The juggernaut that is the Mackay Magpies, are already through to the 2016 decider and the winner of this North Mackay and Bakers Creek Preliminary Final, will have the daunting task of facing the black and white.
However, first up is this mouth-watering Preliminary Final.
Both sides boast some of the most talented footballers in the region but this game, will be won in the engine room, and will start and finish with the respective midfield brigades. For last years Grand-Finalists, North Mackay the likes of Rahnee Vaccaneo, Miya Scott and Codie Rasmussen are keys and do most of the grunt work before the footy goes inside the forward fifty.
For Bakers Creek, Jourdain Tapim, Ebony Rix and Kathleen Tatton set up the Tigers forward momentum.
Both sides, will be missing a key player each, Saints missing captain and the hard running Allyce Marchetti. While the Tigers will be without ruck Lauren Bella who dominated in last weeks match against the Bulldogs. Bella is in Melbourne playing in the youth girls All-Australian match at VU Whitten Oval in a curtain raiser to the women's Western Bulldogs-Melbourne Demons clash.
Each side respectively has match-winners across all lines.
Though, both teams will be looking to key 'impacters', Tyeller Masso (BCT) and Lyneeka Malone (NMS) to lead from the front. The side that can stop the influence of the others key forward, will win this match.
Masso from the Tigers, loves a contested situation and can kick the uncanniest of goals, the Saints will need their key-defender to not play a close checking game, but zoning off and coming over the top. Someone like, the hard-working Carissa Morgan maybe the type that would be a good match-up.
Saints, Malone on the other-hand is the complete opposite and is a hard-running outside player, that loves to take a bounce. If the yellow and black, can put someone like a Sasha Edmonds who loves the physical contest and nullify Malone's run, the Tigers may just make their first ever final series a memorable one will a Grand-Final appearance.
On paper and statistically, this is a Saints victory.
However, momentum is huge in football and the Tigers are currently a steam train full of momentum and have the buzz you need to win big matches.
Match Details
North Mackay Saints V Bakers Creek Tigers
11:45pm
Rogers Oval, Petrie Street - Eastern Swans
The thoughts and views in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views of the players mentioned, clubs and AFL Mackay.
Last Modified on 14/09/2016 11:28