SYDNEY STUNNER
Region to reap rewards as stars hit Cazalys turf
THANKS to a pandemic that shutdown the Australian Game’s heartland, it was time for FNQ to shine under the watchful eyes of the AFL faithful nationwide.
Caravonica couple Dan and Kylie Thompson were able to take their three children Charlie, Ben and Lucy to see their beloved Demons take on the Swans at Cazalys Stadium.
“I lived in Melbourne for 12 years and adopted the Demons as my own team,” Ms Thompson said.
“It is definitely worth it; this is the first time we have been able to take the kids to a footy game.”
She said the atmosphere at the stadium was a “bit awkward” as punters figured out how to behave under coronavirus restrictions.
“The grandstand seems a bit empty but that could be because of the social distancing,” Ms Thompson said.
“It is a new world we have to adapt to.”
Hours before the bounce, AFL Cairns boss Gary Young was still pinching himself that an offer to help the virus-beleaguered league had turned Cairns into a hub for three premier teams.
“I put my hand up and said ‘If you need us, we are available’,” Mr Young said.
“To have three teams here is amazing; it is an accolade to the city that everyone has faith we can deliver it.”
The Swans-Melbourne clash played out before a soldout crowd, with similar sales mounting for Monday’s match between the Demons and Dockers.
“Sunday’s Brisbane v Sydney game will be a sellout as well,” Mr Young said.
“This is extremely exciting for the city, a real shot in the arm.”
He said it was the future generations of young players who stood to benefit from exposure to the hub games.
“It is brilliant for future athletes every time they get the chance to watch elite players,” Mr Young said.
“What you can learn and see from their strength, dedication and resolve is something that should be taken advantage of; it will create more interest in the sport through the region.
“I think we will also see a massive injection of female participation; in a very short time our female competition has gone from strength to strength.”
A YOUTHFUL Sydney has dealt Melbourne’s finals dreams a blow, upsetting the Demons as AFL returned to Cairns on Thursday night.
With its finals destiny in its hands and four winnable games, Melbourne stumbled as the emerging Swans blew it away in the second term.
Sydney held on for an impressive 21-point victory.
The Demons pumped the ball inside 50 on 14 occasions in the opening term but could not turn that into an advantage, leading by three points at quarter-time.
And, when they resumed, the team “hubbing” in FNQ went bang — putting on five quick ones to put Melbourne’s finals hopes in jeopardy.
After building momentum with a memorable victory over St Kilda in Central Australia, it was all gone for the Demons with a 25-minute burst from the Sydney kids.
Sydney’s experienced generals Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Jake Lloyd got on top in the middle and controlled the clearances as the Swans gave themselves a 28point buffer at halftime.
Melbourne was better when it resumed under lights, but the damage had been done.
Its power forwards had an evening to forget, their onballers getting the ball inside 50 more than their opponents, but Sam Weideman and Mitch Brown had little impact.
Regular defender Steven May went forward late on to lend a hand, kicking a goal in the final term, but it was too late.
YOUNG TALENT TIME
They are not yet household names, but the way some of Sydney’s youth played, they are a chance to be in the coming years.
Justin McInerney was instrumental in the second term when the Swans took a stranglehold of the contest.
In only his seventh game, McInerney booted two clever goals closing on halftime as Sydney powered away.
With champion forward Lance Franklin watching on, John Longmire’s potent attacking options were mostly youngsters.
McInerney, James Rowbottom, Sam Wicks and the imposing Hayden McLean had all played fewer than 30 games and all hit the scoreboard.
CRUNCH GAME
Melbourne faces a mustwin contest that may define its season on Monday against Fremantle in Cairns.
The Demons will stay over the weekend ahead of their meeting with the Dockers.
The Demons faithful would have thought they could bank two quick wins in the short Cairns stay, but after last night’s poor effort, their sojourn in the tropics could derail their 2020 campaign.
Fremantle has shown it is not an easybeat and will fancy doing exactly what Sydney did to the Demons. The Dockers arrived in Cairns on Thursday after falling to Richmond on Wednesday evening.
THE CAZALYS BREEZE
A little like a mythical creature, the wind that swings around at Far North Queensland’s premier venue can come and go and is often a key talking point in footy circles.
As Cazalys Stadium does not have grandstands on the outer wing and behind either goals, the wind can come in from any direction and will often change in the middle of a quarter.
With the wind going the Mann Street end in the first half, the attacking team took advantage, kicking six of the first eight goals.
The Demons took all the momentum into quarter-time, after they had the air advantage, but within 20 minutes in the second term, Sydney banged in five quick ones to make the most of the wind.
In the local competition, teams can be 10 goals behind at halftime and still feel confident they can make a game of it, such is the strength of the breeze at times at Cairns.
As the sun set and twilight turned into night footy last night, the wind dropped off and Sydney had worked itself into a match-winning lead.