THE Tassie Mariners fought hard but failed to deliver against the Gold Coast Suns Academy in Queensland on Saturday.
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Lance Spaulding’s charges lost 9.9 (63) to 11.11 (77) in Southport to take their under-18 academy series win-loss record to 2-2 with one match against Sydney next weekend remaining.
The Map trailed by just four points at three-quarter time before the hosts booted four goals to two in the final term.
Glenorchy’s Harrison Pearce scrounged four majors and Burine’s Thomas Mundy kicked two, while Chayce Jones (Launceston), Hugh Dixon (Tigers) and Zac Buechner (Clarence) all finished with one each.
“It was a real grind for us as we couldn’t get our going at all, the Gold Coast boys were up and about right from the start,” Spaulding said.
“To the blokes credit they battled and got their noses in front but couldn’t hold on.
“It’s the first time I’ve been a bit disappointed in the way that they applied themselves and we’ve got to learn from that.”
Spaulding said he was impressed with Mundy, who played his first match through the midfield, Dixon up front and in the ruck and Thomas Donnelly (North Launceston) at full back.
He said the match would be reviewed heading into the Swans battle at Bellerive Oval. “We will go into the match and that will be the redemption we want, we want to beat an unbeaten side,” Spaulding said.