LABRADOR v SURFERS PARADISE
Surfers Paradise will be looking to replicate their upset win over Labrador this weekend, when the two sides clash at Cooke-Murphy Oval.
The Demons could jump into the five with a win over a strong Labrador outfit tomorrow, with their finals chances entirely in their own hands.
Surfers Paradise will have a debutant in Queensland U16 representative, Josh Matoulis, and Zorko is confident that he will step up to senior football.
“He’s more than capable of doing the job, it’s effort and execution that we’re after,” he said.
“We’re hoping he’ll be a long-term prospect at the club.”
The Demons will be without state U18 representatives, Darcy Trask, Cassidy Haberfield and Brayden Preuss in the game, while Nathan Kenny has been recalled to the Southport side and Dane Grant (hamstring) will also miss.
A star-studded Demons line-up caused one of the upsets of 2014 with their defeat of the Tigers, but it will be a much harder prospect this time around.
Southport’s Jake Goldsmith will line up for Labrador in the match and with a premiership reunion on the day, the Tigers will have plenty of motivation.
Liam Burke will come into the Tigers side for his first senior game of the season, while Kurt Niklaus will also return.
Labrador coach, Steve Daniel, said his charges would be looking to grab some vital momentum heading into the final month of the regular season.
“The boys have been awesome, doing everything we ask (in the face of injuries),”he said.
“We just seem to be growing and growing and (a win), it’ll be really good for the group.”
SANDGATE v BROADBEACH
Consistency will be the key focus for Broadbeach, when they travel to Lemke Rd tomorrow.
The Cats have been electrifying in stages this season but lapses have cost them on some occasions, and coach, Wayne Petterd, said his side would need to maintain its intensity for four quarters.
“We’ve talked about the ebbs and flows of our game and we’ll work on that and balance it out,” he said.
“We don’t want not be dictated to by oppositions as much as we have , because the ebbs and flows won’t work against the better sides.
“We’re building up to the last two games against Palm Beach and Labrador… and momentum and form is going to play a big key in those last couple of games before the finals.”
Last year’s U18 best and fairest runner up, Isaac Dineen, will debut for the Cats in the match, while Dan Skrinis and Joey Ward also come back into the team.
While the trip will be their longest of the season, Petterd said Broadbeach should feel at home on Sandgate’s big home ground.
“I’d like to think it suits our style of footy,” he said.
Sandgate will be hoping to clinch an upset on their home ground.
Their line up is relatively stable and the hawks will be rargin to start the last motnh of the season off with a bang.
MT GRAVATT v MORNINGSIDE
It’s a daunting challenge, but Mt Gravatt coach, Brad Pollock, sess this weekend’s clash with Morningside as an opportunity for his team.
A win would hand them back a one-game advantage in fifth spot and go a long way to embedding them in September, but he admitted they will enter the match as the rank outsiders.
“We’re going to go in as huge underdogs but I think the boys are up for the challenge and I know they’ll be disappointed, if they don’t give it a good shake,”he said.
It will be an emotional match for the Vultures, who use the game to honour former player, Ferg Reid.
Mt Gravatt will have to try and pull off the unlikely win without Mitch Hart, whose season could be over after he tore ligaments in his ankle, while Sean Yoshiura (hamstring) and Brenton Saunders (unavailable) will also miss.
The best-case scenario for Hart would see him back for week one of the finals, if the Vultures hang on to their fifth place.
A win for Morningside would almost sew up their minor premiership, an opportunity that coach, David Lake, says is not lost on his players.
“That whole minor premiership thing, that’s important to us,” he said.
“It’s something to play for.”
Josh Brown and Joe Dalton will return from injury for the clash, while Lachie Russ (soreness), Ryan Johnson (back) and Daniel Daye (unavailable) will miss.
UQ v MAGPIES
They might be out of finals contention, but there will be plenty for both UQ and the Western Magpies to play for when they clash on Saturday.
Both sides view the match as a winnable one, and Magpies coach, Glenn Humphrey said the opening exchanges would be pivotal.
“They’re (UQ) going to come out and see it as a very winnable game,” he said.
“We need to squash that early in the game, with our attack at the contest and our use of the football.”
The Magpies midfield will have a major boost in the match, with Ben Jaenke-Cain and Richard Wenham coming in and Redland-listed Matt Sondergeld in the side.
UQ’s Michael Stewart comes into the Red Lions team tomorrow, along with Dustin Harris and Harry Marshall will make his debut for the side, while Scott Miller, Cameron Stevenson and Nate Dennis are all out.
Red Lions coach, Matt Stewart, said his side was regenerated after the bye.
“Even thought we lost to Broadbeach, the guys felt they played reasonably well, having the break off definitely freshened up a few guys,” he said.
“It’s given them a chance to come good.”
WILSTON GRANGE v PALM BEACH
Wilston Grange’s must-win month of footy begins with a major test in third-placed Palm Beach.
The Gorillas have proven a tough test for the Lions in their recent match ups, and coach, Matt Trewhella, said they would take some confidence into the game.
“I think we match up well against them,” he said.
“Some of the guys definitely have an aura of confidence after we’ve come close or beaten them in the last couple of years.
Trewhella said a strong start would be crucial, after a sluggish first half cost them a win in their last clash with the Lions.
“Last game they had a six-goal lead at half time and that was the game done,” he said.
“We can’t afford to even if we can come back, doesn’t matter it’s cost us the game.”
Trewhella will come back into the side, returning from a calf complaint, while Matt Werner and Lachie Moir are among nine changes for the game.
Cameron McBurnie has been named for his Lions debut in the Gorillas clash, after showing solid form in the reserves.
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