Preliminary Final – no second chances
It’s do or die in this week’s Preliminary Final. The winner goes on to play in the Grand Final while the loser packs up its bag and starts to plan for 2018.
Coffs Breakers have been the form team of the season, claiming their second straight Minor Premiership, but find themselves with a fight on their hands to keep their premiership dream alive after last week’s loss to Sawtell Toormina Saints. The Breakers will need to put that disappointment behind them and regroup quickly if they are to extend their season into the decider and a shot at redemption.
Breakers had a week off whilst the Magpies slogged it out with Grafton in the Elimination Semi Final. Prior to this, coach Nic Von Schill rested a number of key players in the last round which meant that an element of the team hadn’t played a game in two weeks and this may have been the reason for the sluggish start against the Saints. Too many players were below their capability in the Semi and it was only players like Chris Frangos and Fraser Duryea who enhanced their standing.
Last week’s match was a bruising encounter and Breakers will have to overcome the setback of having a number of players nursing sore bodies.
Port, on the other hand, are well rested and should be at full strength. The Magpies have endured a lean season which is partly due to the lack of availability of key players, but have built over the last month of the competition and are finally starting to look like the Magpies of old.
Goal scoring was a major problem for Port throughout the first half of the season but in Sam Johnson and Mitch Williams they look to have two reliable contributors. Add to this a fit again Jesse Schmidt and the combative Adam Mannes and Port has a number of forward options that will require attention.
The defensive end of the ground has been rock solid for Port all season, well led by stalwarts Rod Sonogan, Craig Dicker, and Scott Dalton. This solidity gives the team much confidence to be able to push forward, knowing they have a unit at the back that can match it with any forward line.
Breakers won all of the clashes between these two clubs during the regular season but this one is expected to be by far the tightest encounter of the season.
Preliminary Final – C.ex Coffs International Stadium, Saturday 26 August
11:00am: AFL Masters North Coast
12:30pm: Coffs Breakers v Sawtell Toormina Saints in Under 18
2:20pm: Coffs Breakers v Port Macquarie Magpies in Seniors