By DAVID NAGEL
CASEY CARDINIA FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
THE VANQUISHED
IN the end – it was just a bridge too far for Cranbourne.
The resilient Eagles from Casey Fields seemed to be chasing their tails all season, with injuries and a tough run through September finally taking their toll in the second half of Saturday’s grand final against Beaconsfield.
But first year Cranbourne coach Scott Sutherland was offering no excuses after his side had finished runner-up for the third year in succession.
“They were too quick, efficient, and just destroyed us in the third quarter,” Sutherland recalled of Saturday’s six-goal-to-nil third term.
“We just couldn’t capitalise on our early chances, and we needed to because the game against Narre Warren was tough, and we were probably down on fresh bodies. They got on top and when they do that they just keep going.”
Sutherland said he wasn’t interested in excuses, but said there’s no doubt injuries to key players had hampered his side throughout the season.
“The facts are we were hit badly with injuries,” he said.
“Curtis (Barker) had a groin that he couldn’t get over, Marc (Holt) had the same issue with a calf, and then we had Cheekers (Ryan Davey) and the two Thommo’s (Matt and Michael Thompson) go down with serious injuries as well, and they’re all impact players.
“But the positive is we had a lot of players rotate through the senior side this year, we’ve got some good kids coming through, so there’s a really good opportunity to develop those players and get them fitter for next year.”
Sutherland said he enjoyed his first season at the helm but was looking forward to working with his core group of players to improve things even further for next year.
“I’ll sit down with the key players, like Marc Holt, Curtis Barker and Michael Boland and discuss what we need to tweak, and where we need to improve to take the next step,” he said.
“It’s important that we do that to make sure we build from here.”
Sutherland wanted to congratulate Beaconsfield coach Clint Evans on his team’s success.
“He deserves it, he’s a good bloke and a good coach and I congratulate him, he deserves his rewards.”
