By Rebecca Palma
QAFA (B) PRELIMINARY FINALS PREVIEW
CENTRAL
WYNNUM v SANDGATE
Friday 29th August
Redbank Plains Recreational Reserve, Redbank
7:30PM
Wynnum and Sandgate will play under lights for the chance to illuminate next weekend’s Grand Final against the Minor Premiers Woodsmen.
The Vikings finished the 2014 season as second on the ladder with 14 wins and 2 losses just ahead of third placed Hawks who managed to win 11 of their games.
The teams have come head-to-head in the season twice, with the Vikings coming out on top of both of those contests.
In Round 7 the Vikings shattered the Hawks by 58-points and in Round 16 the Hawks performed better but couldn’t quite lock it down when they lost by a mere seven points.
Like-results were seen in the Qualifying Final when the pair played each other once again with the Hawks cementing a 26-point lead.
It looks as though the game may fall in the Viking’s favour, if they are able to hold off Hawk Aaron Widt who has 84 majors under his belt this season to make him QAFA (B) Central’s leading goal kicker.
NORTH
POMONA v BRIBIE ISLAND
Saturday 30th August
Glasshouse – Landsborough Sports Club – Tunnel Ridge Rd, Landsborough
2PM
Second placed Pomona and third placed Bribie Island will meet this weekend in a do-or-die clash that will see the winner compete for the premiership flag against Maroochydore next weekend.
Each have 11 wins and 5 losses to their names at the end of the 2014 season but the Demons lead the Bulldogs in percentage with 169.95% and 133.01% respectively.
The Demons and Bulldogs have met four times throughout the season with an equal win-lose ratio.
The Demons pummelled the Bulldogs by 70-points in Round 2 but when they met again in Round 7 the Bulldogs walked away as winners by 44-points.
In Round 11 the Demons were forced to forfeit, providing an easy defeat to the Bulldogs however the Demons ensured that the Bulldogs couldn’t have the cake and eat it too when they took them down by 23-points in Round 18.
If history is anything to go by it’ll be difficult to predict who will come out on top of Saturday’s game.
The Demons’ advantage will be their possession of the league’s two best players, Lanze Magin and Shaun Maxfeild.
SOUTH
TWEED COAST v LISMORE
Saturday 30th August
Peak Oval – Apple St, Kirra
2PM
The sun has come out and Tweed Coast and Lismore will play this weekend in their Preliminary Final match.
The Tigers have 12 wins and 5 losses under their belt, which placed them second on the 2014 QAFA (B) South ladder.
Meanwhile the Swans have had an equal 8 wins to 8 losses and a draw to Ballina that left them to take third place in the 2014 season.
The Tigers and Swans have come to play together three times in the season, with the Tigers roaring home after each.
In Round 3 the pair met and the Tigers left the Swans behind by 40-points, in Round 8 the Swans almost had it but they lost to the Tigers by only 3-points and in Round 13 the Lions were victorious once again with a healthy 33-point lead.
The season’s statistics fall very much in the Tigers’ favour, as well as the claim of player Ashley Gemmill who is this year’s John Mason Medallist and the league’s leading goal kicker.
If the Swans are to win this game they will have to bring every thing they’ve got.
The winner will take on Bond University next weekend in the Grand Final.
