Resurgence puts team’s finals hope back on agenda Swans eye shake-up

CURRA Swans coach Gary Kelly is confident they have the team to shake up the AFL Townsville premiership race ahead of today’s showdown with the Thuringowa Bulldogs at Muldoon Oval.

The past nine flags have been won by either the Bulldogs or current premiers Hermit Park, with Curra’s last grand final victory coming back in 1998, and they haven’t played finals in four years.

The Swans have enjoyed a resurgence this season and they’re chasing three straight wins for the second time when they take on Thuringowa, a feat made all the more impressive given they managed just two wins total in the preceding three seasons.

Big ruckman Andrew Grubba returns to action today while the likes of Shane Lindgren, Brandon Downie and Jack Mcdonald have been consistent performers all season, and Kelly said there was a growing belief within the Swans that they can make an impact in the finals.

“It’s a very big game heading into the finals. We’re coming close to one of our strongest sides for the year,” he said.

“I have said to them that with the group we’ve got it is a realistic goal that we can finish in second spot and we can go into the finals with a second chance, and the possibility of us going all the way.

“There’s a couple of little things we still need to work on, but other than that we have the capability to push forward and go well in the finals, and possibly take it out.”

The Swans came from behind to beat Thuringowa in an 8.8 (56) to 7.12 (54) thriller back in May, but a quirk in the draw means they haven’t faced each other since.

Curra had kicked just the one goal as they trailed 4.7 (31) to 1.4 (10) at halftime before they came storming back to snare their first win over the Bulldogs since 2013.

Kelly felt that his side’s greatest strength was their ability to play scrappy football and he hoped to employ that same tactic as they look to take down Thuringowa for a second time.

“We’re probably one of the best teams in the comp when it goes on the ground. We win those hard contests on the ground, get the ball out, scrap it out and play it our style,” he said.

“Last time was a confidence boost … we stopped their free running of the ball, which is something we’ll have to do again if we’re going to beat them.”

AFL Townsville, Round 16: Today: University Hawks v Northern Beaches Suns at JCU, 3pm; Curra Swans v Thuringowa Bulldogs at Muldoon Oval, 3pm.

IT’S A VERY BIG GAME HEADING INTO THE FINALS. WE’RE COMING CLOSE TO ONE OF OUR STRONGEST SIDES FOR THE YEAR GARY KELLY