Game is on to bring Port’s reign to a halt
CAIRNS Post AFL writer JORDAN GERRANS speaks with AFL Cairns footballers, coaches and officials to find out who they believe is on track to win the 2020 premiership.
Interim Centrals Trinity Beach coach Brad Wallace thinks outside of reigning premiers Port, the crew from Fretwell Park are the ones to beat.
“With the arsenal they have, the talk is that they have retained the majority of their recruits and they have the financial backing to go all the way this season as well,” Wallace said.
“I think Port will still play finals football and Saints will be around the mark as well.
“I have Souths and Saints as my top two at the minute.”
AFL Cairns football manager Craig Lees is hopeful the competition will be as even as its ever been.
“The jury is out on North Cairns and Manunda but I do not think they will be that bad, there is still a fair few Manunda players who were in their grand final side a couple of years ago,” Lees said.
“North Cairns will improve so I think the bottom end of the ladder will even out and I am really confident the top five clubs will maintain where they have been and will be in it to win the flag.”
South Cairns veteran Dwayne Bosen is confident his club will be around the mark come finals.
“I reckon we are a fair chance with our recruits coming through, they are getting used to the Far North,” Bosen said. “I think this is my best chance since 2013, fingers crossed, but we have a big chance to get up there.
“The recruits have been great, respectful, getting along with everyone around the club and we are looking forward to having their talent and seeing how well we can go this year.
“Port and Saints will be hard to beat.”
North Cairns co-captain Anthony Stewart has identified Saints as a big improver.
“Port and South, but we have also recognised Saints as a threat,” Stewart said.
“You cannot really read into what you hear in the off-season but Saints will be really competitive.
“Port are the yardstick, we all know that and as a club we will go out and have a crack and try to be competitive.”
Cairns Saints’ ruckman Zeb Paulger is hopeful his club can return to finals football after missing the top four in 2019.
“The Ports’ and South Cairns’ of the world have set the standard over the last few years, we were able to match them a couple of years ago, but not so much last year,” Paulger said.
“Hopefully we can surprise a few teams this year.”
Cairns City Lions’ midfielder Brodie Deverell thinks the Cutters are going to be dangerous.
“I am thinking South Cairns, from what I have heard they have recruited pretty well and have around 60 on the track as well,” Deverell said.
“They will go pretty well this year.”
Manunda Hawks defender Boe Halter thinks the Cutters are potentially the team to beat in 2020.
“Port and South Cairns have been up there the last few years, I do not think anything will change there,” Halter said.
“South Cairns has a really good core group of older experienced guys and I see they have brought a fair few in.”