Sunday sees Preliminary Final action for the AFL Sunshine Coast Juniors taking place at Noosa’s Weyba Road and Caloundra’s North Street. Both venues will host three games from 9am in what is certain to be some great junior AFL action over the course of the day. For the victors they reap another opportunity at premiership glory in the Grand Finals the following week, to be held at Fishermans Road.
So to Noosa, the match card there is:
Time
|
Grade
|
|
|
|
9am
|
12’s div 2
|
Gympie
|
V
|
Noosa Red
|
10.45am
|
12’s div 1
|
Noosa Blue
|
V
|
Maroochydore Green
|
12.30pm
|
14’s div 1
|
Noosa Blue
|
V
|
Kawana Park
|
This Sunday Gympie travel to Noosa to take on the Red Tiger in the division 2 under 12 Preliminary Final after being put to the Bulldog sword last week at the “Jungle”. Whilst across the hinterland hills to the “woods” the Red Tigers of Noosa were strong in their three goal win against a gallant Pomona Demons outfit.
If form is anything to gauge this competition by, probably forget it and see who rocks up on the morning with bright eyes and the sleep well washed out.
And we don’t have to cast the mind back too far to spot the form line for these two teams, round 18 just two weeks back in fact. That day at the Cattery and possibly there it was again “sleep deprivation”, this time for the young Red Tigers as their visit north saw them soundly go down to their hosts – 9.12.66 to 4.2.26, all a bit sluggish?
Jed Radford that day kicking four and well supported with 2 from Rollan Brook, while the Kent boys Noah and Kade, Ben Stubbs, Eli Lovell and Bodie Cartwright all came to play.
Round seven also gave the Gympie Cats victory, so possibly season form line between these two teams stacks up in favour of the Cats. But footy is a funny game, it’s a marathon to finals and many a team has gone in just expecting it to happen and not come with the desire and passion for the contest at hand.
The Tigers will be looking for Maverick Pettigrove to kick goals whilst much run and carry is created by players Sam Hancock, Wil O’Dwyer, Corey Nixon, Thomas Maher, Jordon Mogg, Finn Blake and friends.
Forget form lines that indicate 2 good wins to Gympie throughout the past season, this game will certainly have much for both sides to cheer about and at the final siren a goal or two either way will be the difference.
In the under 12’s division 1 game we see Noosa Blue up against Maroochydore Green, the Blue Tiger last week going down by some 40 points against the other Roos outfit of Gold. We should factor in for the Blue Tiger that they had the bye in round 18, so possibly started last week’s game a little underdone. So will a solid run against the seasoned Golden Roo last week kick start this Tiger for the coming two weeks?
These two teams have met on three occasions during season 2011, with the Tigers Blue winning the first two hit outs and game three in round 14 a solid win to the Green Roo.
In round 4, possibly before teams were well settled for the marathon season ahead we saw Noosa Blue kick 13.10.88 to Maroochydore Green 6.5.41. For the Blue Tigers young Jack Maclean was sensational with seven majors and a best on ground performance, so he will be looking to rediscover this form.
The round seven game was an arm wrestle with the Tigers coming out on top by 10 points, but both sides with 16 scoring shots apiece underlying the closeness of this back and forth tussle.
Last time they met, the Maroochydore green Roo was too strong for the Blue Tiger of Noosa and ran out victors by some 55 points. Jarrod Halsall and Jake Warren were amongst the goals for the visiting team of Roos that day. Young gun Bayden Goff who represented Queensland in the State School boy Championships in Canberra a week later was in scintillating form for the Roos.
So for the Blue Tiger they will be better for the run last week, this week they are on their own but against a team that is peaking at the business end of the season, the Tigers will need their A game to progress.
Another pleasing fact for coach Trevor Larkins will be that last week he had some players really stand up in front of goal, but that said only four goal kickers gathered their 14 majors - Jarrod Halsall 5, Jekodah Spears 3, Bayden Goff 3 and Kell Gadsden 3.
For a two dollar investment on Sunday you are going to be spoilt rotten, if the two under 12 games aren’t enough hang tight for the final game on the Noosa card – Noosa Blue Tigers v Kawana Park Eagles in a battle royal of under 14’s division 1.
Last week the Noosa Tigers played Caloundra for first passage through to the Grand Final and a grand game was this with just a seven point deficit at day’s end after the Tigers led at the main break. Best Players for the Tigers were Brad Morgan, Joskie Robinson, Connor Ross, Rhys Tarling, Michaela Teevan and Alex Thomas. Chris Morgan has been a regular goal kicker for these Tigers and has 46 goals to date, so is a quality go to forward. Connor McDonald (24) and Tom Hancock (21) add great support.
For the Eagles they soared over a Maroochydore Green team that was never allowed to get going. Best Eagles players were Zach Carlson, Aaron Allman, the Kimberley brothers Brad and Tim, Brady McCosker and Bradley Paine – all this done without their Suncoast Power players Dylan Menti, Ben Glover, Brent Morris and Ben Meehan firing to the level they are capable.
Plenty of strike weapons up front for the Kawana Park Eagles, over the course of season goals have come in good numbers for Morris (33) Glover (31) and Menti (29) give many strong avenues to the big sticks.
Over the season proper these two teams have come together on two occasions, round 5 was a classic with a score line on Kawana turf of Kawana Park 7.11.53 to Noosa Blue 7.9.51 – Jesse Malthouse that day kicking three goals for the Tigers.
In the return bout on the June 19, round 12 we saw the home team that day come up trumps with a score line of 12.2.74 to Kawana Park 9.4.58. A 16 point margin at day’s end, but scoring shots of 14 to 13 we see, so again I read a close encounter. Chris Morgan, Riley O’Dwyer and Joskie Robinson each bagging three majors for the Tigers whilst Dylan Menti was the sole destroyer for the Eagles with 5 of 9 goals for the visitor.
One thing that is going through my mind with this tussle is the potential absence of the injured Jesse Malthouse for the Tigers. Jesse has been out for near two months now with a broken hand he provides fantastic leadership and toughness for his teamaround the contest. His absence for the Tigers could be the difference particularly when you weight in success he has had this season in the round five clash against the Eagles. Could be a starter?
So all in all a great day is assured at Weyba Road come Sunday for these three finals that will see the victors happy with the thought of another weeks footy to come. Cheer loud cheer proud but above all cheer positive for all young players that will be giving their all on match day – good luck to all teams and players.
Last Modified on 15/09/2011 12:27