Tigers are now on endangered list
A FORTNIGHT ago any suggestions that Labrador could bow out of the QAFL title race in straight sets were met with threats of being run out of town.
Unbeaten all season and chasing a hat-trick of flags, the Tigers were red-hot favourites to take another title – that was until they crashed to 2016 grands final rivals Palm Beach Currumbin in the second semi-final.
Now the Tigers have it all to do when they take on Broadbeach in the prelimi- nary final at Cooke-Murphy Oval today at 2pm.
Labrador did not simply lose to PBC last week, they were smashed by 39 points and kicked a meagre 3.3 (21) in a performance coach Aaron Shattock described as “an absolute stinker”.
That defeat ended a 27match winning streak for the Tigers and now the heat is on them to prevent a straightsets finals exit.
Asked what effect the loss has had on his players, Shattock replied: “They’ve had plenty of time to get used to it because they were out of the game at half-time last week.”
But what is most concerning for the Tigers is that a new-look Broadbeach side is loaded with pace, an area that PBC utilised well last weekend and something that Cats coach Brett Andrews noticed.
“Obviously Palm Beach beat them by controlling the footy and we have to make sure we get them on the outside,” Andrews said.
“We have to be clean and not turn it over because they prey on turnovers and punish through their tall forwards.”
In many ways it is the pace and youth of Broadbeach up against the tallest unit in the QAFL – loaded with height through Barry Hall, Bryce Retzlaff, Jake Goldsmith, Wayde Mills, Andy Hollis and Jayden Young.
Shattock conceded the Tigers could struggle against sheer pace, in much the same way they did against PBC, and this is an area of concern.
“Yes, we’re susceptible to pace, absolutely – if we don’t control the ball,” he said.
“We’re susceptible to a lot of things, but so are a lot of teams. They might trouble us with speed, so only time will tell. But if we play like we did last week we won’t win. It was an absolute stinker.”
Broadbeach have un- earthed some lightning bolts in Papua New Guinea pair Hapeo Bobogi and Kelly Kaugla and, in all, have 10 players who were eligible for the Rising Star Award, including AFL draft hopeful Connor Nutting.
In selection news, Labrador lose Kapun Morris to suspension while Broadbeach have three changes to the side that beat Morningside in the first semi-final last week.
Xavier McMahon (suspended), Nick Kempe and Kyle Sheers (both omitted) have been replaced by Adam Spackman, Evan Panozza and David King.