The Merimbula Diggers will be out for redemption when they meet the Sea Eagles in a top-of-the-table clash at Berrambool on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Merimbula club suffered a shock loss to the Narooma Lions in Narooma over the weekend despite a valiant fight-back in the dying stages.
The Lions were able to edge out the Diggers 12-8-80 to 10-7-67.
“They came out to play from the very start and they were firing,” Diggers senior coach Ian Radford said of the young Lions line-up.
He said the Diggers had hoped for a strong showing to consolidate its position in second on the ladder, but was a bit stunned by the athletic display from their Narooma opponents.
Radford said the Diggers had done their best to contain the Lions, but he was impressed by how well they moved the ball around the field and the speed of the team.
A showing factor in the hosts’ speed was the varied goal kickers with four players kicking two apiece after midfield runs.
Meanwhile, the scoring from the Diggers was from the regulars in the frontlines, with Radford slotting three majors alongside Danny Adams.
Justin Burch also chimed in with a handy pair of goals in the scoring hunt for the visiting Diggers.
Radford said it was a combination of Narooma playing out of its skin and the Merimbula side not playing to its own style that resulted in the loss.
“It wasn’t our best game on the day, we weren’t using the ball as well as we usually do,” he said.
Radford said the team will aim to be back to its best this weekend to tackle the Sea Eagles.
Boasting some of the league’s biggest bodies, the Diggers will look to split the game open and spread play with accurate kicking.
Play will be at the Berrambool Oval with seniors to get underway at 2.30pm on Saturday.
The club is also looking forward to a special pink round breast cancer fundraiser during the local derby against Pambula next weekend with details in next weeks Merimbula News Weekly.