Jacana’s finals hopes are all but over only halfway through the season in division 2 of the Essendon District Football League.
Last year’s grand finalists struggled early in the season, losing several close matches, but have been blown away in recent games.
Against East Sunbury on Saturday, the Jaguars did not have the legs to run with the Thunder for four quarters.
Jacana started slowly but managed to keep the quarter-time deficit to just one point.
It was all the Jaguars early in the second quarter, but they were not able to convert on the scoreboard and the Thunder attacked late in the quarter to extend the lead.
The third quarter was all the Thunder, which built up a lead of 39 points by the final break before going on to win comfortably, 17.9 (111)-10.7 (67).
Jaguars coach Aaron Collins admitted that finals were a distant reality.
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“I don’t know whether the boys thought it would be easy and they wouldn’t have to work for it,” he said.
“We tried to instill at the start of the year that it would be hard work, it won’t be easy.
“We’re so far behind the top sides, it’s disappointing to go from where we were to where we are now.”
Collins said his side’s lack of fitness was shown up by the Thunder.
“They were fantastic and their fitness is well above ours at the moment,” he said.
“They’re a much better side and I give them credit. They were better from the start to the finish and had a lot more run.
“We probably underestimated them a bit.
“I had my back line play in the midfield and forward line early and I’m a little upset I did that now.”
Collins said it would be a struggle to get his side where they needed to be, fitness wise, in the next few weeks.
“We’re really struggling to get people on the park at the moment,” he said.
“As soon as we get someone up they break down or someone else will break down.
“Injuries have killed us, but that’s no excuse as our fitness should be there and it’s not.
“I don’t know what’s going on at the moment.
“We don’t have a lot missing now and what we’ve dished up the last couple of weeks is not acceptable.”
Despite only two wins for the season, Collins said the morale at the club was still good.
“This loss is probably going to hurt a bit more,” he said. “Before last round we knew that even with injuries and everything we were still in games.
“But in the last two games we’ve been blown away. We’ve got to try to plan and upset some of the top sides, make it hard for everyone else and try to be competitive.”
