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StawellWimmera-Mail Times | STAWELL coach Brad Thomas said his side had gone backwards on Saturday. 

STAWELL stand-in coach Brad Thomas has labelled Saturday’s second-half capitulation against Ararat as embarrassing.

The Warriors went into half-time with a one-point lead, but conceded 14 goals in the second half and scored only two themselves to go down by 72 points.

Thomas said it was a significant step backwards for the club that had shown plenty of improvement this season.

‘‘We’ve come so far in the past six weeks, and to put in a performance like that was embarrassing,’’ he said.

‘‘It was basic things. Everything just went out the window. It’s a game you try to forget.’’

Leading at the main break after a goal-less opening term was no consolation for Thomas.

‘‘Even in the first half we were very dismal. We were very lucky to be in front at half-time,’’ he said.

But Thomas was not all doom and gloom in the aftermath.

He said there was an opportunity for the Warriors to take something out of the loss.

‘‘We’ll just have to come out and work on it. It will be interesting to see how the players take it,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ll have to work on things and hopefully we can learn. You can’t put in a performance like that and not learn from it.’’

Thomas said Saturday’s game showcased an entire side playing close to its worst football.

‘‘It wasn’t one or two players. It was 21 of us,’’ he said.

‘‘There’s no excuses for our performance.’’

The week off with the bye is set to do the Warriors some good, with players to enjoy a well-earned rest.

A handful of first-choice players are likely to return for the side’s round 10 clash against Warrack Eagles.

Luke Hendy, David Morris and Jackson Taurau are all good chances to come back into the side.

Thomas said the team would use the break to prepare for the rest of the season and, potentially, finals football.

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