News

IN a scathing assessment of the Tasmanian Devils, coach Daryn Cresswell has described his players as too pampered and not fit enough after their 52-point VFL mauling by Frankston in Launceston on Saturday night.

The stand-alone Dolphins gave Tasmania a lesson in pride in their jumper and commitment to their teammates.

Cresswell said the Devils should follow working-class Frankston's formula as they prepare to meet Box Hill at Bellerive on Saturday.

"Pampered, that's an understatement with our boys, pampered," Cresswell said. "They've got the best facilities going round and we could learn something from Frankston."

The Tasmanians were warned about Frankston's fight.

"They play for their footy club, and they play for each other, there's no question about that," Cresswell said.

"Our guys have got to take a leaf out of their book because at the moment we are playing as individuals and playing selfish footy."

The Devils did not get close enough to the hard-running Frankston even for their familiar fourth-quarter fadeout to come into play.

"We've got an issue with our fitness. It's not concentration, it's our fitness," Cresswell said.

"There's no question we've dropped off, and I take responsibility for that.

"We just have to be a lot harder on them and train them harder.

"So from now on if players can't train they don't play, and we'll get players who want to play for the jumper and can play the style we want to play."

At least three Devils from the Frankston fiasco will not play against Box Hill.

"We need to get players into the side who are committed, who are hard, and can run," Cresswell said.

"Zane Littlejohn (Latrobe), James Armstrong (Wynyard) and Clinton Brown (Burnie) will definitely come into our side next week.

"I don't know who we are going to drop, but there will definitely be players left out."

The coach said the most frustrating aspect of the loss was that the Dolphins played the way he wants the Devils to perform.

"We got taught a footy lesson and I've been on the receiving end of a few of those in my time in footy," he said. "It's how we respond to that. At the moment we've got players that are playing for a rep side and not playing for the jumper or the club."