STRATHFIELDSAYE coach Darryl Wilson refused to use the absence of key personnel as an excuse for his side’s heavy defeat to Sandhurst on Saturday.
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Stephen Milne (unavailable), Sam Mildren, Lachlan Sharp, Tom Bartholomew, Leigh Prior, Shannon Geary, Matt Smith and Shaun Everington (all injured) were missing from the side which lost by 79 points.
“The bottom line is Sandhurst were just far too good for us today,’’ Wilson said.
“They were pretty awesome in the way they moved the ball.
“We were uncompetitive at times, but full credit to them. Everytime we turned the ball over they made us pay.
“To be honest, we probably should have lost by more.”
The Storm’s only four-quarter performer was Matthew Ladson.
The home side had enough of the ball in the first quarter to put some scoreboard pressure on the Dragons, but their kicking inside forward 50 was poor. After quarter-time Sandhurst’s midfield took over, with the Storm not kicking their second goal of the match until early in the third term.
“The positive for us was that Harry Crone and James Falconer did well in their first senior games for the club,’’ Wilson said.
Wilson said Milne, Matt Smith, Everington and Shannon Geary will return for the Storm’s Anzac Day clash with Castlemaine.
Sharp (four weeks), Mildren (four weeks), Prior (three weeks) and Bartholomew (two weeks) remain sidelined.