The Port Douglas Crocs Football Club has made an excellent start to its foray into this season's final series played at Cairns’ Cazaly’s Stadium on Saturday, with the reserves earning the week off and a grand final berth and the seniors advancing to the preliminary final.

The seniors managed to overcome the South Cairns Cutters in their first semi-final earlier in the day with a handy crowd in the grandstand to cheer the side on.
The Cutters kicked with the aid of a strong wind and managed to break out to a four goal lead by controlling most of the play.  They teamed better, led to the ball and reaped the rewards. 

To the Crocs' credit, they re-grouped and booted five goals in the second quarter and got themselves back into the hunt with a ten-point lead at the long break.  In the third quarter, the Cutters made good use of the wind, drilled through four goals to the Crocs one and snatched the lead back. 

The difference between the two teams in the final quarter was the Crocs' superior fitness - they jumped higher, bumped harder and ran faster than their opponents. A five goal to nil scoring spree told the tale. Coach Coops did an excellent job in settling the boys down after an indifferent display early and his tactical moves paid off. Dylan Wearmouth, Adam Boone and Ben McCartney got on top in defence. Ben Saunders, Brett McKeown and Kurt Bradshaw led the surge forward through the mid-field and Braddon “Kaza” Kazakoff and Ben Young were dominant up forward. Joel Lawlor, in arguably his best game of the season, put the icing on the cake by sprinting out of defence and letting loose a long bomb which went through the goals. Nine individual players shared the goal-scoring which showed how well the entire group teamed together.

The momentum carried through the club with the reserves far too strong for North Cairns Tigers in their second semi-final encounter under lights and in drizzling rain - a hard slogging, no-questions asked affair. The Crocs had first use of the wind, but the Tigers out-scored them three goals to two in the first quarter and the Crocs knew there was plenty of work to be done. By half-time things looked dire for the Crocs as the Tigers had a 17 point break, which was significant in a low-scoring game.

Coach Heff rallied his troops at half-time and the boys responded magnificently.  A six goal to one effort in the third quarter handed the lead to the Crocs for the first time in the match. The last quarter was a triumph for the Crocs, as they rattled on five goals to nil, even though they were kicking into the breeze. It was a great effort by such a young team and their discipline never wavered. 

Max "Sherman Tank" Petrack led the charge and was ably supported by Tom Bowring and Corey Barter. Sam Teakle, Andrew “Bucket” McLeod and Sam Brewer were in absolutely everything. Wilkie's last quarter effort up forward was great.  He and Bucket led the goal kicking with three apiece.

It was a great team effort with everyone contributing to the win.
 
 
RESULTS

Seniors: Crocs 11- 18-84 def. Cutters 8-11-59.
Goals: B. Kazakoff 2, B. Young 2, R. Hanley, M. McKeown, K. Bradshaw, S. Boxsell, B. McKeown, J. Lawlor, M. Nuggin. Best: D. Wearmouth, B. Saunders, B. McKeown, A. Boone, K. Bradshaw, B. McCartney. 

Reserves: Crocs 13-11-89 def. Tigers 5-13-43
Goals: J. Wilkie 3,  A. McLeod 3, T. Bowring 2, C. Nandy, E. McCullough, A. Marks, H. Willis, C. Barter.
Best: M. Petrack, T. Bowring, C. Barter, S. Teakle, A. McLeod, S. Brewer. 

Next week the seniors play the Tigers at Cazaly’s in a must-win preliminary final.  The match starts at 3pm. The reserves go straight through to the grand final which will be played at Cazaly’s the following Saturday.
 
Go Crocs!