North Cairns 5.5.35 d Manunda Hawks 1.2.8
If Saturday’s performance is anything to go by, North Cairns Tigers’ officials better start making room in the club’s trophy cabinet. A grand final berth seems imminent after the top-of-the-table Tigers thumped second-placed, Manunda Hawks 5.5 (35) to 1.2 (8) at Watson’s Oval.
The Tigers must now beat Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs next week to finish the regular season with an unbeaten record.
“We’re playing really well at the moment and it’s the right time of the year,” Jo Butland, who scored two goals for the Tigers on Saturday, said. “We’re just focussed on getting through next week without injuries and making sure we carry some momentum into the finals.”
The loss was a bad sign for the Hawks, as they prepare to face the Tigers again in the first week of the finals. Since handing Tigers their only loss last season, the Hawks have been on the receiving end of several blowout losses.
“I think we match-up against them really well,” Butland said. “With the other teams they have some unpredictable players who are hard to plan for, but I don’t think the Hawks have that unpredictability. We’re able to play our game against them.”
Bulldogs will go into the Tigers’ match full of confidence after a dominant performance on Saturday saw their opponents score just three behinds. The Bulldogs outscored the South Cairns Cutters by 48 points in an emphatic 7.9 (51) – 0.3 (3) victory.
Courtesy of The Cairns Post.
