Cats lap up chance to break their finals curse

BROADBEACH Robina are not shying away from their horror Cricket Gold Coast finals record as nine teams prepare to put their premiership hopes on the line this weekend.

The Cats have been the benchmark across senior and junior cricket on the Coast in 2018-19, with their men’s first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth grade sides to feature in semifinals on Saturday and Sunday.

Four of their five junior teams have also qualified for the playoffs, while the over-40s lost to Mudgeeraba Nerang in the division 1 grand final earlier this month.

Semi-finalists for eight straight seasons, the club’s first grade outfit have not won a playoff game since downing Mudgeeraba in 2012-13 to seal back-to-back flags.

Their semi-final loss to Helensvale Pacific Pines last season was part of a horror weekend in which all five senior Cats teams in the finals crashed out with defeats.

It is a record coach Shane Davis said the players were desperate to rectify.

“Last year we had five teams in the semi-finals and we lost every game. In the 10 years I’ve coached I can’t remember that happening where we’ve lost every home and away game, let alone every finals game,” Davis said.

“So it impacted on the club pretty massively last year, it was a pretty sombre night (on the Sunday).

“What’s driving the guys is going that one or two steps further – making a GF (grand final) and winning a GF.”

The Cats’ first grade side will travel to Burleigh this weekend.