It was a comedy of errors for Werribee in a frustrating 37-point VFL loss to Sandringham Zebras at Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday.
The Tigers coughed the ball up time and again, constantly having to mop up spills of their own making.
Tigers coach John Lamont was pulling his hair out by game’s end as he watched his side shoot itself in the foot.
“We handballed at each other’s feet, we dropped marks, we jumped for the same ball and spoiled each other, we kicked the ball straight to the opposition, we kicked the ball along the ground – we just made mistake after mistake,” Lamont told Star Weekly.
While Werribee was careless in possession, they were much better on the defensive side of the ball.
They just expended too much energy cleaning up their own mess.
“We were tackling really well and it was the reason why we were in front at three quarter-time,” Lamont said.
“It was good pressure, we’d force the turnover but then give it straight back to them with a mistake.”
Once the mistakes started to snowball, the Tigers slipped further into a negative mindset and became too predictable.
“Fortune favours the brave and we didn’t take the game on well enough and became a bit hesitant with our ball use,” Lamont said. “That plays into opposition hands.”
Werribee kicked with the aid of a strong breeze in the first quarter and went to the break 26 points ahead.
While it looked good on the scoreboard, Lamont believes there should have been a better outcome for their early toil.
“Good first quarter, but we probably should’ve had more on the scoreboard,” he said. “We could easily have kicked eight goals, probably nine.”
Sandringham took full advantage of its first use of the wind with a six-goal-to-one second term and it was virtually back to square one by half-time.
The third term was Werribee’s undoing as they managed just three goals to one before Sandringham piled on eight in the final quarter for a 17.18 (120)-12.11 (83) win.
Ethan Petterwood was a bright spot for the Tigers in just his second game, working hard both ways at the coalface.
“There’s not much of him but he has a real go,” Lamont said.
“He’s clean and doesn’t fumble, he links in, he’s team-orientated and he tackles and applies pressure.”
Corey Wagner is also showing plenty in his first season with Werribee and there is a chance the small forward may find his way into North Melbourne’s team before long.
“He’s a youngster going well,” Lamont said.
“He brought some real energy and forward line pressure.
“He’s knocking on the door because he’s a small forward and there are injuries to a couple of North Melbourne blokes.”
Joe Maishman and Aaron Black were the Tigers’ only multiple goalkickers against Sandringham with two each.
The Tigers fell to seventh on the ladder after the loss, one of six teams on 16 points after seven rounds.
They will have their second bye this weekend because of the state game before a blockbuster against Collingwood at Avalon Airport Oval on June 4.
