AN emotional Stan Magro lauded his players ability to fight back from adversity after Myrtleford sent Albury’s premiership defence into a tailspin at the Albury Sportsground on Saturday.
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Only six days after being blown away by Wangaratta Rovers and losing captain Matt Spencer for the season with a knee injury, the Saints landed their best win since the 2006 finals series with a shock 18-point victory.
Click play to watch the scenes of jubilation in the Saints' changerooms after the match.
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Magro choked back tears addressing the players after the match and urged them not to be content with just one scalp.
“I was really pleased today, really pleased for the club,” Magro said.
“The players stood up.
“They were fantastic out there and I couldn’t be prouder of the way they responded because it’s been a fairly testing week for everyone at the club.
“We will enjoy it tonight and get back to business tomorrow.”
Magro’s charges never looked back after kicking the opening three goals against an Albury team that has fallen well short of expectations in the opening two rounds.
The Tigers dodged a bullet by fighting back from a 53-point deficit to defeat Wangaratta last weekend, but were unable to reproduce the heroics on Saturday.
Co-coach Daniel Maher said Myrtleford deserved the victory.
“To their credit they matched us and outdid us in the game we play of one-on-one footy,” Maher said.
“They will match a few sides this year.
“In the past Myrtleford has matched a few sides for a half, but they are able to sustain it now.
“We can’t take anything away from what Myrtleford dished up.
“Stan coached me a few years ago and I respected him highly.
“What he has been able to conjure is fantastic for the club.”
Maher refused to blame the absence of primemovers Shaun Daly, Luke Carroll, Luke Packer, Will Smith, Andrew Robinson and Mark Bush for the loss and claimed the Tigers were simply outplayed.
Daly was unavailable due to work commitments, while Carroll and Smith are considered good chances of returning to play North Albury on Anzac Day at Bunton Park.
“If they (Myrtleford) dish that up each week they will win a lot more than they lose,” he said.
“We have to win our own footy.
“Last week we got out of jail and that’s one you put in the bank, but you can’t live off that now.
“The guys have to understand that the ways things are played we are the hunted again and if things don’t go our way we have to turn it around.”