Wyndhamvale can accept losing to a slick Hoppers Crossing unit in division 1 of the Western Region Football League.
What Falcons coach Troy Beamond can’t swallow is his side’s effort falling away dramatically when the going gets tough.
The newly promoted Falcons were lauded for their competitiveness in their opening two games. But when they took up the challenge to more highly fancied opposition, they were outclassed.
Worrying signs have shown up in the past fortnight, and Beamond wants them nipped in the bud as soon as possible.
“We played Albion and Werribee Districts in the first two weeks and walked off the ground defeated but really proud of the effort,” Beamond told
Star Weekly.
“But [against St Albans] last week, the effort sort of fell away after half-time, and against Hoppers Crossing the second quarter let us down badly.”
Wyndhamvale’s Achilles heel is its lack of depth.
The Falcons’ loss of a handful of important players to opposition clubs in the off-season has been compounded by early injuries to key players. So unlucky have the Falcons been in the latter department that Noa Fonua stepped on a football at an Auskick training session on Friday night and was ruled out of the derby with Hoppers Crossing.
Beamond is not using the Falcons’ bad luck as an excuse for the 18.15 (123)-2.4 (16) loss to Hoppers Crossing at home on Saturday.
“We’ve shown each game that we can play good quarters, whether it’s two or three quarters, but we can’t string together a full game,” the coach laments.
“In saying that, the way Hoppers moved the ball, their run and carry, particularly from behind, was first-class. They were definitely a step ahead of us.”
A quick remedy to the Falcons’ mess is getting each of the 22 players to make a meaningful contribution.
Too much of the workload has been placed on a handful of stars in the past fortnight. They need assistance, and fast.
“I feel too many players are looking to three or four players to step up to try to halt the momentum, so we’re relying too much on too few,” Beamond said.
“In division 2, you can get away that. The quality players can almost drag the rest of the team across the line at times.
“But in division 1, you need everybody stepping up and not just relying on the Grahams [brothers Brian and Chris], [Daniel] Bunworth, [Paul] O’Shea, [Alex] Hamilton and those guys.”
One willing youngster is Liam Scarborough, who was one of the Falcons’ best on Saturday.
“He stepped up and played his best game of the season so far,” Beamond said.
“His attack on the ball for a small, slight kid was outstanding.”
Wyndhamvale faces a daunting trip to Spotswood at McLean Reserve on Saturday.
The Woodsmen have been in a slight rebuild of their own and are not the powerhouse they once were, but they’re still a tough nut to crack.
“Spotty at Spotty is always going to be hard to play against,” Beamond said.
“If we work hard enough for long enough, I believe there’s enough talent in the group that we’ll be able to snag one.”
Hoppers Crossing moved to the top of the ladder after a six-goal effort from Mohamad El Hawli and impressive displays from Reece Miles, Kane Galley and Jarrod Arnott.
The Cats will host third-placed Sunshine Kangaroos in what shapes as a cracker at Hogans Road Reserve on Saturday.
