AFL Cairns: Tigers surge past Lions to secure grand final spot: 36-year premiership drought in sight
Tigers will get a crack at their first premiership in 36 years after Hayden Spiller, James Bennett and James Neale stormed their side past the Lions 13.9 (87) to 9.14 (68) in the AFL Cairns preliminary final on Saturday night.
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Tigers will get a crack at their first premiership in 36 years after Hayden Spiller, James Bennett and James Neale stormed their side past the Lions 13.9 (87) to 9.14 (68) in the AFL Cairns preliminary final on Saturday night.
Both sides brought an exciting brand of footy in a thrilling match at Cazalys Stadium.
Tigers coach Sam Hughes said it’s been a long road back for the once struggling club.
“It goes beyond us this result, this footy club has been on its knees in recent times,” he said.
“When I spoke with Flash (Lions coach Aaron Davey), he said it was a similar landscape for his side. The impact (the rise) has, not just on the players but the wider community, it’s been a massive (priority) for this group. It’s hard to comprehend we’re going to play in the final game of the season.”
It was stoppage after stoppage in a heavily contested affair. Lions opted to take the sting out of the game, stressing possession while booting against the breeze in the opening term.
But the Tigers pressed high and nailed their half chances at goal, with James Bennett (two goals) Jason Tom (two goals) Dan Jackson and the ultimate opportunist James Neale (three goals) finding the big sticks in the first half.
The Lions rucks dominated the taps, but they just couldn’t convert it into clearances.
The same remained on the scoreboard with the side shooting out two goals and eight behinds in the first half.
However, gun halfback Branden Deslandes and pressure forward Keith Brick (two goals) had a potent influence.
Midfielders Beau Flint and Daniel Charlesworth grew into the game before Tyron Rainbird launched for a stunning mark of the year contender late in the second quarter.
It was followed by an incredible shot in the dark by Tommy Bolton, trimming the margin from 31 points to 13 points (45-32) at halftime.
Momentum was Lions’ way in the third quarter, but every time Tigers were challenged, they found a way to respond while the backline stood firm.
Two clutch goals by a recently returned Billy Welch sealed the victory and a spot in next Saturday’s blockbuster grand final against the Cutters.
Calling in the calvary
Clubs preach the “next man up” mentality but often falter when it matters.
Tigers player-coach Sam Hughes, leading goalkicker Fitzroy Greenwool, captain Darcy Keast and winger Lewis George were all out for the do-or-die clash.
The knock on effect welcomed the senior debut of key defender Ben Sinnott, brother of Isaac Sinnott, while Patrick Applin, Dylan Murphy and Jye Uebergang were also named in the 23.
All four executed their roles and brought grunt to the side that narrowly lost to the Cutters by two points last week.
19-year old Maia Kris stood up on the big stage, bouncing back from tough knocks while Lions winger Bolton will be a star of the future.
Lions suffered a tough late out with top-tier half-forward Phillip Wills missing the clash.
Suffocating pressure
In the Lions 75-point elimination final thrashing of Crocs last week, the 2022 premiers faced a Crocs side with three key forwards and two rucks.
Lions leg speed and strong rebound cut up the Crocs, while they were faced with a far more mobile opponent on Saturday.
Tigers line-up featured two makeshift agile rucks and one primary tall forward to go with six mobile forwards.
The Tigers made a point of bringing a strong front half pressure game and the close-down speed caught the Lions in possession a few too many times.
Combined with the strong defensive structure led by Hayden Spiller, Rory Tarlington and Cooper Cartledge gave the Lions no space to breathe.
With Tigers now set to face off against minor premiers the South Cairns Cutters for the third time in four weeks.
It’s a testament to both sides – who between 2015-2018, together finished bottom of the barrel three times – to rise and put on an enthralling preliminary final match.
Redemption on the Horizon: Lions Set for Grand Final Clash
Amelia Martin and Molly Althouse shine as the Lions secure a convincing win over the Hawks, setting up a showdown with North Cairns for the AFL Cairns premiership.
The Lions women’s team is one match away from clinching their inaugural AFL Cairns premiership after a commanding 7.10 (52) to 2.6 (18) victory over the Hawks at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The minor premiers, led by Amelia Martin with three goals and Molly Althouse with two, will advance to the 2024 AFL Cairns Grand Final against North Cairns next Saturday at Cazalys Stadium.
Following a narrow 16-23 loss to the Tigers in a thrilling qualifying final last week, the Lions reasserted their premiership credentials.
The side are now poised for redemption in what promises to be a fierce showdown between the league’s two powerhouse teams.
The Lions returned to their dominant form with midfielders Jess Fatnowna, Daysia Creed-Wray and Amaliya Davies-Scherer delivering stellar performances.
Captain Tina Hilditch led from the front with tenacious tackling, while Lydia Jenkins was outstanding with her hunt for possession.
Key forwards Martin and Althouse were the matchwinners, proving too much of a challenge for the Hawks’ defence with their marking up the ground and inside 50 powering the side.
Althouse scored a spectacular goal from a tough angle in what was the moment of the match, while the Lions’ defensive “wall” was close to impenetrable.
For the Hawks, power forwards Remie Bampton and Kris Hunt were among their best performers and midfielder Tiarne Sparks, along with 2023 Jo Butland Medallist Jennifer Wren, fought valiantly.
The absence of Hawks midfielder Sophia Fowler, who suffered an ankle injury in last week’s one-point comeback win over the Cutters, was a significant blow.
The Lions’ quality across the field stands out as the class of the competition, with the exception of the formidable Tigers, setting the stage for an epic grand final clash between these two stacked teams.
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Originally published as AFL Cairns: Tigers surge past Lions to secure grand final spot: 36-year premiership drought in sight
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