Moranbah Bulldogs will be looking to kick-start their 40th year celebrations with a win over the Mackay Magpies in a must win game for the 2014 Premiers. Mean-while the Bakers Creek Tigers will be looking to inflict the North Mackay Saints third straight loss as the Tigers travel to Zeolla to take on the Saints.
And in the picturesque Airlie Beach, the Whitsunday Sea Eagles will host the second place Mackay City Hawks in Saturday afternoon footy.
Bulldogs V Magpies
For the second week in a row the Mackay Magpies will play in the Allied Pickford's Cup match of the round but all the focus will be on the Moranbah Bulldogs, as the reigning premiers look to keep their 2015 campaign alive.
Stevenson Park will be buzzing with past players, as the Bulldogs celebrate their 40th year and no doubt the kennel will be packed to the brink with Bulldogs supporters.
The Magpies have gained the reputation as the slow-starters but excellent finishers, thought today a slow start could cost the men in black and white, with the Bulldogs traditionally good starters. Most coaches focus on playing games quarter by quarter and the first 5 minutes of each quarter and this is where the Magpies will need to be most focused.
Moranbah will come out firing in the opening term and will be ready to hit the ground running with plenty adrenaline from the strong home crowd.
The Bulldogs are coming off a huge win over an understrength Sea Eagles outfit and was set up off their impressive 8-goal to zero opening term. Former Swan, no Bulldog Dion Obst was superb and will need to be closely watched by the Magpies midfield.
Bulldog Daniel Jackson will also be another key player, with Jackson coming off a 7 goal bag in a dominate display inside the forward fifty. If he lines up again for the Bulldogs, no doubt Magpies defender Jackson Webb will get the job, in what would be a mouth-watering match up.
For the Magpies, they missed ruck Tyson Craig last week who is one of the competitions best rucks and may be one of the favourites for the MJ Miller Medal.
Captain Jaebyn Drefke has also been in solid form, playing a key role up forward and spending sometime in the midfield. Heath Thiele has wound back the clock and is having quite an influential season for the Magpies.
This should be an interesting encounter, the first 5 minutes will be an important and this particular match will be set up from whoever starts the better of the two sides.
Stevenson Park, Moranbah @ 2:45pm
Saints V Tigers
On paper, this match leads towards a comfortable victory by the Saints.
However, a few factors will make a few punters scratch their head trying to pick the winner of this match. North Mackay are coming off back to back to back losses and have looked out of sorts in all three matches. The Tigers may only have one win for the season but are starting to gain a lot of confidence and welcome back players from injury.
Bakers Creek are definitely on the prowl and the Saints will definitely need to show their opponents respect this week.
Over their last three losses, North Mackay teenager Brenton Lauder has been in superb form and has been one of the very few Saints to stand up in times of need. His pace and composure off half-back along with his ability to intercept attacking raids of the opposition, makes Lauder a very important and damaging player for North Mackay.
Tim Wauchope and James Popperwell have been standout performers this season for the Tigers but need more support if they are to upset the Saints at Zeolla.
Can the Tigers roar at Zeolla Park?
Zeolla Park, Beaconsfield @ 2:45pm
Sea Eagles V Hawks
Mackay.AFLQ.com.au don't think there is anywhere else better to play our great game than in Airlie Beach and the Hawks have the pleasure of travelling to the Whitsundays to take on the Sea Eagles.
Mackay City are will be fresh coming off the bye and will be eager as they make their run towards another finals campaign. It will be interesting to see how rookie Coach Matt Crowley approaches this match and if a few of the regular contributors for the Hawks will be rested.
The likes of veteran Desmond Hayes, Brodie Saltmarsh, Scott Brown, Nabako Stow, Tim Bone and co.
However, it won't be a relaxing visit to Airlie Beach for the Hawks and they will need to first focus on the match at hand, as the Sea Eagles have shown what they can do, in different patches this season. The Sea Eagles are just lacking a consistent four quarter match and if they can do that against the Hawks, you just never know if an upset is brewing.
The Sea Eagles were understrength in Moranbah last week and will be looking to welcome back regular contributors in Eli Gunders, Jade Derbyshire, Chris Bray and Brent Gale.
If this quartet and numerous other players can slot straight back into the momentum of footy and take the Hawks sling shot, open game style on, then as mentioned, you just never know.
Whitsunday Sports Park, Shute Harbour @ 2:45pm
Last Modified on 30/07/2015 08:08