Cutters take it to the Saints
A HARDENED South Cairns Cutters came as close as they ever have for their first win in more than two years.
But a lively Jonah Lafferty galvanised his Cairns Saints squad, who rocketed home in the final term to a 6.5 (41) to 5.4 (34) thriller of a victory.
The finale to the stand up to domestic violence tripleheader at Cazalys had the Cutters matching the reigning premiers stride for stride for most of the game.
Saints belted three unanswered goals in the fourth quarter, which served as an uppercut to Souths, and provided a sigh of relief to Lafferty.
“The message was effort more than anything,” the firstyear coach said.
Souths held firm on their defensive 50 thanks to staunch stoppages in the midfield from players such as Moesha Dotoi Morris, Isa Matthews and Precious Simeona.
Tall forwards Kendall Judd and Sarah Belton had things handled on the offensive end, ensuring Cutters goals came fast to keep ahead of the Saints for most of the contest.
This is compared to round 1 of the season, where Saints trounced the Cutters by 60.
Lafferty had high praise for the Cutters, who came about as close as possible to snapping a winning streak more than two years long.
“I thought Souths played an amazing game today, I said to my team we were just beaten for three quarters,” he said.
“Round 1, we beat them by 60 points. On Saturday, we were lucky to win. Whatever they’ve been doing at Souths for the last three weeks I want to find out, because it must be pretty bloody good.”
But win the Saints did, thanks to disciplined midfielders Alyssa Gall, Kate Wheaton and Grace Perry.
“That core midfield group ... they won us the game in that last quarter,” Lafferty said.
Earlier, the second clash between Manunda Hawks and Cairns City in as many weeks was abandoned in the third quarter after Lions’ Gail Sevallos came down hard on her knee and had to be attended to by medical staff.
Centrals’ Brooke Knight ran rings around North Cairns, kicking two majors en route to a 5.4 (34) to 3.4 (22) victory.