Three of the sweetest words you will hear this March; footy is back.
The Alpha Sport Pre-Season Cup kicks off tomorrow, Saturday March 5, with week one of the three-week series.
There are four pools, 16 games and 32 teams, with the winner of each game advancing to week two.
Here’s what you need to know about each pool.
POOL A
The Gold Coast derbies will be interesting to watch. Palm Beach and Labrador have added a lot of fresh faces to the fold over summer, so both will be looking to let them settle into the lineup as quickly as possible. For Broadbeach and Surfers, with such a good crop of kids between them, it’ll be about giving them another taste of senior footy.
In Brisbane, the Magpies will pick up where they left off, up against the Gorillas who knocked them out of finals last year.
Mt Gravatt will let some more kids loose, while Matt Walder will take the reins of Morningside for the first time in their quest to go one better than last year.
POOL B
The two QFA premiers of 2015, Mayne and Springwood will lock horns in their first hit out since grand final day, as they play for QFA bragging rights.
John Tootell will get his first game-day Red Lion experience as coach of UQ, up against a Sandgate team that will be hoping to get through pre-season injury free after a wretched run last year.
QAFA (A) team Wynnum will have the opportunity to show their improvement this summer did you when they take on QFA North side Caloundra, who made finals last year.
Last time Coorparoo and Burleigh played, it was a four-point prelim final thriller. The Bombers might be looking for a bit of redemption this week.
POOL C
Bond University will get their first chance to take on a QFA team before round 1, after their second promotion in as many years when they play Kenmore, while Moreton Bay will head south to Alexandra Hills to see if they can continue their winning form after the Councillors Cup two weeks ago.
Yeronga and Aspley will cross the QFA divide to play each other, while Robina and Coolangatta-Tweed will keep it much more local.
POOL D
After a very silky 2015 in the QAFA (B) Central, Kedron step back up in the QAFA (A) this year, and get their first taste of it against Victoria Point.
New Ipswich coach Brad Stephen will face a baptism of fire when the Eagles take on last years QAFA (A) grand finalists the Southeast SUNS.
Neighbours Coomera and Carrara will get their only opportunity to square off this year, before their QFA south and QAFA (A) seasons start, as will Nambour and Hinterland and Park Ridge.
ALPHA SPORT PRE-SEASON CUP WEEK ONE GAMES
POOL A
Surfers Paradise vs. Broadbeach
11:30am, Cooke Murphy Oval
Labrador vs. Palm Beach Currumbin
2:00pm, Cooke-Murphy Oval
Mt Gravatt vs. Morningside
2:00pm, Leyshon Park, Yeronga
Western Magpies vs. Wilson Grange
4:30pm, O’Callaghan Park, Zillmere
POOL B
Mayne vs. Springwood
4:30pm, Leyshon Park, Yeronga
UQ vs. Sandgate
2:00pm, O’Callaghan Park, Zillmere
Wynnum vs. Caloundra
2:00pm, Wynnum
Coorparoo vs. Burleigh,
2:00pm, Giffin Park, Coorparoo
POOL C
Kenmore vs. Bond University
11:30am, O’Callaghan Park, Zillmere
Coolangatta-Tweed vs. Robina
2:00pm, Peak Oval, Coolangatta Tweed
Alexandra Hills vs. Moreton Bay
2:00pm, Keith Surridge Oval, Alexandra Hills
Yeronga vs. Aspley
11:30am, Leyshon Park, Yeronga
POOL D
Coomera vs. Carrara
11:50pm, Peak Oval, Coolangatta Tweed
Victoria Point vs. Kedron
11:50am, Keith Surridge Oval, Alexandra Hills
Southeast Suns vs. Ipswich
11:50am, Giffin Park Coorparoo
Nambour and Hinterland vs. Park Ridge
11:50am, Kianawah Road, Wynnum
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
