Coach’s big call

Saints leader says they can beat Crocs

“I THINK we can beat them, pretty easy.”

Those were the words of rookie Saints playing-coach Wes Glass just moments after his side dropped its first game of season 2020, away at the four-time defending premiers, Port Douglas.

The scoreboard did not reflect how close Glass’s Saints were to his old club, the Crocs.

But, it was still an 82-point margin when the final siren sounded on the annual and well-supported Pink in the Tropics day.

A comment like that, declaring his side can beat the dominant club of the AFL Cairns decade, will certainly raise eyebrows in some quarters.

And, it will probably be like a red rag to a bull to many up in the Douglas Shire Council region.

We will find out in a few months’ time if Glass’s comments are delusional or on the money, but on Saturday afternoon’s efforts, they still have plenty of work to do.

Playing without a recognised ruckman and arguably their two best players, Cade Wellington and Chris Novy, the men from Griffiths Park gave the hosts a red-hot go early on but could not turn it into scoreboard pressure.

That sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Didn't that exact same thing happen just seven days before with the Crocs?

But on that occasion, it was their other major rivals, South Cairns.

Glass (left) pointed to his club’s big inside-50 count but lack of converting once the ball was in the attacking area.

“There is heaps of positives to take out of it – our game style in the first quarter, it took it to them, we just need to sustain that for four quarters,” Glass said.

“I think we can beat them, pretty easy, I think we can.

“I am still confident about the group we have got, we just have a bit of work to do.”

As they always do, Port Douglas absorbed Saints’ early onslaught and just grinded away, kept pressing before the Crocs eventually got the game on their terms and kicked away.

Last season’s league-wide rising star, Josh Mawson, was excellent for Port Douglas and has only improved after a preseason with NEAFL club Aspley.

Another positive for the Crocs was their spread of goalkickers. So often over the years it has been Kye Chapple and Adam Gross who have had to kick a score for them.

On Saturday, they had 11 goal-kickers, with the most being Gross with three majors, as a big slice of their goals came from running on-ballers.

Chasing a fifth straight flag,

Port Douglas coach Brad Cooper is proud of the way his group has not dropped its hunger to keep winning and dominating, despite doing it for so long.

“That is the challenge, a challenge for our club but we have always rolled over our playing group every year so we have never lacked it,” Cooper said.

“The new players often drive the guys who have been here for years.”

Meanwhile, Manunda moved into fourth position on the ladder and improved its season record to 2-2 at home on Saturday.

The Hawks had it all their own way against the winless North Cairns.

SENIORS

Port Douglas 2.3-15 7.10-52 9.14-68 15.19-109

Cairns Saints 0.3-3 2.5-17 2.820 3.9-27

PORT DOUGLAS

Goal Kickers: A. Gross 3, J. Mawson 2, D. Davidson 2, J. Florent, B. Johnson, B. Wilson, J. McDonald, R. Wilson, S. Giblett, W. Pavitt, J. Mawson Best Players: J. Mawson, I.

Baker, J. Schischka, J. Mawson, B. Morrow, D. Davidson

CAIRNS SAINTS

Goal Kickers: T. Tedmanson, T. Bowie, T. Lowah

Best Players: W. Glass, J. Barr, J. Matulis, D. McConachy, K. George, T. Messenger

Manunda Hawks 2.2-14 6.9-45 9.11-65 15.13-103

North Cairns 0.0 0.0 1.1-7 1.2-8

MANUNDA HAWKS

Goal Kickers: J. West 4, D. Seden 3, E. Frank 3, J. Bewick, R. Shelton, T. Natusch, E. Ware, R. Terry

Best Players: D. Seden, J. Gall, T. Clarke, R. Shelton, W. Woldt, T. Natusch

NORTH CAIRNS

Goal Kickers: P. Applin

Best Players: C. Lee, B. Wollin, H. Atu, F. Greenwool, P. Ransom, J. Kris

Centrals Trinity Beach 0.2-2 1.3-9 3.4-22 5.4-34

South Cairns 2.5-17 7.10-52 12.12-84 21.15-141

CENTRALS TRINITY BEACH

Goal Kickers: T. Eltringham 2, C. Roberts, J. Butson, J. Newell Best Players: J. Holt, J. Brinn, J. Butson, R. Herd, A. Evans, C. Roberts

SOUTH CAIRNS

Goal Kickers: D. Lock 7, L. Rhook 5, P. Na’awi 2, J. Wardle 2, J. Roach 2, J. Dixon 2, C. Allen

Best Players: L. Rhook, D. Weetra, A. Heathcote, P. Na’awi, W. Matthews, D. Lock

RESERVES

Port Douglas 4.2-26 6.5-41 10.7-67 13.14-92

Cairns Saints 0.1-1 1.3-9 1.3-9 1.5-11

PORT DOUGLAS

Goal Kickers: J. Wollermann 4, G. Jacks 3, T. Shapter 2, M. McKeown, J. Fisk, H. DeKleuver, J. Read

Best Players: J. Hickey, M. Laskey, J. Fisk, T. Shapter, T. McNally, G. Jacks

CAIRNS SAINTS

Goal Kickers: M. White

Best Players: O. Wallace, P. Baira, T. Lanchester, D. McCall, R. Bowie, J. Baldwin

Manunda Hawks 2.2-14 3.6-24 6.12-48 9.16-70

North Cairns 0.0 1.0-6 1.1-7 1.1-7

Centrals Trinity Beach 2.3-15 3.3-21 4.4-28 6.4-40

South Cairns 1.2-8 4.6-30 7.850 9.9-63

CENTRALS TRINITY BEACH

Goal Kickers: J. Wilson 2, J. Davies, T. Potter, V. Chap, E. Barewoi

Best Players: J. Anderson, T. Potter, D. Ryan, A. Bulkua, J. Davies

SOUTH CAIRNS

Goal Kickers: B. Marra 2, K. Wilkins 2, D. Richardson, S. Damon, Z. Penney, L. Ehlich Best Players: T. Harrison, C. Sheehan, L. Ehlich, Z. Penney, D. Richardson, L. Henderson.