Tuesday 10 August 2010
The NT Thunder have to pick up the shattered pieces quickly if they are to overcome top side Labrador and resume the ascendancy in the battle for fifth place on the QAFL premiership ladder.
The Thunder meet the Tigers at the Gardens Oval in Darwin on Saturday afternoon, having lost just once in the NT capital in two years.
However, it was a long flight home last Saturday night after a shock 68-point loss to Aspley.
“A wasteful 2.7 in the first quarter didn’t allow us to apply any scoreboard pressure to the opposition and even though we only trailed Aspley by two goals at halftime, our body language was poor as we walked off the ground,” said Thunder coach Murray Davis.
“This carried through to the third quarter when a lack of work rate and respect for our opposition allowed them to pile on eight goals to two. From that point on it was always going to be difficult to get ourselves back into the contest.
“It was hard to find a player that won his position and whilst we were happy with the effort applied by Matthew Rosier, Charlie Maher and Brett Goodes, too many of the players fumbled and looked fragile under pressure.
“After the game we spoke about how we performed like a side out of finals contention yet the reality is that we are still a chance.”
The Thunder will wear an old style NT ‘heritage’ guernsey to mark the return to the Gardens – forced by Cricket Australia fixtures at TIO Stadium – and are hoping for an inspired performance at the ground considered the spiritual home of football in the NT.
