GF replay in round 4 and twilights for women

PORT Douglas will have to wait until May to avenge last year’s historic AFL Cairns grand final loss to Cairns City Lions, as officials celebrated the release of the fixture.

In his first year taking control of the fixture, AFL Cairns football operations manager Ben Carbis announced there would be 20 twilight games in the women’s competition.

The season kicks off with a split round, with Port Douglas to host the first game of the campaign when the Crocs take on North Cairns Tigers on Friday, April 7.

South Cairns Cutters will

THE GAMES YOU CAN’T MISS THIS AFL CAIRNS SEASON play Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs and last year’s premiers Cairns City Lions will take on Saints on April 15.

The Lions romped to a consecutive flags, capping a big year with a historic 95-point thrashing of the Crocs, the biggest grand final margin in 25 years.

And the Crocs will get have shot at retribution in round 4, when the clubs meet at Holloways Beach.

“The big one this season is incorporating many more twilight games for the women,” Carbis said.

“This will allow us to film the games and then get them coded and provide more feedback to the coaches and the players.

“We have been really fortunate that we have had some ex-AFL players playing in our local competition over the last couple of years.

“It has increasing the quality of our competition and our viewership.”

Round 5 will be Pride Round, where all women’s games will be played at Cazalys Stadium.

Indigenous Round will be held in round 6 on Saturday, May 20, leading into the AllStar Game on Saturday, May 27, at Cazalys Stadium.

North Queensland’s best will take on South Queensland in the annual intrastate game on Saturday, June 24.

The 19-round season will conclude on September 2, with semi-finals on September 8 and September 9, and the AFL Cairns grand final on Saturday, September 23.