Decimated Dolphins rely on depth against Magic
BROADBEACH United will have almost a full team missing when they tackle Magic United in the final of the Gold Coast BLK Cup tomorrow.
Yet player-coach Lee Vernon, one of those who will miss the decider at Magic’s Birmingham Road home base at 3pm, is confident depth at his club is such that the Dolphins will still take it to the Magic. Those players who will miss because of injury or unavailability are Vernon, Russell Miner, Croyden Wheeler, Tom McNeish, Leon Ball, Shane Robinson, Andrew Robinson, Chris Broadfoot and Adam Powell.
“That’s irrelevant to me because it’s Cup football and I have full confidence those we put on the field will get the job done,” Vernon said, pointing to the fact the club’s reserves are on top of their competition ladder.
Despite the massive talent drain, Vernon said winning a Cup competition was something the Dolphins had not achieved.
“We’ve played in the last six grand finals but we have never won the Cup,” Vernon said of a motivational tool.
“Besides, psychologically it would (be a boost) to beat Magic leading into the run home in the Premier League because we’re playing them twice over the last five rounds.”
His Magic rival Col Phelan noted some of the missing Broadbeach players have been out for long periods anyway and that the Dolphins know how to perform in big matches.
“At the end of the day Broadbeach always have a good side on the park and have a habit of winning trophies,” Phelan said.
The main match will be preceded by the BLK Cup plate final between Musgrave and Southport, both Coast League 1 clubs, at 12.30pm.
Meanwhile, Palm Beach piled the pressure on Murwillumbah’s top-four position with a 3-1 win in their Premier League clash at Mallawa Drive on Thursday night.
Murwillumbah (24 points) are now right under the hammer as Surfers Paradise (22), Coomera (20) and Mudgeeraba (19) line up for a place in the finals.