HEPBURN coach Clive Raak has labelled the 2014 season a “waste” after his side suffered a shock 40-point loss to Springbank in last Sunday’s semi-final.
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Three weeks ago the Burras were the team to beat for the CHFL premiership, but two straight finals losses put an early end to their season.
“Four weeks ago everyone was fit and well, but the past four weeks we’ve had no luck and it hurt us,’’ Raak said.
“It’s a very disappointing way for us to finish the season.
‘‘It’s been a waste of a season.
“Ken Cummings and Leigh Santurini didn’t play because of injury and then in the first five minutes Andy McKay badly hurt his shoulder and spent the rest of the game on the bench.
“We had a couple of other blokes who were very sore and we just had nothing left in the tank.
“There was an opportunity there for some of the younger guys to stand up against Springbank, but it didn’t happen.”
Hepburn led Springbank by one point at halftime, but the Tigers broke the game open with a four-goal to nil third term.
“Springbank has some quality players and they really stood up for them in the third quarter,’’ Raak said.
“In the third quarter when the game was on the line we just didn’t have the fire in the belly.
“Going back-to-back to win flags is one of the hardest things in footy to do and you have to do everything right.
“We fell away in the past few weeks.”
The Burras only kicked one goal after halftime to limp out of the finals race meekly.
Dan O’Halloran battled gallantly through the middle of the ground, while Alan Ware was solid down back.
Fergus O’Connor and Tanner Wills also played well on a day when the Burras had few four-quarter performers.
Raak has re-signed with the Burras for 2015.
“We have a lot of work to do in the next couple of months,’’ Raak said.
“The first thing we need to do is find out where our playing group is at and what their intentions are.
“If they haven’t got the right attitude and don’t want to commit until the end of the summer, then we’ll have to look at other players.
“I don’t want to finish second, third or fourth next year.
‘‘We’ve got a lot of work to do and it starts now.”
Raak said improved speed would be his number one goal for the Burras in the off-season.
“In last year’s finals series we were a very quick side,’’ he said.
“In the loss to Gordon and again against Springbank we looked very slow.
“We’ll be doing a lot of work on our endurance and speed over summer.”