Wednesday 25 August 2010
There is no danger of Mt Gravatt taking the fledgling Northern Territory Thunder too easily in the QAFL elimination final on Saturday – coach David Lake believes it will be the hardest game of the finals series to win.
The Vultures cruised into the finals on the back of seven consecutive wins, blowing away the Western Magpies by 95 points last weekend.
Mt Gravatt are feared by many as the team to beat for the premiership, but they face a massive task in achieving the feat from fourth position.
While recent traditional foes Morningside or Southport await in the first semi final the following weekend, Lake says his players will be fully focused on the challenged posed by the Thunder at Giffin Park, Coorparoo on Saturday.
“They are the toughest game of the finals for us because they are unknown factor,” Lake said.
“The good thing is that we have blokes around the club like Darryl White and Tommy Tarrant who make it very clear to their teammates that we take each game as it comes and worry only about this week.”
The two clubs met twice during the season, with the Vultures beating an understrength Thunder by four points in an Alice Springs thriller in Round 7, but the Thunder beating an undermanned Mt Gravatt at Dittmer Park in Round 10.
It was the Thunder’s only win outside the Northern Territory this season and was the last time Mt Gravatt lost a game.
Like the Vultures, the Thunder go into the elimination final on the back of a thumping victory, having notched a record 142-point win over Broadbeach last weekend.
“However you look at it, you’ve got to be ‘up’ to kick that kind of score,” Lake said of the Thunder’s impressive 29-goal haul.
“Both of us have lacked continuity for most of the season but we have been able to get some in the last month.
“We’re really looking forward to the game.”
The match is a special one for Lake – it marks his 100th game as head coach of the Vultures.
