This weekend sees the return to club fixtures after a two week layoff for school holidays and importantly to recharge the batteries. Round 14 makes the run to finals and the completion of season twenty11, some five weeks has youth finals taking place and soon after Grand Final day on September 4.
We trust all had a good school holiday break and importantly for all the wonderful club volunteers out there that the batteries are over flowing with recharge and it’s all systems go for season remainder.
Not much footy is happening this Friday night and with the cold weather of recent times many will be happy that they are not venturing out. Although the weather forecast of Friday is saying rain to roll in for the weekend so however you look at it, it may be a little uncomfortable – oh well that’s footy!
So with some 8’s / 10’s Friday night at Noosa’s Weyba Road for Coolum Breakers and the local boys a couple of good games at each age group to experience.
Down the track at the Fish Bowl, we see the Roos grazing aplenty, all their littlies will be in full bounding action and to follow will see Maroochydore wins in the 12’s and 14’s games to be played – yep intra club.
A fixture change sees Nambour & Hinterland hosting Maroochydore Green in an under 16 game that will be full of intrigue this Friday night – 6.30pm, the Green Roo will be without Nick Selman who is participating with the state 16’s. Selman kicked six last time they met and was near best on ground so he is a sizable out for the Roos, but still there is the dangerous Jacob Chapman who loves a goal that must still be contained.
It is unlikely the Nambour & Hinterland Blues will participate in 16’s finals but they can be a quality team and I am sure they will play a large part in shaping the final four over the remaining five rounds.
So as we look to footy for Sunday we see six venues in full swing with some great footy action to bring great colour and excitement. The Fish Bowl will host just the one junior game, a cracking under 16 game in Maroochydore Gold v Caloundra; this leading into an under 18 fixture of Maroochydore v Sandgate. In the division 1 16’s Caloundra sit on top of the ladder but only two games separate top and fourth placed Noosa Blue so a fantastic run to finals we have installed in our premier competition.
Three games at North Street on Sunday will test the Panther locals with visits in the 12’s division 2 from a very good Gympie team and then to follow Pomona also head south in the 14’s division 2 v the “combo’s”.
The final game sees the “combo’s” split and the Lions of Glasshouse Hinterland with a huge challenge taking on top team in Caloundra. For the Lions they are missing young gun “Ossie Berger” who broke a collarbone a few weeks back representing the Suncoast Power, but possibly have Ben Fleiter on return. This Panthers unit is a quality team with many leaders but that said I’m sure you will see a Lions team that never says never, lead with full gusto by young Adam and Nathaniel.
Across the Caloundra bar and down the beautiful shores of Bribie Island it is also all go on Sunday with the Bulldogs having all teams on home turf and what a venue it is now the kennel! Under 8/10’s v Caloundra get the party started at 9am then some high level youth footy takes to the stage.
A game of great importance is the under 14 division 1 game Bulldogs v Kawana Park Eagles to be played at 11.15am. In short this is a must win game for the local Bulldogs as they sit a game and hefty percentage outside the four but that said their opposition are a most capable unit. For the Bulldogs they will have Liam Tozer and Blake Hartley fresh from state under 14’s championship honours with the Northern Raiders as the go to players. On the other hand the Kawana Park Eagles also had a number of regional representatives with the Suncoast Power team in Brent Morris, Dylan Menti, Ben Glover and the Ben Meehan who missed the Power through injury. Plenty of other quality players on both teams will govern the outcome of this battle, well worth a trip over the bridge.
For the Eagles whom leave the nest there are others set to soar over home turf, in 8/10’s and both their 12’s teams. Both games see teams who are similarly placed on the ladder do battle and hence from season history close games will transpire.
In fact if you have a look at the ladder in 12’s division 2 it is a beauty with seven teams from second to eighth separated by only two and a half games and to that top placed Pomona are not assured of taking the minor premier chocolates – much footy to be played in the coming 5 weeks. Definitely Noosa Gold Tigers need a win, whilst the Eagles know they do too.
Kawana Park Gold have Maroochydore Green breathing down their necks in the 12’s div 1, and the Eagles coach I believe is experiencing hot flushes of a night time, footy related I am told? The Green Roo’s percentage is so great against the Eagles that this four points for a win margin they must maintain. Not easy for the Green Roo as they play Noosa Blue who are second placed this weekend.
At Noosa, games aplenty this Sunday, two on the back oval with three at front of house, so the Tigers den is sure to be the place of hospitality – plenty of lemonade. All games appear to have the flavour of a bit of heat as they are sure to be close in the kitchen.
As just mentioned the 12’s div 2 of the Blue Tiger and the Green Roo is paramount to the Roo going forward under its own steam not reliant upon how that Eagle soars.
Not many calls as to the M.O.T.R but certainly one in my mind will be the Noosa Blue v Pomona under 16’s game, 4 v 2, this will give us real indication as to where this Tiger unit of div 1 is at. In round 9 when these two teams last met it was near a 100 point shellacking that the Demons experienced at the hands of the Tigers. But do have a look at team sheets of then and now before you think to discard this game of lacking M.O.T.R status, both teams to be stronger – will be a cracker.
Another game of huge significance is the 9am game on the back oval, with Glasshouse Hinterland in fifth place desperate for a win to stay in touch with their fourth placed opponent Noosa Red, both teams locked on 32 points and just some 7% separating. The two teams are yet to have challenged each other this season so a match play and subsequent result of great intrigue we are faced.
At North Shore the littlies get the day started with an eights and tens game at 9am then the same combatants with Pomona also down from the hills to play 12’s. The local Jets play Noosa Red in 14’s and 16’s sees possibly the match of the day at the Jets hangar of 16’s division 2 with a Gympie visit.
To the hinterland of Nambour at the “woods” we see the Breakers trying to escape poor beach conditions for some rolling hills time; games for their 8’s, 10’s, 12’s and 14’s at this venue. Both youth games will be hotly contested as they are in both cases respectfully there about to each other in terms of play.
In the 14’s division 2 Nambour & Hinterland are definitely the team to beat for the title but Garry Brackley and his players like nothing more than rolling up their sleeves for a big challenge.
Some wise words have come my way today from an Under 16 philosopher and well worth sharing "You can't win unless you learn how to lose" and "Champions keep playing until they get it right" so get out there, hone your skills, enjoy your time with your mates and just keep smiling – gotta love the fact the junior footy is back.
Last Modified on 05/08/2011 15:05