Not even a trip to the Cairns Taipans game on Saturday night spared voters from political wars in the lead up to the State Government elections.

The home game versus Gold Coast at Cairns Convention Centre not only drew a massive sellout crowd of 5123 people, it also drew the LNP contingent of Gavin King (Cairns), Michael Trout (Barron River) and their entourage.

Happy they were, the crowd of 20-odd, in their prime viewing seats right behind the away basket, looking splendid in their royal blue LNP polo shirts and sipping away on their Smirnoff vodka and ice cans.

King also received a shout-out from the court announcer, wishing him a happy “21st” birthday with a friendly salute.

And his crew got into the spirit of the game, with jibes being dished out to the refs when a Taipans call went the wrong way, showing plenty of support for the 100% community owned National Basketball League club.

But the jibes started going downhill, to the point where spectators cringed at one of the LNP entourage who got a little too carried away, shouting out to the visiting team, “Who coaches you? Anna Bligh?”

Probably would have been comical, had there not have been three children aged under seven within a one metre radius of the LNP offender.

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However, it was the Labor Party that may have had the last laugh on Saturday night.

As the 5123 people exited the venue, Taipans-orange flyers were seen adorned on every car windscreen within a 2km radius of the Convention Centre.

They read: “The Taipans couldn’t beat a drum let alone anther team so it’s hard to know who’ll care when they’re gone.” Gavin King, Cairns Post, December 2008.

Followed by, “If Gavin King doesn’t support Cairns, why should you support him?”

It is often said that politics should be kept out of sport. Maybe this is one of those instances.

Want to see how the Taipans went on Saturday night? Check out The Newsport’s Sports page.