OUTGOING Myrtleford co-coach Brad Murray believes the Saints are well-placed for future success after bowing out of their first finals series in a decade with a 12-point loss to Wodonga Raiders on Sunday.
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The Saints took it right up to the Raiders in the elimination final at W.J. Findlay Oval but couldn’t repeat their round 17 heroics when they reeled in a big deficit, going down 13.12 (90) to 12.6 (78).
It was only their third loss since May, with the Saints winning seven of their final nine home and away matches to fall just short of the double chance.
With the likes of Morris Medal contender Christian Burgess and a host of young talented talls in Matt Dussin, Ryley Sharp and Callum Crisp on their list, Murray urged the young Saints to stick together.
“Obviously there’s a bit there to work on, we’ve got potential and we’re not far off the top few sides if we stick at it and add one or two to give us some more depth,” he said.
“It was a good ride, there was a really good feeling around the club in the second half of the year and we played some really good footy.
“As I just said to them in there, they’ve got to stick together. They’re such a good young group, their best footy is in front of them.
“Today definitely hurts because I feel we had the potential to go further.”
The Saints started the elimination final superbly, shooting to a two-goal lead inside the opening five minutes.
They led by six points just before quarter-time on the back of two Burgess goals but Raider ace Jydon Neagle tied things up after the siren when he kicked his first of five majors.
The Raiders slammed on four goals in the opening 10 minutes of the second quarter to set up a 26-point lead, with Neagle ramming home two in less than a minute.
But as they’ve shown all season, the Saints weren’t going to give up without a fight and that fight came in the third quarter with Murray moving forward.
The inspirational co-coach, in his last game in charge, kicked two goals in two minutes to reduce the margin to six points at the final change.
Goals to man mountain Hayden Heta and Neagle sent the Raiders 19 points clear early in the final term before the irrepressible Burgess and Murray reduced the margin to seven points with five minutes remaining.
Tom Kerlin missed an opportunity to reduce the margin to a solitary point before the Raiders controlled the ball for the final two minutes, with Adam Flagg kicking his first goal after the full-time siren to seal a 12-point win.
“It was finals footy and the pressure was on, we probably just gave them too much of a start,” Murray said.
“To the boys’ credit, like they have all year, they fought right to the end.
“It wasn’t to be. We had a crack and fell short.
“There’s a lot of disappointed boys.”