Tara Murray
The break has come at the perfect time for South Morang in the Northern Football League division 3 competition.
The Lions sit third after nine rounds, but injuries and illness have left the Lions looking like a shell of their best side.
Lions coach Gary Hall said it had been a really tough start to the season. He said they would take sitting third at this point.
“It hasn’t been a great start with so many injuries and illness,” he said.
“On Thursday night at selection, from the seniors and reserves we were missing 21 players.
“We’ve got some good depth at the moment and we’ve given a few younger guys more senior opportunities.
“Hopefully we’ll get a few back after the break and it will strengthen the side.”
Among those missing for the Lions are Kain and Tye Hall, Jake Potter, Nathan Stefanile and Daniel Lansfield.
Hall said while it had been tricky with those guys missing, the benefit of giving young players a go, would help the club going forward.
“A few of the boys who got opportunities last year, you can see this year when they got back to the reserves that they are too good for that standard.”
For Hall, he’s hoping that all these injuries early in the season will mean they had a good run at the back end of the season.
He said the last couple of years it had been the other way round, with the Lions missing key players at the pointy end of the season.
“Once we get some numbers back we will be a lot stronger,” he said.
“We’re confident with our strongest side, we can beat any team on their day.”
The Lions accounted for Reservoir in their round nine match, winning 22.25 (157)-1.5 (11).
“The boys got the job done in trying conditions,” Hall said. “We did what we had to do.
“Credit to Reservoir, they have improved since the first time we played them.”
It’s a crowded top of the table at the midway point of the season, with the Lions among the mix in third.
At the break, Laurimar sits atop the table with just one loss with Old Eltham Collegians sitting second.
Kilmore rounds out the top four. Mernda sits sixth and Lalor bottom.
The Lions face Kilmore this Saturday in Kilmore.
Having lost to them earlier in the season, Hall said it was now a must win match.
