PLAY with dare.
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That's the encouragement from coach Ben Kenna as his young Terang Mortlake side prepares to play ladder-leader Koroit.
The Bloods posted their lowest score (19 points) of the Hampden league season when they last faced the Saints in round two.
The 140-point drubbing is also their heaviest defeat after 10 games.
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"The first time we played them we were too conservative and too careful," Kenna said ahead of the round 11 contest at Terang.
"Even though you're playing a good side, you need to have a bit more dare in your game to put a little bit more pressure on them to defend you.
"Don't go into your shell too much otherwise it's easier for them to get it on their terms.
"It will be easier said than done."
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Terang Mortlake, which has won two matches, would need to "be positive and believe you can be competitive".
Koroit has kicked more than 100 points a match in nine of its 10 games in 2021.
"It is one quarter at a time and break it down like that," Kenna said.
"We don't want to make it easy for Koroit for too much of the game."
Terang Mortlake wants to find highlights in each match.
Some of its emerging footballers are making progress, such as Will Kain, who is third on the league goal-kicking tally, forward Harvey Roberts and ruckman Darcy Hobbs.
"Some of the young players are showing good signs," Kenna said.
"Harvey I thought played a pretty strong game (against Camperdown) for a young player.
"He's been in the seniors most of the year but then went back to the under 18s for two weeks and has come back the last two games.
"He's been used mostly forward but he can play wing and we probably need to try him in the back line at different stages too."
Teenager Hobbs is shouldering the ruck load for the Bloods with his agility and groundball work impressing.
"He had a lull for a few weeks but he was strong (on the weekend) which helped us with the clearance work," Kenna said.
"He was helping initiate that, particularly in the first half.
"He's got a pretty big job to be doing the majority of the ruck work at his age and he's pretty lightly framed."
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