The Lithgow Workies Wolves U18s season has come to an end after a 28-16 loss to Bathurst St Pats over the weekend.
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The side was in the match for majority of the game but made some errors and gave away crucial penalties towards the end of the match, something that has plagued them all season according to coach Ben Lane.
"They played well in patches I suppose but they just fell away at the end of the game with errors and penalties," he said.
The side had backed up from playing three times in the past week with a mid-week match, but Lane said that was no excuse.
"St Pats backed up too so it was the same for everyone, but we did have a couple of injuries,"
"We only had three reserves and then had a couple of injuries throughout the game so that didn't help us towards the end."
Lane said his side had plenty of ball at the start but just couldn't get over the line.
"We had majority of the possession for most of the first quarter but only managed to put one try in, the second quarter was very similar," he said.
By half time there wasn't much in the match with St Pats leading 12-10.
But by the end of the third quarter the home side was up 18-10, before Lithgow managed to put in a try before St Pats scored two late tries to blow the score out to 28-16.
"The second half of the game we just fell away in the last quarter and we couldn't really keep with them," he said.
Lane said it was a hard match as St Pats are the bench mark.
"They are the best team in the competition and really we aren't that far behind them on our best day, but it's just putting it together for the full 60 minutes that has been our problem all year," he said.
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Lane said overall the season had been very competitive but his side just couldn't quite get over the line in a few of the games.
"We are the youngest side in the competition from what I've noticed so that should put us in pretty good stead for next year going forward," he said.
But there is always the worry about the lack of numbers.
"That's the biggest worry because we might be losing a few with work and having jobs away so that makes it interesting with this age group," he said.
Unfortunately for the side it was a short season with not all the teams playing in the Eastern competition.
"They were out in the other comps so we didn't get to play a normal season," Lane said.
One thing Lane was looking forward to was having his side interact with the first graders.
"But that didn't happen and it felt like they were back in the juniors because they were training on their own so it was a different year and it really didn't feel like the under 18's to a lot of them, it didn't feel like it to me either," he said.
Overall Lane said playing against experienced teams was a good learning curve for the boys.
"All the boys seemed keen still and they enjoyed the year the best they could, it wasn't much of a year with the season it was, but they all turned up to training and put in the effort,"
"Unfortunately we didn't get a few results go our way, we only really needed one more win and we would have made it into the semi's but didn't get it."
Lane said they had a couple of games to win but they threw them away.
"The boys would be cursing themselves a bit knowing they could've been there but they only took the top three teams from the Eastern Pool,"
Those teams go on to play the top two teams out of the Northern and Southern Pool.
"So if it was a normal season we probably would've made the semi's but it is what it is," he said.
"At least they got some footy in this year it wasn't looking like they would get any for a while there."
Workies Wolves president Anthony 'Bones' Brown said the club should be proud of their achievements through this tough time.
"They played and presented themselves well and the club," he said.
"Thanks goes out to the coaches Ben Lane, Jason Nunan and Ross Harrington and the club committee as well as all our sponsors especially the Lithgow Workies Club for their ongoing support and we can't wait for next season being COVID-19 free and successful.
"Onwards and upwards."
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