Finals are upon us and AFL Darling Downs media department preview week 1 of the Under 16’s McDonald’s Cup finals. Lockyer Valley will face South Toowoomba, knock out style and in the qualifying semi-final Coolaroo and Warwick go head to head.
Qualifying Semi-Final
Coolaroo V Warwick Redbacks @ Gold Park, 12:30pm
Rewind to the last time these sides met and many would say the result of this final is within doubt. Coolaroo ran out comfortable 13-goal victors at the home of the Reddies, Roddies Oval. This final won’t be as easy as the home and away fixture and as both sides must be ready for an intense battle that is finals footy.
Shane Iles is the number one Redback and at times has been seen as a lone warrior but in the latter parts of the regular season Anthony Hansen, Kyle Johnson and Ben Davies have supporter young Iles well. Shane is a well-balanced player, similar to his older brother, three-time Holman medallist Brendan; Shane has the ability to win games on his own boot. He is close to the ultimate midfielder from his ability to push forward and boot goals and he also moves into defence smoothly, he is a threat to the Roo’s.
James Sprason is the Roo’s go to man at the moment, Sprason has run into a purple patch and the silky skilled medium sized midfielder is the reason behind the navy blues late season charge up the ladder. The Roo’s also boasting numerous other stars in the damaging left-footer Corey Bellert, along with the natural leader and all round talented Samuel Copland.
AFL Darling Downs Media believe this game will be won in the middle, it will be Warwick’s Iles and Davies against Coolaroo’s Sprason and Copland. Whichever of these talented duos get on top and use the sherrin the best will give their side the all important advantage.
Will Coolaroo’s free flowing game plan be too much for the Redback’s or will the Warwick physical, stop start game style frustrate the Roo’s? Time will tell, one thing is for sure one team will face the minor premiers Dalby and the other the winner of the Elimination Final next week, lucky for double chances!
Elimination Final
South Toowoomba Bombers V Lockyer Valley Demons @ Roddies Oval, 12:30pm
Lockyer Valley will come into this game as the underdog but again is that a bad tag coming into a final? All expectation rests on the shoulders of the young Bombers as they face the inexperienced finals campaigners Lockyer Valley.
The scoreboard has Souths in front with two victories over the Demons, while Lockyer were able to record the one victory against the Bombers in 2013.
The first two encounters of 2013 had the final victor winning within 2-kicks each time but is it the last result we look into the most? In Round-16 the Bombers soared to an incredible and out of no-where, 27-goal victory that surged them up the ladder and into the finals. Kai Ariga had a day out in a best on ground performance kicking 7 goals, a personal best individual bag.
Since this loss, Lockyer Valley haven’t played much footy, not an ideal way to come into the finals. Will their hunger be enough to topple the Bombers?
Lockyer has quite a few genuine stars who are going to be players to watch as they come through the senior ranks but no-one more so than Aiden Cohen-Campbell. The Defender/Midfielder has been the Demons number one player all year and the reason the Demons are making their first finals appearance in the McDonald’s Cup.
Cohen-Campbell will need to be watched closely by the Bombers coaching staff, which is known for shutting down the opposition’s best player with an attacking tagger.
Kai Ariga has been the go to player and has done terrific shut down roles on the competitions stars in Harry Milford (Swans) and James Sprason, but is a defensive move the right plan for a side that bases their game style on attack and attack?
For the Bombers their on-ball brigade of Jones, Norley and Verrall will need to continue to run but AFLDD media believe the number one Bomber will be Nathan Mills. The attacking centre-half back has taken his game to a new level this year, after a handful of games in the seniors and taking his running game to beyond his years. Mills will no doubt go to the Demons key forward Kyle Bawden or Jacob Schroen, a match up that could decide this game.
An Elimination final that will be close, hard fought, with both teams putting everything on the line.
PHOTO: Lockyer Valley Demons Facebook Page
Last Modified on 04/09/2013 12:05
