'We're putting in so much work': Vice-captain sees light at end of tunnel

When you're up and about the winning feeling is intoxicating, but when the losses are mounting it feels like a never ending cesspool of negativity.

When South Rovers vice-captain Josh Bell and his teammates walked away from a round six Warrnambool and District league match against Allansford after a 211-point loss and without a win this season, that feeling of hopelessness set in.

But the 26-year-old said his young and emerging group quickly picked themselves off the canvas, moved on and stayed positive. It resulted in the side bouncing back, winning the next week against Old Collegians.

He believes it can be the springboard for the Lions to surprise some sides for the rest of the season.

"Behind the scenes we're putting in so much work as a footy side," he told The Standard.

"We're quite a young group, got a lot of young kids in the team and in the last few weeks we've been getting beaten by more than 100 points so it was a huge reward for the boys and it felt really good to win.

"Not a lot has really changed, we just wanted to pump up the boys and stay vocal. We've got some handy kids at the club, a lot coming from Hampden league under 18s to district seniors so it's a completely new ball game.

"It's just trying to give them time to adapt, and we believe they're really starting to come through."

The forward, who starred in the club's round seven win - coach Luke Kenna's first since taking charge - with five goals, said the hefty loss was gut-wrenching at the time.

"The 200 point loss that day, honestly I've not really felt anything like it on the footy field," he said.

"There was a lot of really disappointed lads that day but we managed to turn it around in seven days which is really good. I'm pretty proud of that.

"Us leaders, like (captain) Sam (Wilde), Kurt (Lenehan) and Sandon (Williams) stayed really vocal and tried to pump up the young lads."

Bell, described by Kenna as a player who leads by example on the field, has been among the best all season for the Lions, kicking 12 goals from limited opportunities, almost a third of the club's entire output this year.

"The last few weeks I've found some form I think and it was nice to kick a bag in a win," he said.

"I believed I had a bit of a slow start but I'm feeling like I'm starting to come into it now."

South Rovers will be hoping for another strong showing when it plays Panmure away from home on Saturday, May 25, 2024.