A RUN of wins by the Wimmera Football League senior side has came to a halt against the Murray Football League on Saturday.
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The home side was too strong on home soil at Moama Recreation Reserve on its way to a 16.10 (106) to 13.6 (54) win.
Wimmera coach John Delahunty said his side was beaten by a better and bigger side on the day.
“As a side Murray moved the ball really well and handled it better than us, their side had some of the best four or five players I’ve seen,” he said.
“We controlled it well for large parts of the game as well but made some costly skill errors.
“Their midfielders were clever and our side was just not quite as polished.”
Wimmera held a one goal lead after the first quarter but the home team worked its way into the lead during the second.
By half-time it had a 17-point advantage.
“There was a patch at the end of the second quarter where they got a hold of us,” Delahunty said.
“It looked like it could blow open in the second half but our boys fought it out.
“We might not have been as skilled and we might have been as big but out willingness to compete was great.”
For much of the second half momentum swung between the two sides.
The Wimmera team struggled to get within the three goal margin.
“It would have been a great game to watch,” Delahunty said.
The coach was full of praise for the work done by Jack Beaton and Warwick Stone in the ruck, as well as his key defenders.
“Murray had two of three really big blokes who were about six foot, six inches,” Delahunty said. “Rhona Conboy and Jackson Dark were each giving a way a couple of inches and a few kilograms but fought hard all day.”
At the other end of the ground Kieran Delahunty was a workhorse playing centre-half-forward.
“He worked really hard and kicked a couple of goals himself,” coach Delahunty said.
His work earned him the best on ground medal for his side. It is the second time he has won the honour.
“Big players step up in games like this as he did on Saturday,” Delahunty said.
Despite the loss the day was enjoyed by everyone involved.
“As Trevor Albrecht said ‘sometimes you need to take a step back to move forward,” Delahunty said.
“As you move up the league ranks you are going to face tougher opposition, maybe this is just where we are at for the time being.”