AFL Cairns: Saints, Crocs, Cutters face do or die matches

This weekend’s AFL Cairns slate features a bevy of finals-type footy, but South Cairns are after something more >>>

This weekend’s footy action will be rife with finals ramifications, by Cutters captain Cam Campbell has his eyes set on a different goal.

The South Cairns skipper said up until the side’s near-upset against the ladder-leading Lions last round, his side hadn’t been able to put it’s best foot forward.

South Cairns Cutters player Josh Rolfe reaches for the mark. Picture: Harry Murtough

“In the last six weeks, we haven’t been able to play finals footy,” Campbell said.

“As a captain, I’m not even thinking about finals – if we wanna be competitive we need to win every game between now and then, just to finish our season off in a solid way.

“If we do get over the line this weekend, we still have the Saints to go. I want to win some games of footy just to build our confidence.”

The side sits on the cusp of a finals spot, with a win against Centrals Trinity Beach and a loss by either the Saints or Crocs getting them in with only four rounds left.

As Campbell has mentioned, however, the 2022 season has been a bumpy one for the side.

Fretwell Park lost its star half forward Jake Johansen to a season-ending injury early in the year, followed by player-coach Brad Johansen missing four games a numerous weeks due to suspension.

One player the Cutters sorely missed in their one-goal loss to the Lions was on baller James Boyd, who finds himself in the midst of the Crathern Medal conversation.

He – and fellow SANFL convert Damien Hill – have proven to be talismans for Souths as they’ve navigated an up-and-down season.

“Boyd’s a fantastic footballer and leader on the ground,” Campbell said.

“We know he’s going to accumulate possessions, he’s been great in the sense that he’s bought in to the club here.

“He’s come over here, train some times and play on the weekend and not just fly-in and fly-out the same day.”

Hill, 27, has been the Cutters go-to man inside 50, and will most likely see plenty of action if his team wishes to upset the Doggies.

“Without Hilly, we’ve really struggled up forward with a target,” Campbell said.

“He takes a tonne of contested marks and have kicked really well.

“I played up forward with him last round, and you just know what you’re gonna get with him.

“Both Hill and Boyd are invested in the team, they’re not here to make names for themselves. They’re here to win games and be part of a winning team.”

For Centrals, a win this weekend effectively cements their spot in the finals, having won six of their last seven clashes.

Player-coach Luke Morgan said the vibe around Crathern Park was a confident one, but had no intentions of underestimating the Cutters.

The Bulldogs lost their first match against Souths early in the season, but an eight-goal fourth quarter against them in round 12 evened the score.

“It’s a consistent effort that’s needed for us, that win was part of us starting to put together four full quarters of footy,” Morgan said.

“We’d been dropping off during periods of the game this season, but recently we’ve been putting it in all game which is what we need to continue to do.”

The perfect forward line: The key to must-win clash for Saints

A rivalry that has become must-watch footy will again define the tail-end of the season this weekend, with the Saints hosting the Crocs in a huge clash.

Four teams will enter this weekend facing must-win games, but only two will earn victories.

The Saints emerged as winners in their last game against Port Douglas; a windy bout at the Crocs home ground that ended with a last-second Liam Hepworth goal.

Fellow Saints forward Zac Straker said the team was well aware they’d be in for another nailbiter this weekend.

“The last two games against them has come down to the last two minutes,” the 25-year-old said.

“We know it’s going to be a 50/50 ball game … it’s probably the biggest game of the year for us.

“It’s almost like a mini finals for us, so the drive is definitely gonna be there.”

Straker said the urgency to win this weekend’s game was made all the more pressing after the team lost to fellow finals team the Bulldogs in round 13.

Centrals faces its own must-win clash against South Cairns – a team who are a win and a Saints/Crocs loss away from the top four.

Even the bottom of the ladder faces a shake up, as North Cairns hosts Manunda in a game that may decide the wooden spoon.

The undefeated Cairns City Lions will get to watch the madness unfold on the sideline as the side has a bye.

Port put on a midfield clinic against the Hawks in round 14, with coach Brad Cooper having previously said that was something the team had been working on leading up to this weekend’s clash.

“Their midfield work is really good, and their stoppage work really hurt us in the last game,” Straker said.

“If we can control that midfield more often, that’s where the game’s won.”

Straker is third in the league in goals scored with 45, five behind Saints kicking machine Adam Gross (50).

Both have taken turns in having massive outings for the black, red and white, with neither apparently too concerned with a goalkicking title.

“He’s (Gross) is the most selfless player you’ll ever play with in the forward line,” Straker said.

“You’d think someone like him who kicks the most goals every year would be always chasing goals.

“He’s always telling you to be in the best spots, he’s always directing everyone so he’s pretty much the perfect forward to play with.”

Straker himself has made a surge as the 2022 season has progressed, nabbing plenty of multi-score games and being arguably the best contested marker in the game.

“It’s just been confidence and form,” he said.

“You just go to games every week and you’re feeling confident, I’m in one of those zones at the moment.

“The entries have been getting better and better, and I’ve been getting better with the rest of the forward line.”

Originally published as AFL Cairns: Saints, Crocs, Cutters face do or die matches