Confident Rollers: ‘We’re the hottest team in the league’

ROLLERS coach Mick Conlon has made a bold declaration after snapping a five-year finals curse.

ROLLERS coach Mick Conlon has boldly declared his side “the hottest team in the QBL” after snapping a five-year playoff drought.

Gold Coast yesterday crushed Toowoomba 104-79 to secure their top eight ticket and cap a rollercoaster regular season.

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After a close first half, the Rollers took the ball and ran with it getting further in front after the main break.

Gold Coast Rollers v Toowoomba in a must win encounter. Photo of coach Mick Conlon. Photo by Richard Gosling

Finishing seventh on the ladder, the Rollers now brace for a clash with Townsville next weekend.

Coach Mick Conlon, though, said the Rollers have found their groove just in time for an epic showdown with the league’s second-ranked team.

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“You can beat anyone. We’ve peaked at the right time and we’re the hottest team in the league at the moment,” he said.

Roller Matt Adekponya. Photo by Richard Gosling

Despite a slow start, Conlon said he is proud of how the team have gone this season.

“They’re all a great bunch of guys and have all been united through the competition,” he said.

At the start of the season, Conlon said the Rollers were a top four team and although they didn’t make this he’s still happy with reaching their finals goal.

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“We’re going to give it a red hot crack in the finals,” he said.

Meanwhile, in their first season the North Gold Coast Seahawks Women have made a mark on the competition shooting their way to a finals berth.

The Seahawks finished eighth on the ladder at the end of the regular season and will take on top of the table Townsville Flames in the first finals round.

Coach Robert Sleaford couldn’t be happier.

“I’m proud as punch of the girls, to make the finals in their first year is a great effort,” he said.

Sleaford said the team has come together well over the season, even with a few rough patches.

He praises the fans for getting behind the Seahawks.

“The fans have been awesome, they’re loud and make it great to play at home” Sleaford said.

“When we go to other places, they’re lucky to get 100 fans, but we get about 300 at every game.”

Heading into the finals game as the underdogs, Sleaford said the team will give it their best shot despite an 85-70 loss to Southern District Spartans yesterday.

“We’ve got nothing to lose and we’ll use that to our advantage,” he said.

In other games, the Men’s Seahawks ends the regular season in 14th after a narrow 90-87 loss to the Southern District Spartans and the Rollers women defeated Toowoomba Mountaineers 126- 59 finishing 13th on the ladder.