David HardingBlues to apply blowtorch
September 2nd 2010 11:19
Sourced: The Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania
by JAMES BRESNEHAN
LAUNCESTON coach Anthony Taylor has urged his players to fight fire with fire against Clarence on Saturday or they will again become cannon fodder for the Roos in their State League second semi-final at Bellerive.
The Blues were overwhelmed by the Roos in their first qualifying final at Bellerive in the first week of finals, but hit back with a potent 60-point win over Devonport in the third qualifying final at Launceston on Saturday.
Taylor said his side would aim to beat Clarence in the clinches and at the stoppages, two areas the Blues excelled in on Saturday.
"We need to make sure that this time, we're a lot more proactive and get in and win some clearances, which is where we got belted by them last time," Taylor said yesterday.
"They were up and about and we just sat back and let them go.
"If we do the same again, we'll get the same result."
Clarence feels the same way about controlling Launceston's key playmakers.
"They've got some stars and our blokes did a good job on them last time," Clarence coach Brett Geappen said.
"They were the guys who played well on the weekend.
"We'd better make sure we shut those guys down because if we don't, they can make you look pretty stupid."
Taylor said Launceston didn't mind having to play Clarence away from home.
"The ground had nothing to do with it last time -- Clarence was just far too good," he said.
"Clarence turned up to play finals footy, and we didn't.
"We've had another hard match since then, so this time we need to be ready to play finals footy."
The Blues were taught a lesson by Clarence, one Taylor said was learned the hard way.
"Their ability to win the clearances was the major factor in winning the game," he said.
"They let us off the hook with some poor shooting at goal, but they really did belt us in close and around the ball.
"We really need to get better in that area to improve at all."
Taylor added the 10-goal thumping of Devonport went a long way to fixing those problems.
"We turned a corner last week and any confidence that may have been sapped out of us in the first week we certainly regained last week," Taylor said.
Geappen believes part of Launceston's problem was ball-handling.
"Our work in close was very good and we were clean by hand," Geappen said.
"We were head and shoulders above them in that area and I thought our pressure was part of why they fumbled the footy."
In the other State League final on Saturday, North Hobart ventures to Devonport Oval to play the northern Magpies in the do-or-die first semi-final.
by JAMES BRESNEHAN
LAUNCESTON coach Anthony Taylor has urged his players to fight fire with fire against Clarence on Saturday or they will again become cannon fodder for the Roos in their State League second semi-final at Bellerive.
The Blues were overwhelmed by the Roos in their first qualifying final at Bellerive in the first week of finals, but hit back with a potent 60-point win over Devonport in the third qualifying final at Launceston on Saturday.
Taylor said his side would aim to beat Clarence in the clinches and at the stoppages, two areas the Blues excelled in on Saturday.
"We need to make sure that this time, we're a lot more proactive and get in and win some clearances, which is where we got belted by them last time," Taylor said yesterday.
"They were up and about and we just sat back and let them go.
"If we do the same again, we'll get the same result."
Clarence feels the same way about controlling Launceston's key playmakers.
"They've got some stars and our blokes did a good job on them last time," Clarence coach Brett Geappen said.
"They were the guys who played well on the weekend.
"We'd better make sure we shut those guys down because if we don't, they can make you look pretty stupid."
Taylor said Launceston didn't mind having to play Clarence away from home.
"The ground had nothing to do with it last time -- Clarence was just far too good," he said.
"Clarence turned up to play finals footy, and we didn't.
"We've had another hard match since then, so this time we need to be ready to play finals footy."
The Blues were taught a lesson by Clarence, one Taylor said was learned the hard way.
"Their ability to win the clearances was the major factor in winning the game," he said.
"They let us off the hook with some poor shooting at goal, but they really did belt us in close and around the ball.
"We really need to get better in that area to improve at all."
Taylor added the 10-goal thumping of Devonport went a long way to fixing those problems.
"We turned a corner last week and any confidence that may have been sapped out of us in the first week we certainly regained last week," Taylor said.
Geappen believes part of Launceston's problem was ball-handling.
"Our work in close was very good and we were clean by hand," Geappen said.
"We were head and shoulders above them in that area and I thought our pressure was part of why they fumbled the footy."
In the other State League final on Saturday, North Hobart ventures to Devonport Oval to play the northern Magpies in the do-or-die first semi-final.
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