RAND-WALBUNDRIE coach Daniel Athanitis knows full well how competitive the Hume league has become.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After making the grand final last season, the Tigers were widely expected to remain a finals force.
But after six rounds they are in trouble — 12th on the ladder with a 1-4 record.
The Tigers’ had a tough draw — they have lost to Murray Magpies, Brock-Burrum, Henty and Howlong, who are all expected to play finals.
The departure of Dean Roulstone, Ben Terlich, Dean Gorman, Daniel Lieschke, Luke Emmerton and Will Swift from the grand final team has tested their depth.
But Athanitis said the Tigers only had themselves to blame for their predicament.
“Last year is last year and we’re not blaming the draw,” Athanitis said.
“It’s got everything to do with us. We have struggled for form and consistency.
“We haven’t been able to put together a good 100 minutes of footy.
“We have been playing for only 60 or 70 minutes.
“A 20-minute lapse in the Henty game cost us the match.
“The Howlong game was similar — we kept them to five goals in three quarters and then got beat.
“There has been too big a gap between our best and our worst.
“We are not playing well but there is a long way to go. We still have time to turn things around.”
Athanitis said the Tigers impotent attack was a worry.
After kicking 100 goals last year to claim the goalkicking title, Josh Warren-Marmo, like most of his Tiger teammates, is struggling and has 11 goals from four matches.
Mark Kimball and Sam Terlich are next best with five goals.
High-profile Eastlake recruit Hayden Armstrong has failed to fire after injuring his ankle in the pre-season.
Brothers Aaron and Justin Gordon, alongside Brian Lieschke, are among the few Tigers to have performed consistently.
“We have been defending well but we are not kicking enough goals to win matches,” Athanitis said.
“I don’t think we have kicked 100 points once this year, which is a concern.
“We’ve been working on our deficiencies — it’s not through lack of trying new things.
“But we are running out of time and need to turn things around, starting this week against Jindera.
“We need to win this week to build a bit of confidence and, hopefully start getting on a bit of a roll.”
