AUSTRALIAN RULES
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THE Orange Tigers’ 2016 Central West AFL struggles continued last Saturday at South Dubbo Oval, where woeful second and fourth quarters cost the three-time reigning champions dearly as they lost out 18.11 (119) to 6.6 (42) to the Demons.
Of Dubbo’s 119 points, 94 came in the second and fourth quarters combined in what was the Demons’ second win for the season and second on the trot.
Just a week after producing a promising performance in their maiden win for the year, the Tigers leaked 45 in the second term and 49 in the fourth on Saturday, allowing the Demons to kick 7.3 and 8.1 respectively.
The loss resigns Orange to sixth on the ladder after six rounds, sitting above only the winless Young Saints and Bathurst Giants. They’re also 12 points adrift of fourth-placed Parkes Panthers.
“I’m not sure how to explain the performance, I think it’s just lack of experience though,” Tigers co-captain Mick Rothnie said.
“Half of the boys are new to the sport, some don’t want to turn up and put in at training. Having five or six out doesn’t help either.
Rothnie said the team’s poor decision making and discipline was evident on the scoreboard and they gave away too many free kicks.
“I guess we can’t make excuses though, we just need to fix it,” he said.
“Our leadership group has already planned a mid-year session to discuss and reiterate what’s expected of the playing group, which I think we’ll do this week while representative footy is on and we have the break.
“I think we’re still capable of a top-four finish.”
The Tigers kept in touch with their Dubbo counterparts in the first quarter, going into quarter-time trailing by four at 3.4 (22) to 3.0 (18), but it all went downhill for Orange from there.
In fact, they would only kick three more goals in the game.
Of their six majors, Brady Bennett kicked four.
After conceding 45 in the second quarter to trail by 48 at the main break, the Tigers outscored the Demons in the third quarter, but the game was all but gone by then.
Dubbo routed Orange in the fourth term, kicking 8.1 to the Tigers’ 2.2 to claim the 77-point win.