Tiger recruits ready to roar
NORTH Cairns Tigers coach Iaon Drake is a content man with his summer shopping.
The Tigers, without a victory in season 2016, have added three experienced pieces to their youthful puzzle at Watsons Oval today for their clash with Cairns Saints.
The 2015 Crathern Medal winner Tom Clough returns to the black and gold after a strong season in the Top End with Waratah while Scott Rowe (Kilsyth) and Chris Novy (Claremont, Tasmania) will also appear for the Tigers.
The last time Clough was in the Far North he almost doubled the next highest vote-get- ter, Charlie Haley, to claim the Crathern Medal as a runaway winner, while playing with Port Douglas.
The athletic midfielder only landed in Cairns last week but he is ready to go against Saints in Round 2.
“I was keen to come back to the Tigers where I first started, to play with a few mates,” Clough said.
“It is a good family club, it had its downs in 2016 but Drakey is confident things will be better this year. “I wanted to be a part of it. “We have got Saints firstup, they are always tough.”
After a summer of strong numbers and optimism at the Tigers, Drake believes the trio’s inclusion will do wonders for the playing group.
“It gives the group a mountain of confidence,” Drake said.
“Scott Rowe and Tom Clough have both played in AFL Cairns before and the rest of the group know how good they can be, Tom is a league medallist and Scott is an NQ representative.
“It adds experience to the group.
“Chris is close mates with Tait Giffard, he has been great around the group since landing from Tasmania.”
In other Round 2 games, Port Douglas host Centrals Trinity Beach while South Cairns play Manunda Hawks as Cairns City Lions have the bye.