Brodie Elphick competes for the ball against Mulwala.
The Deni Rams are looking to get back onto the winner’s list against the Barooga Hawks in the Murray League action at Hardinge St Oval tomorrow.
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The Rams are eighth on the senior football ladder following another close-run, 18 point loss last week away from home against Mulwala.
The team is one win behind Numurkah in sixth position, with five wins and eight losses so far this season. Rumbalara and Numurkah, with six wins and seven losses apiece, sit ahead of them.
There are five games left to finish the year for the Deni Rams.
After Barooga, they play Moama at home, Congupna away, Rumbalara at home then Echuca United away.
Congupna and Moama are the top two sides, while Rumba are 7th and Echuca United is 10th.
Rams coach Gary Parsons said his side has played well, as shown in their last game against Mulwala.
“We were highly competitive against Mulwala.
“We probably had five or six of our best and more experienced guys play really well throughout the first three quarters, but probably got a bit tired towards the end. That’s the difference in those games.
“And what happens is the best players get tired, and then they are relying on 10 to 12 players who have previously been in the reserves but are definitely seniors players - as they’ve shown this year. But that experience tells in the end.
“It becomes a challenge of who can last the longest. Some of these good teams, they’re good running sides and have plenty of experienced blokes who try to run you off your feet, and it is telling.
Brock Redden tries to spoil at the front of the marking contest against Mulwala.
“It was disappointing to lose that one (against Mulwala), but it is great experience for our players.
“The likes of Brock Redden, Tom McCallum and Brodie Elphick have really had to stand up.
“Overall, we’ve probably got 10 to 12 blokes who have got 40 games of senior footy as the most between them, but it bodes well for the club down the line.
“Saying that, we still want to try and snatch a couple and try and win three or four of our games coming up.”
Barooga are winless so far this season, in the seniors and reserve football grades.
The Rams seniors will be looking for a big percentage boosting win at home, to show how far they’ve come since a 53 point win in round one away against Barooga.
However, they will also be wary coming up against a motivated Barooga side heading towards the end of the season, Parsons said.
“They’re probably thinking that they’re a good chance to get a win, and that it is a good chance out of their remaining games for them to get their first win of the season against us.
“So we’ll implore our blokes to make sure they’re coming in ready to play and are super keen, even though we’ll probably rest a few guys this week.
“I think we’ve improved (since round one) but this is a great opportunity to show it and become a consistently good side, which I think we’re getting close to, even if our win-loss record doesn’t fully show it at the moment.”
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