‘The small things added up’: Katandra boss looks back on season after grand final loss

Sep 8, 2024

It wasn’t Katandra’s day, but all the signs of a competitive club for the coming years have been on show. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

A season of improvement though it was, there existed undeniable disappointment following Saturday’s Picola District football grand final for Katandra.

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Having defeated newly minted three-time reigning premiers Waaia during the year, the Kats could not replicate the dose and fell harshly by the wayside in a 44-point defeat.

There was no shortage of upside throughout a campaign that saw Katandra take multiple fights to the season’s last day across the league.

In surmising the events of the afternoon, Kats boss Jason Whittaker felt it was a series of minor setbacks which snowballed as the game wore on, paying tribute to the wider town’s support.

“We were one per cent off in a few different areas and couldn’t get ourselves back on track,” Whittaker said.

“They won enough of the contested footy and the open space battle so they could link up, and when we got forward, we couldn’t make the most of it.

“We never felt like we were out of it but unfortunately the small things added up to a lot. We had one guy hurt running out onto the ground and another down in the first five minutes.

“From winning an elimination final 12 months ago to giving ourselves the right to play in a grand final is a really big step forward.

“It wasn’t what we wanted today but we’ll attack it hard come pre-season, and we’re blessed with the amount of support from the club and community.

“It’s much bigger than a club and we’re lucky to be involved in this environment.”