THE arduous trek for back-to-back flags begins from base camp tomorrow night for Port Douglas.

Drama - as has become the norm for the Crocs - has hijacked the run into the season opener having been fined by AFL Cairns for forfeiting their pre-season grand final against their opening round opponent, Cairns Saints.

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But it’s of little concern to veteran coach Brad Cooper who said his sole focus was on football.

The Crocs have experienced their normal turnover of players during the summer, a byproduct of being the most northern footy club on the east coast of Australia. Yet the nucleus of last year’s champion team has been kept together enough to keep opposition clubs on edge, and ensure a real shot at winning consecutive premierships for the first time in the clubs history.

“We’re a little bit behind where we were at the same time last year, but I predicted that,” Cooper said.

“The season starts a week earlier this year and there are not a lot of jobs in town at the moment. We’re a tourist town of 4500 people, not 150,000 like Cairns, so when it’s quiet it’s a challenge for us.

“But like every year we are just trying to manage it the best we can in this early part."

Cooper said getting the same commitment level from his squad after climbing the mountain last year was always going to be difficult, something most premiership coaches will attest.

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Injuries will hamper the start of their campaign with captain Kye Chapple, Jesse Mawson, Dan Young and Tom Goodall all ruled out tomorrow night, while Declan Kelly and Kallam Oates remain in doubt.

“We’re a bit thin and will have a few blokes out,” Cooper said.

“But we’ve put a lot of time into the personal who were very close (to regular senior selection) last year.

“It’s been a challenging lead-in but the boys get the chance tomorrow night to take a bit of aggression out on the footy.”

The Crocs and Saints square off at Cazalys Stadium under lights. Given the build-up and verbal barbs being fired at the reigning champs from down the highway this week, the first hike towards the top of the AFL Cairns mountain should be a physical climb indeed.


AFL CAIRNS - ROUND 1:
Saturday 18 March, 6pm
Cairns Saints v Port Douglas 
Cazalys Stadium, Cairns

SELECTED TEAMS:

SEASON PREVIEW:

COACH: Brad Cooper
CAPTAIN: Kye Chapple
PRESIDENT: Chris Bradsworth

FIXTURE: Click here for full AFL Cairns draw

LAST YEAR: Premier

2016 AFL CAIRNS GRAND FINAL:
Port Douglas 5.2  8.6  10.8   17.13 (115)
South Cairns 4.1  8.2  10.5   14.7-91

PORT DOUGLAS:
Goals: Chapple 7, Mawson 4, Macleod 2, Wearmouth, Glass, Bendle, Young
Best: Chapple, Wearmouth, Bendle, Mawson, Gubbins, Shapter
SOUTH CAIRNS
Goals: Dixon, Douglas 4, Roach 2, Mawdsley, Campbell, Allen
Best: Wardle, Douglas, Roach, Ewer, Etherington, Keilar


ARRIVALS:
Jarrod Mawson (North Geelong, Geelong District FL)
Mathew Medcraft (Sunbury, Ballarat FL)
Laurie Cole (Diggers Rest, Riddell District FL)
Adam Gross (Cairns City Lions)
Kurt Bradshaw (Centrals Trinity Beach)
Ben McCartney (Geelong West St Peters, Geelong FL)
Lee Staple (Goolwa/Pt Elliot, Great Southern FL)
Kade Sexton, Talon Sexton (Rockbank, Riddell District FL)
Jakob Schmoock (Milang, Hills FL)
Lachlan Fanning (Newborough, Mid Gippsland FL)
Nick Goodman (Hermit Park, AFL Townsville)

DEPARTURES:
Joshua Lea (Palm Beach Currumbin, QAFL)
Ryan Morrison (Palm Beach Currumbin, QAFL)
Michael McKeown (Griffith Moorooka, QFA D1)
Jackson Kos (Warragul Industrials, Ellinbank & Districkt FL)

TRACK WATCH: Premiership player Jordan Chapman has put in a solid pre-season and looks set for a big year.

KEY PLAYER: Port Douglas captain Kye Chapple will again be the Crocs most important player. He personified his match-winning ability in the grand final triumph last year, recovering from a knee injury to boot seven goals and win the Howard Kennedy Medal. A star.

THE VERDICT: The Crocs should be in the top echelon again having managed to keep a fair chunk of their premiership side intact. Injuries have hampered their summer preparation so expect a slower start, but once the whips are cracking they’ll be hard to beat.

LADDER POSITION: 1-3

PREDICTED FINISH: Premier

BEST & FAIREST: Pete Bury

LEADING GOALKICKER: Kye Chapple

Wish the Crocs all the best for season 2017 below!

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