SFL Livestream: Brighton to push reigning champion Cygnet in massive round 10 contes
Cygnet edged an SFL thriller as Brighton proved a major thorn in a premiership-aspiring side for the second week in a row. RELIVE all the action from our LIVESTREAM.
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BRIGHTON might be languishing in sixth spot with just three wins from its first nine games but Cygnet coach Thor Boscott believes the baby Robins are one of the best teams in the SFL.
For the second week in a row, the Robins took it right up to the league’s two powerhouses, falling short but not without giving the opposition an almighty scare.
After closing to within a goal against top team Lindisfarne in the last term last round, this time they pushed reigning premier Cygnet until the final siren, going down by just eight points, 10.16 (76) to 10.8 (68) at Pontville.
Boscott, who missed the game with a hamstring strain, was impressed with the opposition.
“Their performance was outstanding,” Boscott said.
“We got caught ball watching a fair bit, reaction time and concentration wasn’t amazing from us today.
”Having played against everyone now I do think they are definitely up there.
“I do rate them quite highly so credit is due to where it is due, they did a good job.”
Twice Cygnet threatened to blow the game away in the first half, but poor conversion in front of goal and Brighton’s resolve kept the home side in it.
Trailing by nine points at the last change, the game was on a knife’s edge home side’s Max Lamb kicked the first goal of the quarter to make the difference just four points.
Tempers repeatedly threatened to boil over but Cygnet showed its class and big game experience and when Patrick Kelly snapped truly, the visitors looked comfortable with a 14 point lead at the 25 minute mark.
However, again the Robins rallied with the last two goals of the game- including Lamb’s third just seconds before the final siren – but it wasn’t enough as Cygnet prevailed.
Teenager Murray Bastick was again a shining light in defence for The Port, while Brighton’s star midfielder Darcy Gardner again showed his class all day.
Former AFL player Josh Green booting 13 goals as Lindisfarne belted New Norfolk by 139 points at Anzac Park, while Dodges Ferry held off a fast finishing Hobart at the TCA Ground by just two goals and Huonville smashed Claremont by 84 points at Abbotsfield Park.
PREVIEW: Robins relishing taking on big guns
Brighton faces its second huge test on a row with the Robins to face reigning SFL premier Cygnet at Brighton on Saturday a week after challenging top-of-the-ladder Lindisfarne at Anzac Park.
Defender Adam Wilson, 32, said the performance had put a spring in the step of the young Brighton outfit despite four injuries from the game.
The Mercury will be exclusively live streaming the pivotal clash this Saturday at 2pm, as well as the reserves game at 12pm.
“There were some massive positives come out of the game for us,” Wilson said.
“We started pretty poorly but basically the same number of inside 50s going into half-time and we were down by 40 points.
“We had belief in ourselves that we could match it with Lindisfarne and we came out firing in the third quarter and we were only a goal down at three quarter-time.
“We kicked the first goal of the last quarter so we were even, but unfortunately we were decimated by injuries and we didn’t have a bench in the last quarter and that affected us but our will to keep going contest to contest was there until the final siren.”
This week Brighton is without centre half-forward Jai Read (shoulder), centre half-forward Brandon Oates (shoulder), forward Luke Arbuckle (knee), while midfielder Dylan Ford is expected to play despite hurting his knee against the Two Blues.
Wilson said the Brighton boys will still play with the same spirit as they welcome back defender Brock Wilton, utility Dylan Backhouse and his 16-year-old brother Ryan for his senior debut.
“It our camaraderie and the way we’ve come together from pre-season and our belief in each other has grown from round one when we got pumped by Cygnet,” Wilson said.
“Each game we’ve gotten better and we stick to our process a lot better.”
Wilson, who missed the season opener through suspension, said Cygnet’s harsh lesson at Cygnet Oval in round one was a driver for Brighton.
“We 100 per cent want to do better this time,” Wilson.
“I didn’t get to play the first game but as backline coach I was watching it carefully and I thought we lost our structure,” Wilson said.
“We lack height in the backline but we have a game plan to trey and stifle Cygnet’s talls.”
Other teams have got something missing at Brighton.
“It’s experience. We’ve got a lot of young guys but experience is so valuable when it comes to striving for premierships.
“Teams like Lindisfarne and Cygnet have great structure around the ground. They know how to position very well and they are very composed around the contest.
“It’s something we need to grow and we’ve been working on that.”
Wilson knows Brighton’s backline will be stretched by Cygnet’s tall timber in attack.
In other games this week, Claremont is at home to Huonville Lions, Lindisfarne plays New Norfolk at Anzac Park, and Hobart takes on Dodges Ferry at the TCA ground.
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