The Ararat Rats overcame a slow start to push the Warrack Eagles late in the game but it was not enough to get the points on Saturday.
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The Rats lost by 44 points but won the second half in a positive for the group.
Inaccuracy from the home team kept the Rats in the game, kicking 4.8.32 to the Rats three goals straight.
A five-goal effort from Warracknabeal in the second term added to the scoreboard pressure for the Rats.
In the second half, the Rats made some positional changes that paid dividends for the visitors.
Ararat started the second half with a five-goal effort in the third quarter to breath some life into the team going into the final break but it was not meant to be, as Warrack finished comfortable 17.15.117 to 11.7.73 winners.
Rats coach Terry Keilar said it was a mixed day for the team on the field.
“We had a good first quarter, the boys came out and played really well and scored against the breeze,” he said.
“But Warrack had a lot of shots at goal which kept us in the game but the second quarter Warracknabeal came out and looked a lot better.
“We were able to respond after half time with our second half which was brilliant.”
The team focused on the second half positives in the review and will be using them at training to ensure the self belief remains high during the week.
Keilar said the team did a lot of things right despite the result from the match.
“We were just really pleased with their approach to the game after half time,” he said.
“It came from our leadership group and senior players, they really took it upon themselves to get around each other and keep everyone positive and keep them focused.
“The players got some self-belief out of it and realised they can play the game plan we want to play.
“I think they feel like they can match the better teams in the competition after seeing how it can work against the Warrack team.”
As seems to be a common trend for the Rats, the team picked up another injury during the match.
James Laidlaw has injured his shoulder and will miss a few weeks, depending on the results from scans.
Keilar said the ability to make changes during the game was important.
“We have always said it is important that blokes can play several positions, this week we had been a bit stuck but we moved things around,” he said.
“We just have to maintain that self belief and take that into next week’s game.”
The loss leaves Ararat in sixth place with the one win to its name.
The Rats play the Horsham Saints in the round six match at Alexandra Oval.
