News

From The Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

DEVILS co-captains Brett Geappen and Scott Stephens held player-only meetings in their respective regions last night to address the team's three-game losing streak and try to come up with a plan to form closer bonds with the Kangaroos players.

After starting the season with an away win, the Devils have dropped their past three games, including a home 52-point loss to Frankston on Saturday that prompted Geappen (South) and Stephens (North) to address their squads.

Geappen said high on the agenda would be the relationship with the Kangaroos players ahead of Saturday's Bellerive game against winless Box Hill.

"It is about making that work. We are going to put some steps in place to get the group gelling more," Geappen said yesterday.

"That is one area we are going to talk about."

He said there was a perception from outside the group of a split between the Kangaroos and Devils players.

"From outside looking in, and even from the coaching staff, it may seem that way because you tend to hang in your own groups," he said.

"But that is the same at any club, you tend to hang with your friends and so forth.

"That is definitely something we are going to work on.

"Everyone gets on really well. The (Kangaroos) boys are staying down this weekend and they normally stay at a hotel, but they might stay at people's houses and just little things like that.

"What we did last year was start to contact the boys during the week, throw a text out every now and then. It is only little, but it worked towards the end of last year."

Devils coach Daryn Cresswell accused his side of being pampered after the loss to stand-alone Frankston, but Geappen did not agree.

"Not at all," he said.

"When there is not a good effort there you have to start looking at some other areas, but I don't think that is an issue whatsoever. Our effort wasn't there and that is the most disappointing thing."

Geappen, last year's best and fairest, was unable to train all last week and started on the bench on Saturday night, but hopes to train this week.

Cameron Thurley injured his back during the loss and was taken to hospital, but is still a chance to play on Saturday.