Sport
6 August, 2026
Magnitude of loss hurts
WEDDERBURN’S first loss for the season – a 10-goal thumping at the hands of Sea Lake Nandaly – was a major disappointment for coach Tom Metherell and for the players.
WEDDERBURN’S first loss for the season – a 10-goal thumping at the hands of Sea Lake Nandaly – was a major disappointment for coach Tom Metherell and for the players.
It was not so much the defeat, but the scale of the loss that hurt the Redbacks.
“The playing group were not happy with the way we performed, so we have a lot of work to do, but there is still plenty of time,” Metherell said.
“We just fumbled the footy a lot around the contest and lost our shape around the ball a little bit, which gave their forwards better looks because they were getting clean ball out of the midfield.”
The loss saw Wedderburn drop to second on the ladder on percentage behind the Tigers.
While Metherell insisted that the Redbacks wanted to keep winning, he acknowledged that maintaining the unbeaten run had kept building the pressure on a young playing group.
The first quarter was a tug-of-war, with neither side gaining any real ascendency.
But from halfway through the second term Sea Lake went on a run that turned the game on its head.
The Tigers kicked six goals to Wedderburn’s one from the 13-minute mark to establish a 41-point lead at half-time.
And while the third term was tight, Sea Lake kicked away again with 6.0 to 2.0 in the final quarter.
The Redbacks were missing key players, including forward Matt Perri and key defender Rory Lehmann.
Perri won’t return for this week’s clash with St Arnaud and Lehmann is 50-50, but several players will be back, including important midfielder Jackson McEwen, veteran Danny Benaim and Jacob DeAraugo.
Wedderburn can’t be dislodged from the double-chance spots for the finals, but Metherell is focused on improving the team’s performances before the business end of the season. After St Arnaud, the Redbacks face Calder United, whom they have beaten twice this year, and winless Charlton.
“Every single game we have to go in not expecting to win – you have to play to your process,” Metherell said.
“It doesn’t matter if you are playing a Sea Lake or you are playing a Charlton, you have to have the same attitude week in and week out.”
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