April 20, 2007
Reported by Phil Edwards
From Launceston Examiner
COACH Daryn Cresswell has wielded the selection axe following the Devils' big defeat against Geelong last week as he looks for his side to rebound against North Ballarat at Austar Arena on Sunday.
Cresswell made several changes, omitting Hobart's James Charlesworth, Wynyard's Tim McMichael, Kangaroos rookie Ben Ross and Ulverstone's Sam Whish- Wilson from last week's losing side.
He recalled Darren Crawford, Nathan Street, Jason Howard, Tim Mohr, Brody Johnson, Luke Shackleton and Matthew Smith, naming an extended interchange bench of eight players that will be culled to four after the team's final training run tonight.
"It was a disappointing effort last week and it wasn't acceptable because we didn't play the style of footy that we had played the whole pre- season," he said.
"But to be only 10 points down against a side which played in last year's grand final with a number of senior experienced players was quite surprising.
"It goes to show we have got a pretty talented side and if we play the style of footy we know we can we can pretty much beat anyone," he said.
Cresswell said his young side, with an average age of 20.8 last week, had to learn from its mistakes and taking the players through a video replay of last week's game had been part of the process during the week.
"We didn't play smart footy kicking to contests and we played safe not linking up and running the footy through the corridor and taking risks," he said.
From Launceston Examiner
COACH Daryn Cresswell has wielded the selection axe following the Devils' big defeat against Geelong last week as he looks for his side to rebound against North Ballarat at Austar Arena on Sunday.
Cresswell made several changes, omitting Hobart's James Charlesworth, Wynyard's Tim McMichael, Kangaroos rookie Ben Ross and Ulverstone's Sam Whish- Wilson from last week's losing side.
He recalled Darren Crawford, Nathan Street, Jason Howard, Tim Mohr, Brody Johnson, Luke Shackleton and Matthew Smith, naming an extended interchange bench of eight players that will be culled to four after the team's final training run tonight.
"It was a disappointing effort last week and it wasn't acceptable because we didn't play the style of footy that we had played the whole pre- season," he said.
"But to be only 10 points down against a side which played in last year's grand final with a number of senior experienced players was quite surprising.
"It goes to show we have got a pretty talented side and if we play the style of footy we know we can we can pretty much beat anyone," he said.
Cresswell said his young side, with an average age of 20.8 last week, had to learn from its mistakes and taking the players through a video replay of last week's game had been part of the process during the week.
"We didn't play smart footy kicking to contests and we played safe not linking up and running the footy through the corridor and taking risks," he said.
The Devils beat a near full- strength North Ballarat line- up in a pre-season match which should give the team confidence heading into the game.
A full squad Devils training run at Aurora Stadium Wednesday night was the team's best training session since he took over the coaching reins, Cresswell said.
"We need to play and adhere to our team structures and if we do the result will look after itself," he said.
TASSIE DEVILS -v- NORTH BALLARAT
SUNDAY, At Austar Arena
TASSIE DEVILS
B: Careless, Hansen, Adams. HB: Street, Carins, Westfield. C: Koulouriotis, Hall, Howard. HF: Warren, Moran, Moles. F: Collier, Derbyshire, O'Sign. R: Goldstein, McMahon, Stephens Inter: Crawford, Smith, Thurley, Mohr, Johnson, Geappen, C.McDonald, Shackleton.
