Morningside were the hunted this year and they came into this season on a 18 game winning steak and looking to build on it. They lost the jor grant medalist from the year before, when he left the club to join his dad at coorparoo and they had to fill that hole he left. They filled it well with the prize recruit of Aaron rogers and gee he had an outstanding year across the half back line and repelling the best any opposition could throw at him. They started off the home and away season with a bang, after unfurling the flag from last season. They romped home against an undermanned Mt Gravatt side by 16 goals. They won their next 2 away from home and they lost 3 of their best players to injuries in the process. The streak came to an end at the hands of a determined aspley team in round 4 and in that game they lost their live wire forward Hayden Wilson to a season ending knee injury. For the rest of the season. It was an up for a while and than down in patches. Punctuated by disappointing losses to Labrador at home and the Vultures at ditmar park. They still had enough will to beat a strong southport team at home. Their finals campaign started off like a house on fire. With an 8 goal to 1 burst in the second quarter against the wind at southport. Morningside booked their berth into the second semi final against labrador. They led all day against labrador in the second semi final too be run down by a fired up labrador team in the last and they were to meat arch rivals in the preliminary final. The preliminary final was a tight game up to half time. Morningside kicked 6 unanswered goals to gap the sharks and with Hughes and co being blanketed out of the game by Rogers and Price. It looked like the panthers were going back to another grand final. Southport kicked the first 2 and got6 a sniff and came flying home and everyone was starting to think, oh no not again. But the strong backline stopped southport in their tracks and sent the panthers back to the grand final for the third year in a row. The grand final was a classic. Morningside really had the best of the fisrst half and should have been further in front. But Labrador jumped them in the third and got a run on and had a handy lead going into the last. When labrador kicked the fist of the last, things were looking as bleak as the greay sky over head on the day. Tom hickey was thrown into the ruck andf he turned the game on it's head. 8 unanswered goals and 4 from fester mugavin, later the flag was heading back to esplin oval and oh what a game of footy it was. It was another great season for the panthers. They have lost a few good players since. Gough retired and hickey off to the suns are the biggest losses. But I am sure they will recruit well to replace them and compete well in NEAFL next year
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