Lalor continues showing it will be competitive in Northern Football League division 3.
After a tough off season that saw the Bloods drop a division weeks out from the season due to a lack of numbers, it was always going to be difficult this year.
But the Bloods have taken on every challenge thrown at them.
Bloods coach Dean Grainger said it had been an up and down season.
“Inside the footy club, we know things are starting to take shape,” he said.
“We’re heading in the right direction. We were competitive on the weekend.”
The Bloods got within 20 points against top four side South Morang in the final quarter before losing 12.13 (85)-5.9 (39).
Grainger said that in the end it was decision making and skills that let them down.
“Right across the four quarters the pressure and the effort was there,” he said.
“I was happy with how we performed. We took it up to one of the top sides.”
Nathan Stavridis kicked two goals for the Bloods, while Issac Edgar and Dean Angelkoski were named the side’s best.
Grainger said Edgar, Moore and Demetrios Constantinou had been the side’s most consistent players this season.
He was quick to praise the whole playing group.
“The guys have put the work in across the board,” he said. “They’ve really fought and dug deep when they’ve needed to.”
While the Bloods didn’t get the job done on Saturday, the reserves tasted success for the first time this year, defeating South Morang 12.13 (85)-12.8 (80).
Grainger said it was so pleasing to see the smiles on the reserves players’ faces after the game.
The Bloods have two weeks off – the Queen’s Birthday and a bye the following week.
Grainger said he expected the side to continue to improve in the second half of the season.
“We want to be competitive and hopefully get two or three wins along the way and get reward for effort,” he said. “They are putting in the hard yards.”
In other results, Laurimar lost to Heidelberg West, St Marty’s was too good for Reservoir and Panton Hill defeated Kilmore.
In division 2, Thomastown lost to Eltham and Epping fell short against Banyule.
In division 1, Bundoora and Whittlesea both suffered losses.
