Crocs AFL team moves into top gear

Port Douglas Crocs knew they would be using the Manunda Hawks as a testing ground for how far they had come from last season.  It turned into an illustration of how far they'd come up. 

To be fair to the Manunda Hawks had a couple of key players missing but as their coach admitted after the Crocs best display of the season so far, at least in the first half, the missing players would not have made up the 150 points needed to turn the tables on the Crocs. 

Indeed this is an incredible turn round from last season when the Crocs were wondering where the first win was going to come at this point in last season.

The Port Douglas Crocs have made it quite clear this is a different season and a different team. Their sights are set on just one thing, they want the 2010 premiership. 

WATCH CROCS CONVERT A GOAL --->

And the exhibition they put on last Saturday at the Crocpit in Port Douglas has presented a new set of credentials with a 29.12 (186) to 5.7 (37) thrashing of top-four hope Manunda Hawks.

The Crocs came out firing from the start, kicking 17 goals before halftime allowing the Hawks just one score.  Forward Matt Shaw (seven goals) and Paul Minchington (six) kept the scoreboard ticking over with excellent service from midfield. 

Coach Andy Viola however didn't want the attack to take all the credit.  He made it clear that if your defence controls the opposition then the forward play simply has to work the plan.  "We’ve got a really good back six," Viola explains.

"I believe you have to build your backline first and have guys who know each other inside and out, who run off each other and can create. After last year where more or less the same youngsters were being put under pressure in every game, they learn how to work together and get so they are almost mind readers.  This way they become a team within a team". 

It is obvious from the Crocs start this season that the youngsters who, some said, were forced to be blooded too early last year plus the intake of quality players recruited through the close season have gelled together very quickly. 

The next two games will show whether this back line has got what it takes.  The general consensus of opinion is that this pack of Crocs will make a meal of any pretender to the territory that they so obviously think is theirs this year.  It'll be a brave team that thinks they can challenge them.

Match Stats:

Port Douglas
Goal Kickers: M. Shaw 7, P. Minchington 6, C. Shaw 5, S. Boxall 4, A. Macleod 3, D. Smith 2, C. Beetham , M. Nicholson
Best Players: E. Hocking, G. Delaney, M. Shaw, P. Minchington, S. Lyons, C. Beetham

Manunda Hawks
Goal Kickers: G. Miller , L. Powell , R. North , J. Flint , W. Aisi
Best Players: L. Powell, C. King, A. Carter, P. Buller, N. Freebody, F. Pittorino