes opportunity and a number of players went about it in a very impressive display especially throughout the 2^nd half. Over the last month or so this groups ability to defend the ground impressively and really challenge the opposition with strong ball movement has been a real highlight. It is exciting to see the growth across the group in all areas.

Our playing and coaching group head into a well-earned week off before we head into the second half of the season. The rest has come at a good time for a number of players with some little niggles that they can get on top of and more importantly allows everyone to get a mental refresh and then come back and hit the ground running. We have put ourselves in a strong position but are well aware of the work we need to do and look forward to getting after it.

Thank you to all of our outstanding supporters that have turned up and got behind us week after week, we look forward to what the second half of the year brings

Go The Bays

– Darren Reeves, Senior Coach

Goal kickers: Allen (2), Bell (2), McBean (2), Reynolds (2), Gould, Kuller, Stagg, Stretch

Best Players: Holder, Allen, Walker, McBean, Kitschke, Curran