PORT Fairy coach Emma Cust is optimistic the Seagulls can climb the ladder in the second half of the season after pushing reigning premier North Warrnambool Eagles on Saturday.
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Cust warned rivals not to underestimate her young and improving side after the 55-44 loss to the second-placed Eagles at Gardens Oval.
While the seventh-placed Seagulls have only one win from their seven games, they have had draws against fifth-placed Portland and sixth-placed Camperdown.
The injury-ravaged Seagulls produced another throw-together team, including new faces Jess Wheadon, of Birregurra, and free agent Sinead Guthrie.
Cust said the different-looking side might have unsettled the Eagles, because regular goal shooter Emily Forrest started at goal attack, her sister Annie at wing attack and teenager Carly Watson at goal shooter.
“I was stoked with how much of the play we had,” Cust said.
“If we hadn’t thrown a few bad passes we would have been a chance. North weren’t really firing and our girls got a lot of turnovers in defence.”
Cust said the errant passing could be rectified.
“People are writing us off, beware the underdogs. The only teams we haven’t been competitive against are Koroit and Hamilton Kangaroos. We have a young side and I think we will come good in the second half of the season. We will only improve.”
Eagles coach Sharon Kenna said the Eagles were below their best.
“It wasn’t super convincing (by us),” she said.
“We had a slow start and Port Fairy played really well. It took us a while to get into the game. I think we got to 15 goals ahead but we just didn’t finish off.
“I had to get the girls revved up at half-time. The third quarter we played much better and we only probably played one really good quarter and the others were serviceable.”
Cust warned rivals not to underestimate her young and improving side after the 55-44 loss to the second-placed Eagles at Gardens Oval.
While the seventh-placed Seagulls have only one win from their seven games, they have had draws against fifth-placed Portland and sixth-placed Camperdown.
The injury-ravaged Seagulls produced another throw-together team, including new faces Jess Wheadon, of Birregurra, and free agent Sinead Guthrie.
Cust said the different-looking side might have unsettled the Eagles, because regular goal shooter Emily Forrest started at goal attack, her sister Annie at wing attack and teenager Carly Watson at goal shooter.
“I was stoked with how much of the play we had,” Cust said.
“If we hadn’t thrown a few bad passes we would have been a chance. North weren’t really firing and our girls got a lot of turnovers in defence.”
Cust said the errant passing could be rectified.
“People are writing us off, beware the underdogs. The only teams we haven’t been competitive against are Koroit and Hamilton Kangaroos. We have a young side and I think we will come good in the second half of the season. We will only improve.”
Eagles coach Sharon Kenna said the Eagles were below their best.
“It wasn’t super convincing (by us),” she said.
“We had a slow start and Port Fairy played really well. It took us a while to get into the game. I think we got to 15 goals ahead but we just didn’t finish off.
“I had to get the girls revved up at half-time. The third quarter we played much better and we only probably played one really good quarter and the others were serviceable.”
