As in the old TV game show What鈥檚 My Line?, it is tempting to ask: Will the real Victoria Shamrocks please stand up?
鈥淥n any given night 鈥� you can throw out the form charts,鈥� Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes said. Observers can understand his exasperation.
Victoria began the 2018 Western Lacrosse Association season slowly at 1-2 before hitting stride with a 4-0 run that included victories over big dogs New Westminster and Maple Ridge. But that has been followed by losses to Burnaby and last-place Coquitlam, and a less-than-inspiring victory over Nanaimo.
鈥淲e should have swept the last three games, which would have left us in a very strong position鈥� Heyes said.
鈥淏ut now we have put ourselves into a spot where every game feels like a playoff-type game. But it鈥檚 part of the learning process for this group and accepting to play the full 60 minutes.鈥�
Third-place Victoria (6-4) is an amalgam of familiar veterans and younger talent brought into the team.
鈥淲e used to be a plug-in-and-play team, but this season presents more of a learning curve,鈥� Heyes said.
鈥淛ust because we鈥檙e the Shamrocks doesn鈥檛 mean we are automatically going to win anymore. We have to bring it up a notch.鈥�
Victoria has 12 points and is three points clear of a trio of teams with nine 鈥� Nanaimo, Burnaby and Langley.
The Langley Thunder (4-6-1) are at the Q Centre Friday night.
They鈥檒l feature a crucial addition with undersized but dynamic NLL Calgary Roughnecks pro Dane Dobbie back with the Thunder for the rest of the season. Dobbie has overtaken the likes of Kaleb Toth to become the all-time goals and points scorer in Roughnecks franchise history.
鈥淒obbie adds a veteran, offensive element to a young Langley group that recently beat New Westminster,鈥� Heyes said.
The Shamrocks will be in Maple Ridge to take on the Burrards on Sunday.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have to rely on the full depth of our lineup this weekend,鈥� Heyes said.
