A HUGE win could have set Laharum up for the rest of the season when it disposed of Edenhope-Apsley on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The game was played at Edenhope.
Laharum only won the game late on defeating the Saints 12.11 (83) to 10.7 (67).
In the opening quarter the scorecard said it was all Laharum but in reality it was an end-to-end game.
The Mountain Men were able to capitalise on its chances while the Saints couldn’t make anything of its forward 50s.
After the opening term the Mountain Men led 5.3 (33) to 0.1 (1).
It was an impressive second quarter by the Saints with the side limiting the Mountain Men to just one major.
The Saints on the other hand came out ready to convert and scored six majors and four minors.
In the second term Laharum co-coach Robbie Miller went down with a leg injury and it seemed he wouldn’t return.
For the third quarter both sides played strong attacking football, the Saints still led coming into the final term.
At the end of the third quarter the scoreboard read Saints 9.6 (60) Laharum 8.7 (55).
The Saints players were all too familiar with what happened in the final term, the side couldn’t hold onto its lead and Laharum turned the pressure on as it did in the first half.
Laharum co-coach Todd Heynen was named in the best for the side after a strong, mindful half-back display, stepping up to the task when his side needed him most. Leslie Butler was named best on for the Saints.
Heynen said at the end of the third quarter it felt like the side’s tempo was up.
“I certainly thought our endeavour was there, we just couldn’t capitalise on our chances,” he said.
“There is a middle tier in the league and we see ourselves in that middle tier at the moment.
“We need to beat other middle tier sides to get a good spot in the finals, to win a game like that is crucial. We’ve set ourselves up well for the rest of the season.”
Cody Richards played in the middle of the oval for the first time in 2017 and Heynen said he was impressed with his effort.
“He’s a second effort kind of bloke, his spread from stoppages was awesome,” he said.
Saints coach Michael Rowe said his side failed to play four quarters of football and it cost them the game.
“We played a really good second quarter and that was about it,” he said.
“We were playing some tough and hard footy but they couldn’t keep running.
“It’s just disappointing because it was such an important day for our club. We needed to be braver.”