Sandringham Coach Lindsay Gilbee is disappointed the Zebras couldn’t build on their strong start in Saturday’s loss to the Northern Blues at Preston City Oval.
The Zebras opened their account with a seven-goal first term against the Blues but their inability to take advantage in the next three quarters was all part of what frustrated the coach.
“A loss was coming our way with the inconsistencies in our game at the moment and against a really good side in the Northern Blues, we got shown up,” Gilbee told saints.com.au.
“Quite simply we’ve just got to be consistent for longer because our good footy is excellent but our poor footy is really poor. We need to address those lapses in games.
“Our team defence was ordinary and we allowed them to get their hands on the ball too easily, which meant we spent a majority of the game chasing a result we certainly wouldn’t have deserved if we got it.”
Despite the loss, Gilbee made mention of the young group on Sandringham’s list and the fact the Northern Blues are a very strong side that had 20 players with AFL experience.
“It was a great experience for our players to test themselves against a quality outfit and even though it was a significant loss, there’s a lot for us to build on and learn in games like this,” Gilbee said.
“We move on from this now and turn our attention to Footscray at Whitten Oval, who are another quality side we need to bring our best to.”
The coach also lauded the efforts of St Kilda pair Bailey Rice and Shane Savage, who gathered 17 and 29 disposals between them also combining for three goals on a tough day for the Zebras.
St Kilda utility Nathan Wright sustained a concussion in the first half but is expected to be right for selection, in what will be a boost for the clash at Whitten Oval on Saturday night.
