Tigers claw back lead to punish Mt Gravatt
TAKING down Mt Gravatt in their opening preseason game has convinced new Labrador QAFL coach Liam Burke the side has improved enough to push towards finals again.
Burke rates the Vultures highly and was pleased to see the Tigers come from behind to beat them 9.7 (61) to 9.3 (57) in humid conditions at Cooke Murphy Oval on Saturday.
“Both sides would have been happy with the game,” Burke said.
“It was pretty hot and both sides played with 24, with some people on managed time loads.
“It was a really contested game with high intensity so it wasn’t the cleanest play all day and the low score was the outcome of that.
“Mt Gravatt are going to be around the mark again and we had a few missing so to get a scalp like that shows us we are capable of pushing towards the finals, especially to come from behind. That gave us some energy after the game.
“If we compare it to last season there is already improvement but we also understand it’s the second week of March and there is four weeks until the season starts.”
Labrador’s reserves were beaten by Mt Gravatt 12.9 (81) to 2.6 (18).
Meanwhile, reigning premiers Palm Beach Currumbin edged out Western Magpies 7.7 (49) to 7.3 (45) at Leyshon Park on the same day.
Coach Jess Sinclair had numerous senior players missing, paving the way for 18-year-old Ari Miles to stamp his claim for Round 1 selection.
The 186cm and 93kg talent, who played eight games with the Lions reserves last season, impressed Sinclair, who now considers the defender a chance to break into the senior side.
“He is a big, strong kid with a cool head,” Sinclair said.
“He has certainly put his hand up for selection.”