Rangers vow ‘open’ battle with Comets
MARLIN Coast coach James Tweed says that spectators should expect to see free-flowing football in tonight’s preliminary final.
The Rangers take on Southside in the FNQ Football premier men’s clash and will be looking to keep their record intact against the Comets.
“They haven’t beaten us this year,” Tweed declared on Thursday night.
“That doesn’t mean much in a final, but I think it gives us some confidence.”
Southside finished on top of the table and were expected by most to claim the finals silverware, but hit a hurdle last week against Edge Hill.
Comets coach Dion Readman hopes it was just rust after he rested most of his side the week earlier.
“I think we’ll be a lot better this week. Our timing was just off against Edge Hill.”
Tweed said Marlin Coast would play its own game against Southside, rather than replicate the formula used by the Tigers.
“We like to play open and attacking football,” he said.
“If we play well and execute, we will give ourselves a big chance at winning the game.
“Playing negative and defensive football is not our go.”
The Rangers won their elimination final on the back of a penalty shootout.
Tweed said that if it came down to penalties again, he was confident his side would get the job done.
“You want to win in normal time, but I think our goalie is the best in the league,” he said of Gianmarco D’Oria.
“We haven’t focused too much on penalties at training.”
Southside will be hoping captain Dylan Soares can return to form tonight.
Historically, he has strug- gled against the Rangers and Readman said he was a key to the Comets’ success.
“We need him firing. Dylan is a bit of a barometer for us,” he said.
This afternoon, Leichhardt will look to book a rematch with Edge Hill in the premier women’s grand final.
The Lions lost 3-2 to the Tigers in last week’s qualifying final, but get a second chance in today’s preliminary final against Mareeba.
Leichhardt coach Mareeta Nicolau said her side could not take a win for granted.
“(Mareeba) are probably the in-form team of the competition,” she said.
“We are also missing three of our starting side. If we are going to win, we need to be switched on and play a physical brand of football.”
The Lions will be without their co-captain Natalie Fichera, Georgia Ah Chin and Jannah Hoopmann, who is getting married.
“If we get through we’ll have a full-strength side for the grand final, but we can’t take this one for granted. Last time we played Mareeba they were 2-0 up early in the game.” editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost