Roosters grapple with injury concerns

NORTH Ballarat’s injury woes have worsened with four more players added to the list in the wake of a 59-point loss to Sebastopol on Saturday.

Already without key midfielders Reggie Palmer and Brock Leonard and captain Simon McCartin, among others, the Roosters lost gun ex-Collingwood VFL captain Sam Glover early in the contest with an abdomen injury.

Amplifying their problems, Issac Lovison and the in-form Jarrod Curan both succumbed to hamstring injuries, while forward Declyn McGuigan faces the prospect of a few weeks on the sidelines due to concussion.

The heavy injury toll contributed to a lamentable day against the Burra for the Roosters, who fell from second spot on the ladder to fourth.

Their second loss for the season snapped an impressive and gutsy five-game winning streak.

While injuries certainly did not help their cause, the tone was set before half-time when the Burra led 6.3 to 2.4.

Roosters coach Clint Proctor said absolutely nothing could take away from a ‘thoroughly impressive’ performance by Sebastopol.

“I have to give full credit to Sebas. I thought their contested work and their spread was at a really high level and that really hurt us in the first half,” he said.

“And their handball from deep 50 was surprising. I didn’t see that coming.

“They chained the ball really well out of deep 50 and that exposed us.

“We adjusted well, but ultimately, while I thought we got a little bit of a look at it, we lost a few key players.

“Sam Glover goes down early, and then Isaac Lovison and Jarrod Curran both with hammies, and Dec McGuigan looks like he’s got a concussion as well.

“At three-quarter time I was talking about rotations, but felt like an under-12s coach, telling players who to swap with.

“We were a bit stretched and their senior bodies really stood up.

“They looked really organised on the field and communicate really well.

“They are definitely the team to beat this year.”

 

After four straight weeks of scores in the high 90s and 100s, the normally free-scoring Roosters were well contained by a tight Burra defence, kicking just five goals for the match.

Despite the loss and growing injury toll, Proctor said there were still positives to be found.

“We got to expose Dom Penny; we moved him inside to the midfield and I thought he was fantastic in there,” he said.

“He gave us some drive, won some clearances and kicked a couple of goals from the centre bounce.

“Harvey Lewis and our young guys got opportunities where they normally wouldn’t because of players we have got out.

“Those two boys held their own.”

Proctor further praised Seb Colins for a solid early effort on Burra playing coach Tony Lockyer before being moved to cover holes elsewhere in the second half.

Tom Bromley-Lynch and Elliott Lamb both battled hard throughout.

With a crunch game ahead against Darley, before rounding out the first round of matches against Lake Wendouree, the Roosters can take solace in having banked plenty of early wins.

While their depth will be tested, Proctor backed the club to respond positively and for players to grasp what might have seemed earlier in the season some unlikely opportunities.

“It should be exciting for the club that it has an opportunity to showcase some of our depth and young guys who have been playing well,” he said.

“Darley at home … that’s a big challenge … but we always play well home.

“I’m not sure if we will, but hopefully we get a few players back.”