Queensland team includes three former AFL Lions for state game against Tasmania
Queensland hopes to turn the tables on Tasmania in state representative game after losing to the “Map” last year with three ex-Brisbane Lions to lead the interstate side.
Queensland will bring the heat in its state game against Tasmania on the Gold Coast on Saturday with a stronger backline and three former Brisbane Lions as the Maroons seek retribution for last year’s loss at North Hobart Oval.
Former Brisbane Lion Liam Dawson has been injected into Queensland’s backline, which coach Leigh Hardy says will be stronger and have better chemistry this time around.
Tasmania beat Queensland by seven points when they played in Hobart in July last year in front of 7,189 fans.
The loss stung Harding, a former North Melbourne AFL star, so the Maroons are out for payback.
“We might be stronger in some areas of the ground this year, if not then very similar. We have picked the best players available,” Harding said.
“We have stiffened up or backline from last year.
“We’ve got some key personnel that has played a lot of footy back there, some who have played at clubland together as well, so their relationships maybe make it stronger than last year – although our backline last year was also pretty handy.”
Dawson is not the only former AFL-listed player in the Queensland team.
Former Brisbane Lions Matt Hammelmann and Rhys Mathieson will bring their AFL experience to the contest.
“Liam broke his arm last year at a crucial time and was ruled out for the state game,” Harding said.
“It’s blokes like that, who have been around Queensland footy for a period of time, who will help with what we can do with our backline as well.
“So Liam is a crucial addition to that group.”
Tasmania will face Queensland in both men’s and women’s games on the Gold Coast on Saturday, before returning home to take on Sydney/Canberra at UTas Stadium on July 20.
Harding has not forgotten the disappointment of last year’s loss.
“The game could have gone either way, we missed a couple of goals in the last quarter and that hurt us,” he said.
“It was a game where it was about making the most of your opportunities and this year I think we are expecting similar kind of stuff.
“It’s going to be a little bit warmer, it’s going to be a cracking day up here, and it’s going to be a game won by only a few goals I would say, based on Tassie’s personnel.
“It will be the team that cashes in at the right time that comes away with the win.”
Tasmania and Queensland will name their final line-ups on Thursday.
Bond
It’s a standard sort of footy ground, not super-long, maybe a bit wider than North Hobart, no North Hobart-style stands, it’s a highly-credentialed university and it’s more of a suburban-type ground, not like UTas Stadium or North Hobart
Originally published as Queensland team includes three former AFL Lions for state game against Tasmania
Lone wolves, scoring kings: 80+ stars of BA School Championships
