Maroons Sunday - the coach was still great (can I blame the players?)

I tell you I was good! I was still in form from yesterday, had a good nights sleep, I felt good, I was switched on, I turned up to play etc etc

Sunday yuk!

Not a great day from the Maroons – I hope TH10 didn’t pass up another day of skiing to wait for score updates.
I think the pressure got to our guys. Never have we encountered so much official-dom. We had an official ref, we had 2 official linesmen, then we had an official dressed ready in case of an injury to the other 3 who doubled as the video umpire who also ended up running the bbq (and thanks for doing that Ian)

It must have been that because we came out flat (couldn’t be the coaches fault surely) The first 20 saw us play some really good soccer, ‘maybe even the best we’ve played all year’ per GP and it wasn’t until Dave McC suggested that all it takes is for them to go down once have their first shot and we could be 1 nil down to, well, you can imagine …. we were 1-nill down. Then 1 became 2 on the stroke of half time: a tackle was deemed late and just in the top corner of the box which allowed them to place the ball on the dot and put is away.

Second half saw a few more injuries develop: Dean did his hamstring, Kev had cramps in both calves and Shane did his knee again (hopefully not too bad) Graeme D coming back after ankle injury seemed to get through unscathed (I mean if his wife reads this he did play in goals…) and Fergus spent about $230 in tape Saturday night and wrapped it pretty much all around his body but he seemed ok at the end of the game. Jon got through but seemed to almost lose his tooth at one stage, got hit in the head a couple of times and had his legs taken from under him about 4 times (he’s loving this non-contact sport)

We really had some dominant moments in the second half but alas we couldn’t put the ball in the net. No room for Tom up front today as he was too busy going nose to chest (would have been chest to chest except the other guy was about 2 foot taller) Ian seemed to have a run everywhere and all attempts in trying to get Graeme P up front failed as he was just too solid down back. Hey Paul what did you do today? You whinged a bit but I can’t recall what else …. All through the middle tried valiantly, Gary H was solid down the right back and they didn’t get through him all day. But unfortunately the rain and the cold of Coledale just didn’t help our cause and we went down 2 zip.

In terms of my coaching career, well I sit on 50%, I am confident in my ability, and I have a board meeting Monday night where I plan to explain to them that we are in a ‘rebuilding phase’ and that like the Sydney Swans we do not want to bottom out, rather we will look to introduce some youth (there was that young number 8 for Figtree we could look to recruit, what a great effort that is!) and I am hoping to get it announced that I have the full support form the board which will mean I am safe for at least another week where we all join forces to do it all again.