Port Douglas coach Brad Cooper will draw on his big game experience to inspire an upset against the Tigers in tomorrow afternoon's AFL Cairns preliminary final at Cazalys.
Cooper played in both the club's premiership sides in the early 2000s when the Crocs were a constant force in the league.
They dipped out last year when almost the entire senior list was replaced, but have rallied to get themselves back within one game of the decider.
"It's all about preparation when it comes to these big games. I've got lots of theories on how to go about it but you certainly lap it up and make the most of the occasion," Cooper said.
A Crocs win woud certainly be an upset, given they have not come within 44 points of North Cairns in three matches this season.
But he knows anything is possible and hopes his team can give them a fright.
"We're certainly going in thinking we can win," he said.
"I've said it before, Norths have got match-winners in every line, so every one of our boys will have to be alert and play well."
He refused to believe Norths would be vulnerable given their loss to Saints last weekend, or the fact they bowed out in the preliminary final last season.
"I don't think you read much into that to be honest," he said.
And while he has a game plan to counteract Norths' depth, he wasn't giving anything away.
"You can talk about their midfield but if you focus on one player another one will hurt you," Cooper said.
"We just can't be at 80 per cent, we all have to be at 100."
Better conditions are tipped than what Port and South Cairns faced last Saturday afternoon, when wind and rain turned Cazalys into a washing machine.
"You certainly have a lot more ball on the ground when it's windy like that. They were some pretty tough conditions," he said.
"By the time the reserves started (at 6pm), the conditions were perfect. I certainly wouldn't be averse to playing more games at that time."
Last Modified on 11/10/2013 15:46