Tough day at the office for the Crocs after round one upset

AFL

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The reigning premiers went down to the Cutters in the first game of the season. Image: Port Douglas Crocs.

Seniors match report | Jim Buckley

Any thoughts of the Port Douglas Crocs going through the 2021 AFL Cairns season undefeated were abandoned before half-time at Fretwell Park on Saturday.

The reigning premiers, coming off an undefeated 2020 campaign, were put-to-the-sword early by the more aggressive and well-structured South Cairns Cutters.

Down at the main break by 24 points, Brad Cooper’s Crocs never recovered from the Cutter’s initial brutal onslaught and disappointingly faded in the second half to go down by over eight goals.

Fielding a side consisting of seven new faces and missing a few regulars through injury, the Crocs lacked precision going forward and turned the ball over into opposition hands far too consistently.

Recruits Liam Brandt (rover) and Davis Oates (ruck) were solid contributors but the normally dominant Brett McKeown and Josh Mawson struggled to consistently find the Sherrin; which allowed a rampaging Cutters’ mid-field to supply plenty of scoring opportunities to a slick forward division.

Ethan McCullough and Daniel Moore were hard at the contest but lacked support. Michael McKeown and Josh Lea were the only other consistent performers.

The game was over as a contest by three-quarter time and the Crocs began to fade as the fitter and more cohesive Cutters controlled all aspects of the contest.

The Crocs play the much-improved Bulldogs at Trinity Beach next Saturday and Coach Cooper will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of interstate recruits to bolster the playing list.

Senior results

South Cairns Cutters: 17.8.110
Port Douglas Crocs: 9.7.61

Port Douglas goal kickers: D. Davidson 3, W. Pavitt 2, K. Chapple 2, S. Cooper, L. Brandt
Port Douglas best players: D. Oates, E. McCullough, M. McKeown, L. Brandt, D. Moore 


Reserves match report | Matt Williams

Tough day at the office for an undermanned Port Douglas side who travelled to South Cairns and faced a full-strength South Cairns Cutters.

With a number of injuries and players unavailable to play this week, Port Douglas put in a wholehearted effort but were well beaten by their opponents.

South Cairns were the more skillful side on the day, but Port Douglas have a better understanding of where they are at and with a number of new players will take a few weeks to gel as a unit.

Special mention to all the players who put their hand up to help out in playing when the club needed them.
Anyone looking for a game of AFL, training is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00pm or contact the club via Facebook.

Reserves results

South Cairns Cutters: 17.16.118
Port Douglas Crocs: 2.1.13

Port Douglas goal kickers: Lauchy Fanning and Keanu Scott-Spackman
Port Douglas best players: Lauchy Fanning, Cameron Nyko, Joel Nicholls, Kane Bolwell, and Liam Hawkins


Round two will see The Port Douglas Crocs travelling to take on The Central’s Trinity Beach Bulldogs at Crathern Park on Saturday with the Reserves starting at 12:30pm followed by the Seniors at 2:30pm.

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