This weekend, the University Cougars and Highfields-Coolaroo will go head to head in all three McDonald's youth competition Grand Finals.
The Cougars took home the minor premiership honours in the Under 12's and 14's and the Highfields-Coolaroo snuck home by percentage to claim the Under 16 McDonald's Cup minor premiership as the number ranked team after the home and away season.
Fifteen rounds have been completed and two weeks of finals series, from April 22 in Round 1, it all comes down to that one day in September.
Under 12 McDonald's Trophy Grand Final
08:00am
University Cougars Vs. Highfields-Coolaroo
University kicked their season off with an impressive 59-point victory over the Bombers in round 1, while down in the Lockyer Valley the Roos'-Lions had a hard fought 33-point win over the Demons.
Fast forward, and the Cougars are aiming for the perfect season. Sixteen straight wins with the seventeenth the almighty premiership decider. For the boys and girls in navy blue and maroon, their inaccuracy in front of goal nearly cost them a Grand-Final berth. However the role Cohen Stockwell, Charlie Bignell and Henry Sheath played, was pivotal and the boys and girls from Highfields-Coolaroo can think this trio.
The Cougars, inflicted back to back losses for their opponents and no doubt this will give the University Cougars an edge ahead of the big game. Can the Cougars secure their fourth straight Under 12's Premiership?
Players to watch....
University Cougars: #1 James Potter, #9 Lochie Greenbury, #10 Zimra Hassan & #20 Levi Parker
Highfields-Coolaroo: #4 Cohen Stockwell, #12 Charlie Bignell, #16 Henry Sheath & #23 Flynn Ross
Keys to victory....
University Cougars: Keep doing what you have been doing all year, 16 straight wins speaks for itself.
Highfields-Coolaroo: Find more goal-kickers, Charlie Bignell has been the go to inside forward 50
Final word.....
It is just game, it may be the Grand Final but go out and enjoy don't worry about anything else.
Under 14 McDonald's Shield Grand Final
09:25am
University Cougars Vs. Highfields-Coolaroo
Last time these two sides met, it was labelled the game of the season and this decider is tipped to be even better.
Only a goal separated the two McDonald's Shield powerhouses last time they met. University Cougars last won the Under 14 title in 2014 and for Highfields-Coolaroo it was the year prior, 2013 (Coolaroo). Again, the Cougars have had a near perfect season with 16 straight wins similar to the clubs Under 12's. The boys and girls in navy blue and maroon, are the only team to get within a goal of the University juggernaut.
Highfields-Coolaroo, finish games strongly and if they had another 5-minutes in the qualifying final they might of been the team that advanced first. Cougars strength, their blistering opening two terms is where they put teams away.
Players to watch....
University Cougars: #5 Nicholas Maxwell, #8 Phoebe Baird, #9 Brodie Speed & #17 Nyok Kag
Highfields-Coolaroo: #1 Eli Slyderick, #7 Sam Dearnaley, #12 Coda Stanmore & #16 Jake Wright
Keys to victory....
University Cougars: To be honest, just keep what you're doing. The current formula works.
Highfields-Coolaroo: Be in front at quarter time, this will be foreign territory for the Cougars
Final word....
Be accountable, have fun and utilise your strength!
Be accountable, have fun and utilise your strength!
Under 16 McDonald's Cup Grand Final
11:00am
Highfields-Coolaroo Vs. University Cougars
The top two teams of the home and away season, only 16% splitting them on the ladder and it comes down to one last game.
Highfields-Coolaroo will be fresh after directly advancing two weeks ago from the Qualifying Final. However, the Cougars will see momentum and regular game time as an advantage with the minor premiers only playing one game of footy in three weeks.
Though the young men in navy blue and maroon, have been very professional all year and will be firing on all cylinders come this blockbuster. It is two wins a piece from the four encounters this season with the average winning margin 17.5 points or 3-kicks. University are the defending Under 16 premiers with the Roos' last holding aloft the premiership trophy in 2013.
If we were to pick one game to go to extra time, this is the one - similar to the 2007 Coolaroo versus Toowoomba East decider.
Players to watch....
Highfields-Coolaroo: #3 Brody Kahler, #13 Deklan Branson #14 Brody Ernst & #16 Jackson Copland
University Cougars: #3 Lincoln Bouttell, #9 Jaiden Fidge, #11 Storm Arnold & #4 Jarred Jeitz
Keys to victory....
Highfields-Coolaroo: Stop the influence of the leading goal-kicker and Jack Barry Medallist, Jaiden Fidge.
University Cougars: Play Rockville Park, like it is USQ AFL Oval, long, straight and direct.
Last word....
Make the most of Grand-Final day, you never know when you'll play on this big day again
Last Modified on 27/09/2017 09:31
