Clash of the Coast titans

ONE will enter as the reigning Coast League One grand final winner. The other has dominated the opening rounds to emerge as the early-season title favourite.

Grand final winners over Broadbeach United last season, Musgrave’s visit to Robina City at 4pm today will be a litmus test for both sides as they jostle for supremacy.

The top-of-the-table encounter will pit Robina, who have scored 29 goals and conceded just one amid a six-game winning streak, against a second-placed Musgrave side that underlined its class with a 5-2 defeat of highly-fancied Southport in Round 6 two weeks ago.

While the Rabbits hold a three-point advantage with a game in hand, coach Nathan Mulhearn was in no doubt his side’s biggest test had arrived.

“I have seen Musgrave play a couple of times and have been impressed with the way they play,” Mulhearn said of a Mustangs outfit that has won its last three games.

“(Coach) Jason Shultz’s sides are always keen to play football and look to overload the flanks. Obviously, this can pose a problem but we are confident though that our back four can handle whatever they throw at us.

“If we can do that then our front four can punish them. The pace of Lewis O’Hare, Jedd Sugden and Trent Barwick is difficult for any team to

handle, so it will be brave of them to overcommit their fullbacks.”

Before this season, Robina’s last win came in 2016 and Mulhearn said there had been one crucial factor in arresting their Coast League fall.

“Our depth is probably the best I’ve seen at this level. We have used 20 players so far, 20 players who are all in our firstteam squad,” he said.

“My biggest job so far has been ensuring that players are ready to play when required. Obviously, we look at each game and what we can do to win, but we also need to take the long view.

“At times, boys are playing reserves when we know that they are more than capable to be in our starting 11. There is very little separating the quality across the 20.”

OUR DEPTH IS PROBABLY THE BEST I’VE SEEN AT THIS LEVEL

ROBINA’S NATHAN MULHEARN