TIGERS ROAR AGAINST CAIRNS CITY
A SIX-goal opening term set up North Cairns Tigers’ huge Sir Douglas Nicholls Indigenous Round win against Cairns City Lions, according to coach Darrin Molloy.
The Norths-Cairns City Dream Time by the Sea clash was one of the highlights of the round, but both men’s and women’s games blew out.
The women opened the senior program, and Cairns North immediately went on the attack against the newest team in the AFL Cairns Womens competition.
The Tigers kicked six goals and just two behinds in a 38-nil shutout to start proceedings.
They then took the foot off the accelerator, but the damage was done, and Norths maintained its unbeaten run to start the season.
“It wasn’t too bad,” Molloy said. “We haven’t changed much compared to last week.
“We were reactive last week, but this time we set the pace, we made the game.”
He said the first quarter set the tone for the game.
“We had a good first quarter. I was really happy with the way we came out and attacked the ball,” Molloy said.
“Before the game I said to the girls ‘We want this (referring to the footy), we’re chasing that piece of leather’. If City got it, we tackled and tackled until we got it back.”
The blowout ensures North Cairns stays atop the premiership table, but provides a healthy boost to the club’s percentage.
Molloy said Jade Kennedy was developing into a strong weapon for the Tigers, while Jasmine Ware had another strong stint.
Leashay Warburton-Richards’ kicked three goals in the Tigers’ special indigenous round guernsey before she left the field through injury.
“We have over 90 per cent of our team either indigenous or from Torres Strait so it was a privilege for me to be involved,” Molloy said.
The Lions didn’t score until the final term, but by then the game was well truly buried.
It has been a tough inauguration for Cairns City, which recorded its first win – a 24-point triumph against South Cairns Cutters – last week.
They will prepare to meet the struggling Centrals Trinity Bulldogs, while the Tigers will face Manunda Hawks in a battle between two genuine flag contenders.
Molloy said he wouldn’t focus too much on the Hawks until later in the week, but he has one eye on the thirdplaced defending champions.
“Every game is different, and this week I’ll sit back and go through my notes,” he said.
“I’d say we (have to work on) putting that ball into the front third. We have to keep our eyes down rather than bombing it in.”
The Lions roared in the men’s game, smashing the Tigers 32.15-207 to 8.5-53.