Big two weeks loom for Lions

REDAN coach Gary Learmonth admits the Lions’ season is reaching a critical stage as they get set to return to action after the King’s Birthday long weekend bye.

While the Lions have won just one of their eight matches this season, a finals berth remains in play at two wins behind sixth-placed Bacchus Marsh.

A crucial next two weeks for the Lions include clashes against winless Lake Wendouree followed by Bacchus Marsh.

If they are to eventually force their way into the six, wins in both are paramount.

The Lions can count themselves a touch unlucky not to be a little closer to the Cobras, and also North Ballarat in seventh and Sebastopol in eighth, after falling a point shy of Ballarat at City Oval in round eight.

They rallied from 30 points down in the final quarter to pile on five straight goals – four of them from Lachlan and Taj Bond – taking a one-point lead, before the Swans managed to scrounge a couple of behinds.

It capped a tough day at the office, with the Lions’ reserves also losing by a solitary point.

Coach Gary Learmonth paid full credit to Swans, while also lamenting his side’s own poor start to the game.

“They didn’t have any bench left in their A-grade, so it was a pretty courageous win by them,” he said.

“But we were pretty disappointed.

“To be 30 points down at the 18-minute mark and to get in front and not be able to hold on – we’ve done the hard work late. We just didn’t do enough of it earlier.

“The first quarter cost us. They kicked six goals to two. We missed a few easy shots, which hurt us.

“It’s been a bit like that the last few weeks. We need to be better in that aspect.”

Boasting one of the youngest sides in the competition, Learmonth said the Lions needed to work on better finishing off games.

They trailed league leaders Darley by 16 points during the final quarter, before missing an easy shot at goal enroute to a 24-point loss in round seven, and led Bacchus Marsh midway through the final term in round two before going down by 19 points.

At two wins behind the Cobras going into their clash against Lake Wendouree, Learmonth branded the next two weeks as crucial.

“Although it doesn’t look great on paper, the season is still alive for us,” he said.

“And it’s in our own hands.

“We need to put some results on the board. We have been in every game except probably the North game, but we haven’t got the results to show for it.

“Lakers … it’s probably going to be like their grand final, playing us. We are the closest to them on the ladder.

“We need to be ready.”

Learmonth can draw on plenty positives coming out of the first chunk of the season.

“We have played some pretty good football. Our ball movement has been a real positive,” he said.

“We have played 38 players already in the senior side and each week we’ve had about 16 guys under 20.

“It’s just that maturity in performance and effort to get a result that is holding us back.”

Among the bright spots has been the stellar performances in the ruck of Rudie Ford and Rory Gunsser off half back, while Taj Bond has produced a solid last month up forward.

Learmonth said Gunsser, who spent the pre-season with Essendon’s VFL team, had been a player opposition clubs had put plenty of thought into in terms of a match-up.

“He’s probably been averaging over 30 possessions, as has Brody Pope through the middle, while Khy Jess as our captain as a 19-year-old having played about 25 games, has been in good touch,” Learmonth said.

“His pre-season at Essendon has held him in really good stead.”