Crocs catch Hawks, but look ahead to Saints clash
They may have been victorious on Saturday, but Crocs head honcho Brad Cooper wants to see more from his team for their mega match up next week.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Port Douglas made the midfield its playground against the Manunda Hawks, but there’s still plenty of improvements coach Brad Cooper wants to see before next round’s huge game.
The Crocs pulled no punches in their 28.24 (192) to 3.2 (20) win at Cazalys Stadium, but the side will already be looking ahead to its match against the second-placed Saints next week.
“Our use of the ball and some of our decision-making are probably the two areas we need to work before next week,” Cooper said after the match.
Crocs midfielders Josh Lea and Jack Shanahan were two of many on their team to cover their zone well against Manunda, able to move efficiently through traffic to fuel their attacks.
“Our midfield’s been pretty good, that being said there’s room for improvement,” Cooper said.
“There were a few things we wanted to work on this game, and they worked the time so we’re starting to improve in that regard.”
The same could not be said, however, for the Hawks who now ride an 11-game losing streak.
The home team routinely shot themselves in the foot with wayward free kicks and poor handballs that had them scarcely touch their forward 50.
When they managed to get entries going, the Crocs were all over them in terms of numbers and had the ball cleared with little resistance.
Accuracy wasn’t necessarily the Crocs’ strong suit on Saturday either, but Cooper was simply happy with the entry ratio translating on the scoreboard.
“We’ll get a fair bit out of this fitness-wise, but our skill needs a fair bit of improvement,” he said.
“You’d rather be getting the shots than not, so we’ve just got a bit to work on in regards to our forward 50 entries.
“It’s not a bad day when you’re getting more than 50 shots on goal.”
No one Croc had the lion’s share of the scoring, with 13 players all kicking majors in the contest.
Nick Salter led the bask (group of crocs) with seven goals, while fellow forward Chris Colombo booted four.
Hawks big man Ezekiel Frank proved to be a reliable boot for his team in defeat, proving a stable pair of hands in the flanks.
Teammate Troy Barbero also showed to be a veteran who can lead his downtrodden team, applying plenty of pressure on his man and getting free from time to time.
Meanwhile in round 14, an understaffed Cairns City Lions team was brought to the brink of breaking their undefeated streak, but Tyron Rainbird ascended as the hero of Holloways Beach in the dying minutes.
Cairns City were without Crathern favourite Jake Long and NT convert Jackson Calder, and the Cutters brought all they could bear against the reigning premiers.
Tied at 79 apiece in the final minutes, Rainbird took a set shot about 30 metres out to have his sideline in hysterics.
He had three goals on the day, with young gun Jahi Butler booting four goals.
The Cutters backline performed admirably against the seniors’ marquee team, with backmen Jermaine Wardle, Grant Gallus and player-coach Brad Johansen – back in action from suspension – making life tough for the Lions.
Another kicking bonanza was had for the Centrals Trinity Beach at Watsons Oval against North Cairns, with the visitors leaving with a 23.22 (160) to 8.5 (53) win.
Bulldogs youngster Harry Cook kicked a team-high four majors, while Tigers veteran Dillon Rogers kicked a goal of his own in his 200th seniors game for the club.
Race to finals tightens with Lions win
South Cairns has one goal as the season enters its twilight: play competitive football.
And do that they did against the Cairns City Lions, in a blow-for-blow bout at Fretwell Park.
Both teams failed to let up for much of the contest, with plenty of bumps and bruises to go around.
However, the Cutters committed a few too many free kicks and the Lions capitalised with a 8.3 (51) to 1.2 (8) win.
“It was a great match,” Souths coach Lance Henderson said.
“Credit to the Lions it was a great win, but our girls were very competitive, they stuck in there for the full hour and fought it out until the end.”
The clash was largely fought in the midfield, where both teams shone.
For the Cutters, it was Isa Matthews, Tegan Rogers and Steph Mooka who were among the team’s most agile and handy players.
“We’ve built from what we had,” Henderson said.
“We’ve got a good core group of girls now and it’s just been improvements every week, so we’re looking forward to the last couple of rounds.”
The Lions were led from the front by strong forward Matilda Flint (four goals) and ruck Bethany Wheeler.
The win cements the Lions’ finals berth with five rounds to go.
The road to the finals is less clear for the Centrals Trinity Beach, who were defeated by a hopeful North Cairns 5.5 (35) to 2.4 (16).
Leading by a goal after the first quarter, the Bulldogs’ kicking woes once again reared their ugly head, while the Tigers – who can still make the finals – got going in the second quarter.
This was generated largely by veteran Hadassah Nicholson, who kicked three goals.
The competitions top two teams – the Cairns Saints and Manunda Hawks were on byes.
RESULTS
CTB BULLDOGS 5.4 7.11 14.16 23.22 (160)
Goals: Cook 4, Williams 3, Romey 3, Morgan 3, Matulis 2, Griechen 2, Rhook 2, Butson 2, Berenger, Ogilvie.
NORTH CAIRNS TIGERS 3.1 3.2 7.3 8.5 (53)
Goals: Rimato 2, Wilkins, Tom, Rogers, Thorne at Watsons Oval.
PORT DOUGLAS CROCS 7.9 14.15 24.22 28.24 (192)
Goals: Salter 7, Colombo 4, Mckeown 2, Mawson 2, Kilty 2, Brandt 2, Ridgeway 2, Hopkins 2, White, Lovel, McCullough, Davidson, Mcphee
MANUNDA HAWKS 1.1 3.2 3.2 3.2 (20)
Goals: Farley-Smith 2, Seden at Cazalys Stadium.
CAIRNS CITY LIONS 3.7 5.7 9.8 12.13 (85)
Goals: Jahi Butler 4, Rainbird 3, Jezz Butler, Frankland, Kadlecek Lindenmayer, Flint.
SOUTH CAIRNS CUTTERS 1.1 5.4 9.6 12.7 (79)
Goals: Hill 4, Ketchen, Rogers, Campbell, Williams, Roach, Allen, Dixon, Allwood at Fretwell Park.
CAIRNS SAINTS had the bye.
RESERVES
Bulldogs (17.22) 124 def Tigers (2.2) 14.
Crocs (16.12) 108 def Hawks 5.4 (34).
Cutters 27.17 (179) def Lions 0.2 (2).
NEXT ROUND
ROUND 15
2.30pm: Manunda Hawks v North Cairns Tigers at Cazalys Stadium.
2.30pm: Cairns Saints v Port Douglas Crocs at Griffiths Park.
2.30pm: CTB Bulldogs v South Cairns Cutters at Crathern Park.
Cairns City Lions have the bye.
WOMEN’S
CAIRNS CITY LIONS 1.2 6.3 8.3 8.3 (51)
Goals: Flint 3, Roe 2, Wheeler, Fomekong, Wray.
SOUTH CAIRNS CUTTERS 0.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 (8)
Goals: Finlan at Fretwell Park.
NORTH CAIRNS TIGERS 0.1 1.1 3.2 5.5 (35)
Goals: Nicholson 3, Kellermeier, Warburton.
CTB BULLDOGS 1.2 1.2 2.3 2.4 (16)
Goals: Brim, other not supplied at Watsons Oval.
CAIRNS SAINTS and MANUNDA HAWKS had the bye.
NEXT ROUND
ROUND 15
11am: Cairns Saints v Cairns City Lions at Griffiths Park.
11am: CTB Bulldogs v South Cairns at Crathern Park.
5.15pm: Manunda Hawks v North Cairns Tigers at Cazalys Stadium.
More Coverage
Originally published as Crocs catch Hawks, but look ahead to Saints clash
Man charged with alleged taxi and rideshare assaults
A man has been charged with sexual assault after allegedly using his taxi and rideshare job in Greater Cairns to inappropriately touch passengers, as police appeal to the public for more information.
Geoff Guest, 98, takes stand in defence of historic child sexual abuse charges
A recipient of an Order of Australia Medal for his service to youth and community has vehemently denied physically and sexually abusing a teenager on a remote property in the 1970s as he took the stand at his trial.