WARRNAMBOOL is looking to protect an envious record when it faces North Warrnambool Eagles tomorrow.
The second-placed Blues, who pride themselves on consistency, are aiming to avoid consecutive losses for the first time this season, while their opponents are searching for consecutive victories for just the second time in 2012.
The last time the Blues lost two in a row was in rounds 15 and 16 last year. Coach Scott Carter said his players were keen to win again.
“It’s a chance to bounce back and not to lose two in a row,” he said.
“I think our effort and endeavour were quite good last week but we need to work on some little facets. We need to be a bit cleaner with our ball use and we need to push a bit more to be more accountable.”
Carter said the Blues were wary of the Eagles.
“North Warrnambool obviously have everything to play for. They seem to have found some good form and have most of their key personnel back.”
He said contested balls were crucial on the small confines of Bushfield Recreation Reserve.
Carter said the return of versatile key position player Andrew McCarthy from a broken thumb was timely, giving the Blues an extra big man in attack.
Eagles coach David Haynes, who had the luxury of naming an unchanged line-up after last week’s 68-point win over Terang Mortlake, said his side was upbeat about tomorrow’s challenge. Sitting sixth, one game out of the five, Haynes said the Eagles needed a win and to curtail brilliant Blues forwards Jason Rowan and Travis Graham.
“Hopefully we can win the ball in the middle and stop the supply to Rowan and Graham,” he said.
Haynes said he couldn’t take much from the Eagles’ 35-point loss to the Blues in round six.
“We went over the tape. Blokes just didn’t work hard enough,” he said.
grbest@standard.fairfax.com.au
