AFTER four straight defeats Camperdown co-coach Neville Swayn is hoping the Magpies can start to build some positive form after a confidence-boosting win over Hamilton Kangaroos on Saturday.
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The Magpies, who are co-led by Swayn and playing-mentor Jack Williams, claimed their first victory since round one with a gritty 8.14 (62) to 7.12 (54) win over the higher-placed Kangaroos at Leura Oval.
Swayn said his side had not shifted from the way he and Williams wanted it to play but that it just needed to work on its ball use.
"We have been positive internally and haven't deviated where we need to be and where we were at so this was good for our confidence," he said.
"Our start was good, our pressure was good and then our ball use was good, even when it was wet, so we are happy with that.
"We picked the right time to come into the middle and when not to. We hadn't deviated from how we go about that it was just good to finally execute it."
Swayn was pleased to have influential ball-movers Fraser Lucas, who returned from suspension, and Luke Clarke back in the side help lift the Magpies' skills.
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The game was a tale of two halves with the Magpies kicking 6.7 to 1.1 in the first half before the Kangaroos charged home with a wet sail to kick 6.11 to 2.7 in the final half to fall eight points short of their fourth win.
But coach Matt Dunn lamented how the Kangaroos started the encounter.
"We didn't adjust to conditions and our work rate wasn't at the level it needed to be," he said.
"We addressed it at half-time and I said I couldn't except what we were dishing up. Credit to Camperdown as they stepped up and played the conditions well and controlled the footy and positioned themselves well.
"The players need to have the right mindset. I put a fair bit of it back on them and making sure they turn up in the right mindset, ready to play."
The Kangaroos mentor said he expected at least one change to his side next week with Darcy Russell to be fit to play Warrnambool after recovering from a rolled ankle.
Camperdown, who have no new injuries, faces South Warrnambool next weekend.
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
