Henley Football Club coach Vinnie Rugolo on the Sharks’ fifth-straight defeat in Adelaide Footy League

What’s happened to Henley? The division two Sharks had big hopes coming into 2021 but have now lost five straight games. See what the coach has to say.

First year Henley coach Vinnie Rugolo says his side is “a long way off the pace” as it gets ready for the most testing stint of its Adelaide Footy League season in the next three weeks.

The division two Sharks entered the campaign with lofty aspirations of a return to the top flight – and looked the goods when they sat in second spot after seven rounds.

But the western powerhouse has since gone on an awful run of form with five straight defeats to Sacred Heart Old Collegians, Salisbury North, Old Ignatians, Athelstone and Scotch Old Collegians.

First year Henley coach Vinnie Rugolo said his side was “a long way off the pace” in division two. Picture: Dean Martin

It included the past four games away from home.

The Sharks mentor said his side, which dropped out of the top five for the first time this season with the loss to Scotch, was lacking confidence.

“Our guys are a long way off the pace at the moment,” Rugolo said.

“We haven’t played the footy we would like to play, the footy we played at the beginning of the year.

“We’ve got such a young side and it’s been our older guys who have been consistent, which is good to see, but the younger guys probably just need a win to get a bit of confidence.

Scotch’s Cooper De Zylva and Hugo Walter wrap up Shark Sean Baker in the loss to Scotch on Saturday – Henley’s fifth on the spin. Picture: Dean Martin

“You don’t go 5-1 to start the season if you’re not a good side, so there’s no doubt if we find that confidence we can return to that tough, relentless brand of footy again.”

The next three weeks will be a serious test of Henley’s mettle as it takes on red-hot premiership favourite Glenunga, fifth-ranked Broadview and second side PHOS Camden.

While the club would be boosted by having four of its final six matches at home, Rugolo was under no illusions the Sharks’ season was on the line.

“One win can turn things around again, you get that confidence, a few players back in and it can make a big difference,” he said.

“Those high standards have probably come from myself.

“I want Henley to be a division one footy club and we’re building towards that and we’ve had a lull.”

Henley’s Patrick Sinor looks to handball against Scotch on Saturday. Picture: Dean Martin

The likes of James Lean, Tim Broadbent, Jack Enright and Patrick Sinor have stood up for the Sharks this year but they will need a more even spread of performers if they are to trouble Glenunga this Saturday.

“Hopefully we can give them (Glenunga) a bit of a fright,” Rugolo said.

“They are the benchmark at the moment.”

The Rams hold an 11-1 win-loss record under coach Nathan Grima, which included a 7-0 run to start the campaign.