Sharks brace for Thunder
HAMSTRING tightness has briefly halted the comeback of Southport coach Nathan Bock.
But the Southport playing coach did not have far to look for a replacement for this afternoon’s NEAFL clash against premiers Aspley.
Bock’s brother Christian has been named for a return from injury in the clash at Fankhauser Reserve in Musgrave Hill at 1.30pm.
Nathan had his first serious hitout of the season last weekend when Southport snapped a losing streak away to Ainslie in Canberra.
“But I didn’t play after halftime and I pulled up pretty ordinary,” he said.
The return of his ruckman brother is one of four changes the Sharks have made – three of them because of injuries.
Nathan Bock, Adam McKenzie (quad) and Tom Thynne (calf) have been replaced by Christian Bock, Nick Crowley and Darcy Trask and the big in for the Sharks is forward Jack Anthony who replaces big Will Wolbers in the 23.
Defensive rock Wayde Mills, who has been battling back soreness for months, has utility Haydn Kiel on standby he not come training last night.
Nathan Bock knows the Sharks need to win at least two of their next three games – a tough draw that goes Aspley, Redland (away) and Northern Territory (in Alice Springs).
The Sharks are only a win out of the top six – a game off Redland – so still have a chance of playing in the six-team finals.
In the absence of any QAFL matches this weekend, Southport and Aspley have top-level football to themselves on the Gold Coast today.
should up after PALM Beach will lurch into two crunch phases of their 2015 campaigns without two of their bright young guns.
Hot on the news that midfielder Lochlan Reus is off to the US college system, the Sharks have now lost Josh Wallen after the teenager played two games in the sky blue strip.
Reus will play tonight in a National Premier Leagues state fixture against South West Queensland Thunder at Mallawa Drive.
He will farewell the club after the FFA Cup round-of-32 clash against South Melbourne at Cbus Super Stadium on Wednesday night.
But Wallen, after only two games for the Sharks, is headed back to England to join Championship club Birmingham City’s under-21 squad.
Originally from Bangalow in northern NSW, Wallen spent two years in new English Premier League club Watford’s academy. He has already left for England.
“It’s unfortunate because it was intended that Josh would be a replacement for Lochlan in our side,” Palm Beach coach Grae Piddick said.
On top of Reus and Wallen departing, the Sharks have also lost Daniel Grzic (illness), Jarrod Kyle (shoulder) and Ben Litfin (ankle) for the rest of the season.
“But the positive is that our central defender Martin Vasquez will play his first seniors match after … a knee reconstruction,” Piddick said.
At the back of Piddick’s mind is the FFA Cup fixture, although he insisted the club would not rest any of their playing roster from today’s match.