Joeys face Colac after St Albans learning curve

THE final margin was a resounding 83 points but St Joseph’s coach Ron Watt says St Albans threw something different at his undefeated team that made for a good challenge.

Joeys host a formidable Colac in GFL seniors Round 5 tomorrow (Saturday, May 17) at 2.10pm following a match where they were forced to adapt their tactics.

Watt said St Albans played a strong second half with the scoring much more even after half-time.

“It was just the way they moved the ball, they just kept the ball moving rather than trying to possess,” he said.

“They were happy to take ground and create contest and stoppages and not look to maintain possession like 95 per cent of teams that are going around the country.

“It was refreshing to see something a bit different and it was good to be challenged by that.”

Watt said his side was “a fraction slow”, explaining that “just picking up the fact they were playing very differently to other teams”.

“I don’t think we handled it as well as we would have liked, even though we won by 80 points,” he said.

“There were times where we probably didn’t play some really strong, pure football that we have been playing.”

However, Watt had plenty of praise for his side’s highly-skilled ball movement and said he loved the way Joeys were playing generally.

Meanwhile, star Jack Buckley is getting closer to a return following his rib injury in the season-opener, forward Jack Mullen is likely another month away with a hamstring complaint he sustained a fortnight ago; and the consistent Gus Humphrey may miss another two games with his ankle injury.