Southport Sharks secure home NEAFL grand final by beating Aspley
AN honest self-appraisal from the Southport playing group in the wake of a second straight loss to Aspley has formed the backbone to the Sharks successful campaign to reach the NEAFL grand final.
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AN honest self-appraisal from the Southport playing group in the wake of a second straight loss to Aspley has formed the backbone to the Sharks successful campaign to reach the NEAFL grand final.
The Sharks gathered at training days after last month’s 23-point loss to the Hornets where coach Stephen Daniel asked his players to analyse their own performance against a side they haven’t beaten away from home for seven years.
“I asked them to put their hand up if you didn’t contribute on the weekend and we had seven blokes who did,” Daniel said before watching his team beat Aspley 11.15 (81) to 6.8 (44) at Fankhauser Reserve and book their place in the grand final, to be played this Sunday.
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“We felt as a group that the last couple of times we played Aspley that we didn’t have enough contributors.
“(Saturday) was all about wanting 23 contributors and that’s what we got.”
A shattered Tom Ellard will miss the grand final against the Sydney Swans after injuring his foot in the early stages of Saturday’s win.
“We thought his foot was broken,” Daniel said.
“He went and got scans that night and it’s not broken but there is no way he will be right to play this week.”
Daniel revealed he was concerned the wet conditions the two team’s were met with on the weekend would play into Aspley’s hands given their bigger bodies but Southport, who have broken teams down with their superior running game this season, adjusted and led at every break.
“We were hoping for it to be really dry but you have to play to the conditions,” Daniel said.
“We just had to get to work, keep it simple andget the job done and we were lucky enough to do that.”
Southport, who finished ninth with four wins in 2017, sat on top of the ladder at the end of the 2018 season and have put themselves in the box seat to win their first premiership since 2008.
“It’s a little bit of relief,” Daniel said.
“In saying that we still have what will be the biggest game of their careers for some coming up.
“It’s a really fantastic feeling but we still have work to do.
“Grand finals are so hard to get into and we have to make sure we win it.”
The grand final will be played at Fankhauser Reserve on Sunday at 1pm.
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