NOTHING changed at the top of the Pineapple Hotel Cup ladder after a series of lopsided matches in round 12 on Saturday.
Positions one to six on the ladder remained unchanged after Sandgate, Wilston-Grange, Western Magpies and Noosa all won, while Surfers Paradise (sixth) mucked up their change to grab fifth spot away from Palm Beach-Currumbin when they crashed heavily to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.
Noosa produced some ominous form by demolishing the Demons by 71 points, their second big win in a row.
Wilston-Grange beat Maroochy-Northshore by 40 points, the Western Magpies saw off Burleigh by 42, Springwood upset Coolangatta by 15 points at Lowe Oval and Sandgate smashed Mayne by 20 goals at Lemke Road.
By Terry Wilson
THE odds about Noosa defending their Pineapple Hotel Cup flag are shortening by the week after yet another hugely impressive win by the Tigers.
A week after spanking top-placed Sandgate by 87 points, the Tigers dismantled Surfers Paradise by 16.21 (117) to 7.4 (46) at Weyba Road on Saturday.
Noosa are still fourth on the ladder on 32 points, just one win behind second-placed Wilston-Grange and Western Magpies and only two wins off the pace being set by Sandgate.
But it is clear the claws are being sharpened up on the Sunshine Coast for another assault on the premiership.
Coach Wayne Fletcher was clearly rapt in the performance after killing off the Demons with a lead of 10.9 to 1.3 at half-time.
“We won the stoppages and our forwards did the job,” he said, the only concern again being inaccuracy in front of goals.
“Certainly the first half was pretty dominant, we continued on where we left off against Sandgate.
“But we still need to improve our conversion rate.”
Fletcher praised what he termed an overall team effort, but he was most happy with the defence being able to restrict Surfers to only seven goals.
A top-three finish is the target for the Tigers.
“Oh yes,” replied Fletcher of that matter. “There are no doubts about that – and there are no doubts we need to improve to get there.”
Surfers coach Beau Zorko, beaten for the first time since taking over the job from Rob Martin, remained upbeat despite the 71-point hammering.
“We played against a very good side that used the ball well – and when you turn the ball over through skill errors they make you pay,” he said.
Under my reign at Surfers they’re the best side we’ve played. They’re strong, mature and really well drilled and polished. And they’re clinical.
“We got our hands on the footy enough to be close at quarter-time, but we lacked the polish and execution they have. When they changed gears in the second quarter we couldn’t go with them.
“I was pleased with our second half, because matched them with six goals after half-time. And I was pleased we showed some character and fought the game out rather than throw the towel in.”
Surfers finished with only 16 fit players, key four Trent McIntyre (ribs), Troy Armstrong (shoulder), Jacob Clark (ribs) and Stu Keel (corkie) among the wounded.
Noosa had so many good players Fletcher found it difficult to individualise.
But defensive linchpin Nick Jones, used at both centre half-back and full-back, was a star, as were diminutive rover Caleb Isles, wingman Zac Smith and half-back flanker Owen Bailey.
Best for Surfers were half-back flankers Bronson Durack and Regan Finlay, full-back Keel and Clark up to his injury.
