Women’s
AFTER pulling off the shock of the season to beat the previously unbeaten reigning premier Lions, the Dogs embark on their next giant-killing quest, as they entertain the Tigers.
One swallow doesn’t make a spring as the saying goes, but beating both of last year’s grand finalists in back-to-back weeks would surely have the Dogs on top of the power rankings.
The Tigers won’t submit easily though and will be out to show that they deserve the title of undisputed favourites.
Port and the Cutters go head-to-head in a classic eight-pointer at Fretwell on Saturday.
With only six teams in this season’s comp, the victor may look back at this fixture as the game that got the ball rolling.
Unfortunately for Port, they have the 11am timeslot for their longest trip of the season and the Cutters have the pace to exploit any sluggishness.
Both teams will be hoping for a dry day on Saturday and the silky skills that come with a dry footy.
In a repeat of my round three preview, good luck to the Saints.
In their previous meeting they ‘only’ had to contend with the reigning premier. This week, they will face the full fury of a vengeful Lions team smarting from their shock loss.
The Lions will be hoping to get back into form before their Dreamtime primetime clash next week against the Tigers, but will know not to take their holy opponents lightly the week after the conclave.
Men’s
THE men’s round kicks off in the same fixture as the women’s as the Dogs host the Tigers in the annual Wayne Jackson Memorial fixture.
Few tipsters would have picked the ladder position of either team, with the improved Dogs sitting in second, while the Tigers are in fifth.
This match might not reach the hype of the famed Gary Ablett Jr game of 2023, but will still be a ripping contest with both teams looking to get a firm foothold in season 2025.
Port drive down to the rested Cutters following a complete domination of Saints in an 89-point thumping that few people, myself included, saw coming.
Port will hope that victory signalled the end of their topsy turvy start to the season, while Cutters would love nothing more than to sow more confusion into the Crocs’ season. The Crocs know how important a parochial and vociferous home crowd is, and will look to silence the Fretwell faithful early on.
The round finishes off with the ladder leading Lions travelling to Cairns Saints.
Both teams are reeling after shock results last week (the Lions lost to the Dogs) and will have been searching for answers this week.
A week can be a long time in footy, so it might come down to which squad can forget and put their last match behind them.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of figurative haymakers from both teams early.
