TOP CATS’ COAST CLASH
ONE of the biggest rivalries in Gold Coast sport will reach new levels on Saturday when Palm Beach Currumbin Lions host the Broadbeach Cats in Round 6 of the QAFL.
Both teams are undefeated and the man who led the Lions to multiple premierships, Craig O’Brien, is now at the helm of the Cats and will coach against his former team for the first time.
Palm Beach has been in the past four QAFL grand finals and Broadbeach is eyeing its first flag in 24 years.
GOLD Coast’s biggest AFL draft prospect won’t play in the under-18 academy series as he continues to work his way back from an elbow injury.
Suns Academy star Alex Davies sustained ligament damage around his elbow while playing for Broadbeach in the QAFL on July 18.
The tall midfielder could be ready to play again in a fortnight but with the planned academy series between Gold
Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and GWS being cut to just the Queensland teams, Davies won’t have enough time to make it back.
The second and final game of the series between Brisbane and Gold Coast is at Cooke Murphy Oval on Sunday.
Gold Coast has the opportunity to snare Davies without giving up a draft pick as part of the concessions given to it by the AFL but if he were to go to the draft he would be considered a top-10 pick should he have played well in the academy series.
The Suns won the first game against the Lions by 53 points last week, adding to a dominant few years Gold Coast has had at under-age level over its rivals up the M1.
Suns Academy head coach Andrew Raines said it showed the resources put into the program in the past few years were working.
“You can’t underestimate the importance of the investment into the academy program,” Raines said. “When I first came on board around four years ago it was just Jason Torney and myself.
“Now, we have around four full-time staff and a north Queensland co-ordinator who helps make the transition from that area to the Gold Coast seamless.”
Raines said Suns AFL coach Stuart Dew and the club had a clear image of the type of player they were looking to develop.
“We have got a real type of player – obviously they will play different positions – but a real type of player we want to play and that is driven from Dewy and the football department,” Raines said.
“There is definitely a strategy there. They need to have leg speed for a start and an ability to cover the ground.
“That is huge in the AFL system. They need to be able to put pressure on and get involved in team defence.
“They are all different but they need the team-first mentality.”