Tara Murray
Melton South produced its best performance in a couple of years but still wasn’t able to come away with the points in the Ballarat Football League.
The win less Panthers have been craving a four quarter performance this season and for three quarters they were right with the Cobras.
Wet and windy weather brought the game back to a struggle and it was the Cobras who got over the line, 9.15 (69)-7.10 (52).
Panthers president Matthew Collins said they showed some really good signs.
“It was a reasonable result,” he said. “We were right in the game until the end but we couldn’t’ win it.
“The third quarter the Marsh really shut it down when we had the wind and it ended up being the difference.”
Collins said it was encouraging to see the side really competitive for three of the four quarters.
Jarrod Bibby was the only multiple goal kicker for the Panthers, kicking two goals.
Cody Chapman was the Panthers best with Stuart Hobjin-Allen, Bibby and Broden Collins the other standouts.
Collins said while he hadn’t spoken to the playing group, he would hope that it gives them a bit more confidence.
“It’s been a tough few years and it’s not where we wanted to be at the start of the season,” he said.
“We had hopes, nothing like playing finals. We’ve been competitive in parts but we can’t string four quarters together.
“We were able to put three together on Saturday.”
Collins, who played more than 400 games for the club, said they felt they had made improvements this season.
He said the arrival of coach Travis Hodgson had made a massive difference across the board and he can’t speak highly enough about him.
Collins said they were hoping to finish the season on a positive note.
“We’ve struggled the last 10 years,” he said. “Hopefully we can get back up there.
“We would love to push for a win but we know that it’s a tough competition and there are no easy wins.
“We will push to be competitive and that’s all we can ask for. Our two big recruits are injured or moved on and it’s been one thing or another and we’ve had bad luck.”
Collins said they were already looking ahead to next season to try and make some inroads in the competition.
He said they were already talking to some potential recruits and was hoping that the BFL would look at giving them more player points to get them more competitive.
Collins confirmed that they’d had a conversation with the Riddell District Football Netball League in regards to their future.
“There’s nothing concrete, we’re just exploring our options,” he said. “We can’t keep going the way we’re going.
“Players get sick of losing.”
In other results, Melton beat North Ballarat, 6.5 (41)-1.7 (13), while East Point was too good for Darley, winning 9.20 (74)-4/0 (24).
