‘SEASON STARTS NOW’
DEMONS GET STARS BACK FOR MUST-WIN AT MT GRAVATT
SURFERS Paradise coach Brad Moore knew the Demons’ first month of footy was going to be tough when the draw pit them against the top three teams from last season straight out the gate.
But it was the combination of injuries and Covid outs that threw the biggest spanner in the works over the first month, leading Moore to declare the Demons’ season begins now.
Winless Surfers Paradise heads to Mt Gravatt to take on the 1-4 Vultures on Saturday with the season at stake.
Going 0-5 would all but end any hopes of a finals return for the 2019 QAFL premiers.
Thankfully Moore will finally get some reinforcements back this week, having endured the opening month of the season with “at least half the side not playing”.
“From our point of view this is where we start our season,” he said.
“It’s been pretty much the perfect storm for us. We haven’t been able to get our best-22 on the field (and) we’ve played three of the top sides from last year in the first four rounds.
“The last few weeks have been challenging but we’ve learned a lot about what we’ve got in regards to our playing stocks. This week is a game we need to make sure we win and then build from there.
Skipper Brody Haberfield is still at least three weeks away, but the Demons welcome back
Matt Green (Covid),
Cain Ford (calf) and offseason recruit Sam Scott (knee) for the clash with Mt Gravatt.
Key defender Nick Hay went down with a knee injury in the first quarter against Broadbeach last week and the club is still waiting on scans to know how long he will be sidelined.
“We’re not too concerned at this stage, but we know we have a lot of work to do,” Moore said.
Elsewhere, Labrador welcomes Aspley to Cooke-murphy Oval in the match of the round that will give both teams a sighter at their finals credentials.
Broadbeach hosts Morningside at Subaru Oval while Palm Beach Currumbin heads to Sherwood to take on the winless Magpies.