THE Rosewood Roosters C-Grade players have plenty to ponder in preparing for much-needed support at their next home match.
The Roosters gained a timely confidence lift after outclassing West End 46-4 at Daniels Park in a recent breakthrough game where some determined efforts were rewarded.
That was Rosewood’s first win in the hotly-contested Rugby League Ipswich competition.
However, a second-half lapse against Redbank Plains in their latest match left the Roosters searching for answers to what went wrong.
“It’s hard to put a finger on it,” said club president and assistant coach Shane Brandley.
“We were well and truly in the game [before becoming unsettled].”
The Roosters only trailed the top four contenders 12-6 at halftime before finally losing 32-6 at the Redbank Plains Recreational Reserve.
“We just couldn’t get on with the job and concentrate on a few things that were going on around them, instead of the game in hand,” he said.
A positive for the Roosters was the return of captain James Harlow from a sternum injury. He played well off the bench.
The Roosters have a chance to regroup with no match this weekend due to the Ipswich Cup.
Brandley hoped his team would gain extra motivation on June 24, on their return to Anzac Park to play Laidley.
The Roosters can chase their second win of the season backed by a supportive Saturday night home crowd.
Rosewood’s first win came after losses to Swifts 34-8, Fassifern 20-12, Brisbane Valley 16-0, Springfield 36-6, Brothers 28-0 and Tigers 28-0.
Brandley said head coach Scott McTaggart was “battling on”, trying new combinations.
He said the victory over West End showed what the Roosters could achieve by playing controlled football.
Second-rower Trae Tetuira and hooker Cody Adams were praised for their recent efforts.
Brandley said it was up to all the players to forget about past challenges and “get on with the game”.
“It’s just concentrating on the day,” Brandley said.
“In senior football, it’s just head down, knuckle down and keep moving forward.”
