Lauderdale left Windsor Park empty-handed but still positives ahead of grand final replay
Lauderdale will head into this weekend’s TSL grand final replay against rival North Launceston confident it has regained some of its mojo despite a last start loss to Launceston.
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LAUDERDALE didn’t get the victory against TSL ladder leader Launceston last week but assistant coach Daniel Willing is upbeat the “Bombers brand” is slowly returning.
Shocked by North Hobart in round three, Lauderdale slipped to 2-2 on the season following the 22-point defeat to the undefeated Blues.
It doesn’t get any easier this Saturday in the grand final replay against North Launceston, but Willing believes the Bombers will at least carry some momentum into the clash at SkyBus Oval.
“Take the result away and we were actually pretty happy with the way we played,” Willing said.
“We looked to get a bit of our brand back, we weren’t entirely happy the way we played the week before so to travel up there and play a really strong, contested brand of footy, we were really happy with that.
“To be able to do that, even though you don’t get the result and it’s disappointing, we get to training on Monday and do our review and it is much more to the positive.
“We just didn’t execute as well as Launceston on the day and that might have been the difference.
“It is has given us a lot of confidence but it doesn’t get any easier this week.”
Willing said the playing group, which has come up short on the big stage for the past three years, does not hide from the rivalry between the two clubs and expects another tough encounter, especially with midweek weather likely to make conditions extremely heavy.
“As a football club we haven’t hidden away from what’s happened, we have spoken about it.
“I’m not sure we are going to use it as any type of ammo or anything like that but the players are aware of what has happened in the past so they will be looking to put their best foot forward.
“Given what has happened over the last three years, there is an obvious rivalry there, you can’t hide away from that.
“I reckon it will be pretty tough nice and early.”
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