Weekly Times | NOT even the most illustrious Australian sporting event would work as an excuse for Cavendish this weekend.
The Bloods are preparing for their first tilt at South West District league finals since reaching the semi-finals in 2010, and are trying to break a premiership drought that dates back to 1993.
They are staring down the barrel of sudden death this week, but fortunately — or unfortunately depending on how you look at it — they recently had a good look at their opponent.
Cavendish lost a thriller in the final home-and-away round on Saturday to Westerns, 10.15 (75) to 11.11 (77), and will meet the Roos again on Sunday in the elimination final.
The Bloods had three players missing because they were attending the basketball showdown between Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne on Saturday night.
And Shaun Hayes and Brody Edwards were late withdrawals because they had the flu.
Cavendish football manager Mark Brown said if the side kicked straighter, they would be in with a good chance in the final.
The Bloods led by 14 points at quarter time on Saturday, despite having nine scoring shots to five, and coughed up a 21-point halftime lead when they kicked 1.5 to 6.5 in the third quarter.
“There are a few basketball fanatics at the club,” Brown said.
“We played blokes out of our reserves side and they played all right.
“We got done by two points, we kicked 15 points for the game and we missed some very easy goals, which should’ve been sitters for us.
“Our full-forward (Lachlan McKenzie) kicked 3.6 — he kicked six points before he kicked a goal.”
Brown said he did not believe Saturday’s win gave Westerns a psychological advantage going into the final.
“We were pretty proud of how the boys played,” he said.
