It’s time to book your ticket to big dance

SO close we can all smell it.

“Finals” was a word no one uttered about this Cairns Taipans team back in September 2019. Head coach Mike Kelly even offered statements like “we will just try and get better every day” when asked about team expectations.

The end of the regular season is in sight, and the Snakes sit in the box seat for locking up third place.

A serious case could be made that the Taipans have been the best team in the league this season.

If you take away the three horror losses to last-placed Illawarra, and the unlosable game they dropped to the Phoenix, the Taipans would sit as Minor Premiers.

Even with those miscues the team has still performed brilliantly in the majority of its big moments.

Tonight may seem like a foregone conclusion in a third against last match-up, but make no mistake, this is one of those moments.

A loss to Illawarra at this point will feel like three losses, and with Melbourne United buoyed by their Wednesday night win over Perth they’ll be full of fight.

Cairns, Brisbane and Melbourne will square off in a three person game of musical chairs with only two seats available.

A loss here could really undo the Taipans’ great work through the middle part of the season.

I expect a big Taipans win, and for Kelly to have his troops with a razor sharp finals type edge for this one.

American football star JJ Watt famously said success can’t be owned, it can only be leased. And the rent is due every damn night.

Time to pay up Cairns and book your ticket to the big dance.