Gold Coast hit road looking for finals redemption
JACOB GRAMS A BITTER Gold Coast City side will be out to silence one of their NPL Queensland title threats in their own steamy backyard at Barlow Park.
The Heat have nowhere to hide in 2017 after their run to last year’s grand final, which included a semi-final win at home over tonight’s heavyweight opposition despite a lower ladder position.
Gold Coast City coach Grae Piddick has lost player of the year Ben Litfin, defender Jordan Lampard and goalkeeper Shane Viitakangas to the Victorian NPL from 2016 but said that while some remaining players might still feel the burn of losing the hosting rights, the focus was where it had to be for the start of a new season.
“At the end of the day, we weren’t good enough (in the semi-final) and the best thing we can do now is get up there start the season well with a good road win,” he said.
“I’d like to think that with my background in sports science in my job (a physiotherapist) we’re able to counter the effect of travel and of the humidity better than others and I know the boys have actually been looking forward to coming up to Cairns.
“Every year is a new season and we’ve lost a couple of our better players but that’s the price of success.”
Despite the omissions, the Heat are wary of the threat of Gold Coast striker Jarrod Kyle, who has returned to the club after quitting midway through 2016 and new signing Jacob Boutoubia, who has moved north from Sydney Olympic as the foil for Litfin.
The duo scored goals in the 3-2 loss to Moreton Bay United to finish their trial season.