Plucky Cats keep in touch for finals in Brisbane Comp

As the Gympie Cats vie for a spot in the top five, the side has turned to unorthodox methods as an answer to player injuries.

LEADING THE CHARGE: Gympie player Chris Langfeldt had a blinder last week against the Swans. Picture: Leeroy Todd

AUSSIE RULES: As the Gympie Cats vie for a spot in the top five, the side has turned to unorthodox methods as an answer to player injuries.

With the finals four weeks away the Cats need to win every game, and with a few of their forwards out of action the side has swapped the footy boots for basketball shoes.

"We have lost some forwards to injuries and have lost our forward line presence,” Cats co-coach Jason Kent said.

"We had to change everything around, even where we have been getting our goals from has all changed.

Gympie Cats - #3 Lanze Magin. Picture: Troy Jegers

"The last two weeks was a bit wet and I wanted to get the boys off the heavy track. We went down to the basketball courts for a lighter session to teach them about blocking.

"I have not seen any drastic changes but it was just a charge up to the mental side of things and to free them up going into the bye this weekend.”

The Cats sit in seventh spot on the ladder; they are 12 points behind fifth place Moorooka but Kent believes the boys can sneak into the last finals spot.

"If we get there we can nearly go all the way,” he said.

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"I think our run is pretty good, with a few players coming back from injuries,” he said.

"Everything we have been working on this year is starting to turn and they go up a gear when it comes to finals.

"I was confident a month out last year they would smack the opposition in the final. This year they won't bust the wheels off sides but in this comp they will be tough.”

The Cats defeated the Pine Rivers Swans 134(20.14) to 76(12.4) last Saturday at Pine Rivers.

Despite getting in the winner's circle against the Swans, Kent was not impressed with the overall team performance.

Co-coach Jason Kent.

"It was a good win but I have seen them have better losses during the season,” he said.

"The bye this weekend has come at a good time. I have tried to jam a fair bit of knowledge on to the young fellas and it's good to have a bit of a break.

"They lost their way a bit. They had good individual skills but as a team they have played better. They played the bottom side and I expected them to win.” Midfielder Lanze Magin and half-forward/midfielder Chris Langfeldt had the best individual performances.

"Lanze had a cracking game. He is just 100 per cent competitive; he always calculates what he does with the ball,” Kent said.

"Chris played a bruising game for the side. He is only a little fellow but he threw everything at it and punched above his weight.”

Cats take their home game to Pomona next weekend when they play Redcliffe and there are a few areas that need improvement.

"The next four games are winnable but last week we slipped into old habits which is easy to do when are giving a side a fair pasting,” Kent said.

"We need to put pressure on the opposition's ball carry which will make them hand ball earlier. We need to work on this when we meet the better sides.”

Cats v Redcliffe 2pm at Pomona, Saturday, July 27.