AFL Cairns: Brandt boots 5, Crocs cruise past Tigers
Midfield duo Liam Brandt and Brett McKeown have surged Crocs to a 53-point victory over the North Cairns Tigers at Port Douglas Sporting Complex.
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Midfield duo Liam Brandt and Brett McKeown have surged Crocs to a 53-point victory over the North Cairns Tigers at Port Douglas Sporting Complex.
Brandt booted five goals to go with 25 disposals, six clearances and seven tackles, while McKeown didn’t stop charging from stoppage, collecting 32 disposals, five clearances and five tackles.
Crocs won the contest from the get-go, winning the hitout count 42-22 and getting on top in the centre clearances in the first half.
Winger Josh Lea was dangerous throughout, running hard between the arcs and finishing with the second most disposals (32) and twelve marks.
He was constantly an outlet for the Crocs coming out of defence, particularly through kick-ins and wasn’t marked on a number of occasions.
Tigers depleted forward line
Tigers forward line looked a shadow of itself in their 15-point victory in the reverse fixture.
Electrifying forwards Fitzroy Greenwool, Billy Welch (knee) and Philemon Baira all missed the clash.
Rory Tarlington was moved back to the backline in the first half in an effort to combat the Crocs key forwards.
The Tigers key forwards caused Crocs headaches in their round two victory, with Tarlington booting five goals while fellow defender-turned-forward Darcy Keast’s kicked three.
Both their strong contested marking and presence up the field was sorely missed as well as their ability to hit the scoreboard.
Tarlington was moved forward in the second half finishing with two goals, while captain Keast is another currently sidelined through injury but will return after the bye.
Alex Pulling (two goals and 19 disposals) and James Neale (21 disposals) were the standouts for the Tigers, both looking to constantly take the game on while Jahmahl Jenkins-Clive (23 disposals, seven marks and two clearances) grew into the contest in the second half once moved from the half-back line into the midfield.
James Bennett finished with a team-high 30 disposals, seven tackles and a goal.
Trio of chaos
Former SANFL premiership player and Crocs assistant coach Lee Staple returned to the forward line for the first time in over a year in last weekend’s victory against the Lions.
The centre-half forward lined up again on Saturday bringing another dimension to Port Douglas early in the game, pairing with sharpshooters Kye Chapple (three goals) and Nick Salter.
However, his poor injury luck continued splitting his finger open in the second quarter in an incident that moved him straight to hospital.
It’s another unfortunate setback for the Crocs premiership player who looked dangerous upon his return.
In a dominant display at the Port Douglas Sporting Complex, the North Cairns Tigers led by women’s team Luana Healey and Leashay Warburton secured a commanding 61-1 victory over the Port Douglas Crocs in their latest encounter.
Leading the charge for the Tigers were standout performances from Luana Healey and Leashay Warburton, who continued her stellar season by kicking four and three goals respectively.
Warburton, the league’s leading goalkicker with 17 goals to her name, showcased her tremendous goalkicking ability once again, while Healey’s accurate kicking bolstered the Tigers’ offensive efforts.
The Tigers’ dominance was evident throughout the match with their midfield unit effectively locking the ball in the forward half of the ground.
Hannah Hillman continues to be the competition’s best ruck and one of the premier players for her agility and aggression at ground level.
Strong contributions came from Sodyla Kris, Mya Cozzuol, Lauren Davon and Kea Lewry, each playing pivotal roles in maintaining North Cairns’ firm grip on the game.
Despite the Crocs’ spirited efforts, spearheaded by notable performances from Sophie Jeffrey, Grace Lanigan and captain Caity Walsh, they struggled to contain the relentless Tigers in their debut season in the AFL Cairns women’s competition.
Mia Schreiber, Kristie Hynes, Abbey Craig and Maddy Keeble also put in commendable efforts for Port Douglas.
With this victory, North Cairns Tigers solidified their second-place position at the top of the ladder with seven wins and only one loss, underlining their status as formidable contenders in the competition.
Meanwhile, the Port Douglas Crocs sit sixth growing each week in the competition as they adjust to the intensity of the league.
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Originally published as AFL Cairns: Brandt boots 5, Crocs cruise past Tigers
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