Youth line up for more wins

Murray Wenzel | 4th June 2010

STEVE Bates knows his team is capable of mixing it with QSL Youth League's best, but he has been forced to play without all or some of them for a long time.

STEVE Bates knows his best 11 is capable of mixing it with every team in the QSL Youth League, but frustratingly he has been forced to play without all or some of them for the majority of the season.

His stars have been scooped up by the senior Spirit – or pensioners as they have been coined by head coach Richard Mitchell – who have been plagued by injury, illness and poor form.

“The babies have been magnificent for us this season,” head coach Mitchell said.

“Every time they have been called upon to step up they have done so brilliantly.

“The 19s are a very important part, but the senior side is the priority.” The problem for Bates is they have been required to step up all too often, leaving his squad either depleted or out on their feet after playing the best part of two games.

It is tough for the passionate Bates to take, but he has copped it on the chin and still managed to record some positive results.

In fact, a few wins could see his team slip into the top four.

“We live in hope that we can get some of those boys back in the side this weekend, but ultimately it comes down to what Richard needs first,” Bates conceded.

“We’ve got the squad to give the competition a shake-up, we just need a chance to get them all together.”

The arrival of Mariners products Adam Ormsby and Nick Fitzgerald gives Bates hope some of his best-performed will be released.

“It’d be great to have the services of Luke (Leggett) and John Cullen,” he said.

“Richard did say it would

balance up a bit now that the two lads have flown in.”

In any case the Spirit’s Sunday game against Gold Coast is a must-win if it wants to stay in touch with the top teams.

The Spirit sits level with the Coast on the ladder, but has a game in hand.

The Spirit ripped the Coast to pieces last time it made the trip south and will hope for something similar this Sunday afternoon.

“We’ve got the wood on them, hopefully we can play the same way we did last time,” captain Josh Metcalf said.


http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2010/06/04/youth-line-up-for-more-wins/