Ants Senior Coach David Teague lamented the lost opportunity this week.
“It was disappointing to lose to a top three team,” Teague said.
“We got the ball into our forward fifty 26 more times, which generally means you win, but unfortunately we couldn’t convert, whereas they did with limited opportunity.
“Their pressure on us when we got it into our fifty was better than ours in theirs.”
In saying that, Teague was generous in his praise of Setanta O’hAilpin, who finished with five goals, together with Andrew Walker and Joe Anderson up the ground.
“Setanta marked the ball, but also followed up at ground level, which was good given the difficult conditions for a big man,” Teague said.
“Andrew Walker won plenty of the ball and Joe Anderson’s attack on the opposition when they were in possession was outstanding. He put his body on the line for the team and he featured heavily with his attack on the ball.
The Ants, currently seventh on the VFL table, confront 11th placed Coburg at ABD Group Stadium at Coburg this weekend, in the lead-up to the finals. An elimination final appears likely, and hopefully the Ants can hit September running.
Northern Bullants 2.3 5.7 7.10 9.12-66
Casey Scorpions 2.6 4.7 8.9 11.13-79
Northern Bullants
Goalkickers: O’hAilpin 5, Jacobs, Fisher, Saad, Walker
Best Players: Thornton, O’hAilpin, Anderson, Walker, Iacobucci, Johnson
