‘We’ll review quickly and move on’: Crocs culled by giant killing Cutters
AFL CAIRNS
PORT Douglas will need to exorcise its finals demons in a cutthroat preliminary final this Saturday following a disappointing 32-point loss to South Cairns.
The Crocs put in a semi final shocker against the Cutters at Cazalys Stadium and must now get past Centrals Trinity Beach if they’re to earn a shot at redemption in the grand final.
It was the Crocs first loss since April after heading into the clash on the back of 16 consecutive wins, and the second time in as many years the Cutters have proved giant slayer in the first week of the finals.
Port Douglas coach Brad Cooper said his team had no choice but to ‘review quickly and move on’ as they prepare for the Bulldogs, who had an epic three-point elimination final win over reigning premier Cairns Saints.
Their task will be made tougher if they choose to accept one-match suspensions to stars Hayden Graham and Pete Bury, who were both reported on Saturday.
“We can’t sit here and make excuses, we just need to go out and get the job done against Centrals this week,” Cooper said.
“We played poorly and gave the ball back to them far too often. Their pressure was really good and we just didn’t execute on the day.
“We have to review quickly and move on, and hopefully learn from it.”
THE MATCH:
South Cairns jumped the Crocs early and handled the blustery conditions better, kicking the first two goals of the match. The Crocs had to wait until the 20-minute mark of the first term to open their account, with Kye Chapple running onto a long ball from Kallam Oates to snap truly.
It would be his only goal for the afternoon after being nullified by undersized Cutters defender David Welch.
Speedy midfielder Zach Gubbins was sent from the field at the 25-minute mark for a late bump in a body blow for the Crocs. The Cutters capitalised with James Dixon booting his second goal just before quarter time to give them a 4.3 to 1.1 lead at the break.
Port Douglas managed to gain some ascendancy early in the second term with the aid of the breeze, but couldn’t capitalise on repeat forward 50 entries. They were held goalless for the quarter for first time this season kicking 0.4, with South Cairns adding 1.2 to extend their margin to 23-points at the main change.
The third quarter would ultimately prove the difference. Like two heavyweight boxers the teams exchanged blows but it was the Cutters who made theirs count. They kicked the first two goals of the term through Dixon and Zac Ewer to shoot out to a 32-point lead; Port Douglas wasting earlier chances to reduce the deficit through missed shots to Mitch Bohm and Jesse Mawson.
With the game slipping away, Hayden Graham started to have an impact at centre half forward and Bohm made up for his earlier attempt with a clever goal from the social club pocket. The match sprung to life a minute later when Graham found Pete Bury, who dished off to Brett McKeown for a team-lifting major, slashing the margin to just 20 points at the 16 minute mark.
But the momentum would be short lived.
Four minutes later Bury was controversially sent off for an alleged head-butt resulting in a Ryan Mawdsley goal. The Cutters took advantage of their extra man and dominated the latter part of the term, with back-to-back majors to Josh Barnett in quick succession blowing the margin out to a game-high 40 points.
With Chapple starting the final quarter on the bench with a heavily iced knee, any chance of a miraculous comeback was snuffed at the two-minute mark when Graham was reported and sent off for striking in what appeared to be an innocuous incident in the South Cairns goal square. The key big man looked genuinely miffed at the decision as he ran to the bench, forcing the Crocs to play with just 16-men.
The match was effectively over from that point on.
AFL CAIRNS - SEMI FINAL
PORT DOUGLAS 1.1 1.6 3.9 7.13 (55)
SOUTH CAIRNS 4.3 5.5 10.7 13.9 (87)
PORT DOUGLAS
Goals: Chapple, Lea, Bury, McKeown, Mawson, Bohm, McCullough
Best: Kelly, Hobbs, McKeown, Bendle
SOUTH CAIRNS
Goals: Dixon 4, Douglas 2, Barnett 2, Ewer, Mawdsley, Buller, Lock
Best: Welch, Keilar, Etherington, Wardle, Douglas, Mawdsley
IMAGES BELOW: Brett Pascoe Photography
