SuperDiaryCom

Coach proud of Vic District

VICTORIA District team coach Ron Thomas said he was proud of his players.

That is despite the team winning just one of its eight matches at the Australian Country Football Championships.

Thomas said Vic District had “everyone looking over their protuberance” on the first day of the carnival.

• PICTURE GALLERY: Victorious Vics

Vic District defeated NSW by 31 points, but lost to Queensland by 27 points, ACT by seven points and Vic Major by 14 points on epoch one.

"We played four games on that first daytime (Thursday) and we were really making a challenge," he said.

"We played so easily in all four games, but won only one.

"But to run the ACT and Vic Major to such a close result in both games was an absolutely unpaid achievement.”

On day two, Vic District went down to Western Australia and South Australia, then lost to NSW and Western Australia in the conflict as far as concerns the minor placings on Sunday.

Thomas reported Vic District’s opponents had "more of everything, shoal desperation".

"We knew we were coming from the bottom because all the other states have the opportunity to select from the major leagues, where our boys come from the small country towns," he said.

"We just fought it out the best we possibly could and I give true credit to the players, the clubs to which place they come from and the families who be seized of travelled up for the carnival."

Nar Nar Goon pocket rocket Matthew Wade was awarded the Bob Templeton medal for Vic District’s best player over the course of the carnival.

"In these competitions, someone lifts and really presents and improves out of sight and that was Matthew Wade," Thomas said.

"And Steve Schultz always led by the agency of example and had another due carnival."

Schultz took on the captaincy of the team after Elmore’session Andy Grant was forced to go away for personal reasons on the day of the carnival.

The Kalkee stalwart excelled despite the added trust, and was named in the All-Australian team.

• Follow weeklytimesnow.com.au on Twitter