AFL Cairns: Local players building blocks for Lions

Will the Lions go undefeated this season? Their latest win reveals how they can do it.

CAIRNS City Lions enter the second half of the AFL Cairns season with a very real shot at running the table, with club’s ability to rely on all players to shine in any given game credited for their success.

Lions veterans Toms Lindenmayer and Thomas Keygan helped build a fast paced midfield that fuelled a fourth-quarter comeback win against Port Douglas 11.13 (79) to 8.14 (62).

Gusty conditions at the Port Douglas Sporting Complex made kicking troublesome for both teams, and resulted in much of the contest being fought in the centre.

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For the Crocs, it was the likes of veterans Dylan Winton and Ethan McCullough who provided what lanes they could to their half forward.

But, Lindenmayer could be found making an impact at just about every corner of the oval for the reigning premiers.

“He’s enormous for us,” Lions co-captain Sean Connelly said.

“The amount of kilometres he had in the legs really helped us in the back six.”

Moustached menace Mitchell Hunter also made life tough for the Crocs inside their 50, particularly in the fourth where the home team could not convert on multiple entries in crunch time.

“He’s getter better every week and his confidence is growing,” Connelly said.

“He’s become enormous for us, he’s become a key part of our back line, we had a big out with Brandon Deslandes and he stepped in to that position for us and provided a lot of run off the back line.”

Consistency in goalkicking was hard to come by for both teams in round 11, however the Lions had the boot of NT kicking stud Jackson Calder who once again proved the difference maker with five majors.

“He’s a superstar. I think there were times where he was double teamed and even triple teamed,” Connelly said.

“He just chips away at it … we know what he can do and I know the boys love having him on the forward line.”

The victory has the undefeated Lions sitting comfortably on top of the ladder, with little signs of the side slowing down any time soon.

“There’s been talks that we’re a team that flies in all these players, but it’s not really the case,” Connelly said.

“It’s our local boys that are really starting to stand up and I think that confidence is coming off that premiership was big for guys like Hunter and Beau Flint.”

Meanwhile, Mark Horne appeared to have taken the round 10 loss to the Lions personally as he went on a tear against the Manunda Hawks.

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The 2021 dual-Crathern medallist looked as efficient as ever in the contest in the 20.14 (134) to 15.9 (99) win at Cazalys Stadium.

Centrals made it rain goals with scores spread evenly across the team, highlighted by a five major haul from Lachlan Wallace a three nifty goals from Lachie Rhook.

The Cairns Saints built momentum ahead of their major round 12 match against Port Douglas by belting North Cairns at Griffiths Park 23.17 (155) to 4.8 (32).

Adam Gross saw teammate Zac Straker’s 12 goal game in round 10 and decided he wanted in on the action.

The 29-year-old goal kicking supremo kicked a whopping 13 goals against Norths.

AFL Cairns have a competition bye this weekend due to the intrastate rep game.

Centrals’ ‘X Factor’ gets them back on track

CENTRALS Trinity Beach Bulldogs proved they belong in the finals conversation after delivering their best against the league’s second best team - and ending an eight-year drought.

The Bulldogs were led by on baller Jade Ransfield, who coach Fraser Lucas described as his team’s “X Factor”.

“When she’s up and about, I think everyone else follows,” the first year Centrals coach said.

“Her physicality, her knowledge and experience is invaluable to our side.

Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs player Jade Ransfield. Picture: Harry Murtough

“Her play through the midfield yesterday was probably one of the things that allowed us to get on top early.”

Despite taking a hefty knock in the third quarter, Ransfield helped haul Centrals to a 4.3 (27) to 2.4 (16) victory against number two the Manunda Hawks.

After failing to score a point against the Lions a round prior, Lucas said he was pleased to see his team get out to a nine-point opening quarter in the Pride Round clash.

“We lacked a bit of pressure and intent last week and I felt we improved on all those areas and that flowed into the first quarter,” he said.

“We had four or five shots on goals and couldn’t quite convert … our turnaround was quite quick.”

It was a momentous win, with this the first time the Bulldogs have notched against the Hawks in eight years.

It also marked longtime Centrals leader Brooklyn Lancaster’s 100th game with the club, a milestone she marked with a goal.

Meanwhile, Saints won its 30th game in a row against North Cairns 7.2 (44) to 2.0 (12), and the Lions went on the warpath en route to a 9.16 (70) to 0.1 (1) win against South Cairns.

Originally published as AFL Cairns: Local players building blocks for Lions