THE CLAP OF THUNDER WASN'T AS LOUD AS PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT ON SATURDAY

The thunder were certainly challenged on saturday and they looked a bit shaky at stages as well. But they flexed their muscles and came out on top of a strong performing lions reserves outfit. It was a battle of the midfield for both side that was a cracking contest between the 2 sides. The thunders were challenged all day and eventually got on top of the lions midfield and with their gun full forward kicking 6 goals, the thunder won the game. Ewing had 5 goals up to half time and the lions couldn't do much to stop his rampaging ways and Nathan Clarke moved tom collier to him after half time and it did the trick, Ewing was kept goaless in the thrid and it kept the lions in the game. But it stop the lions drive off half back and it did kill them in the end. The third quarter was an arm wrestle and the thunder got on top of the arm wrestle and went into the last quarter with a 10 point lead. In the last the thunder just truned clamped down and run out 11 point winners. Their midfield is such a classy out fit. Illet was at his best again on saturday and Kenrick Tyrrel was outstanding in the ruck. The lions showed the thunder can be beaten on any given day and late in the season when the heavy legs of a long season with most players having a season the the ntfl during the summer. They might just hit a wall and that's where the other teams in the NEAFL might just pounce on them. But right now they look unbeatable

YOUR CALL. HEADS, NO WAIT TAILS

Right now it is a toss of the coin job to pick who could win this game of footy on saturday between the panthers and the hornets. The hornets are on a roll and are seeking their fourth win in a row for the first time in their history. Morningside are coming off a solid performance against arch rivals in southport and the confidence will start to grow in the panthers camp. The last time these 2 met, the hornets choked the life out of the panthers midfield and forward line to over run the panthers in the last quarter to win by 22 points. The hornets will have to produce a similar effort tomorrow to win this game I feel. The panthers midfield won the battle last week and Paul Shelton and David Lillico lead the charge. I feel Jeff Teale will go straight to Paul Shelton again like he did 2 weeks ago, Teale has been in fantastic touch for the hornets and has shut down 2 premier midfielders in the NEAFL in the last 2 weeks and the way he is going I expect him to keep up with good start. I wouldn't be surprised if Lillico went straight to Reece Toye who has been in fine touch again this year after a great season last year. He seems to be playing with plenty of freedom. The hornets defense has been stout and has been a brick wall at the best of times. Robbie Copeland has lead his chargers well down back and will more than likely get Kent Abey again and after he blanketed him in the last encounter can see why they play on him again. The ruck battle might just decide who wins this contest. The midfield for both side will need someone to feed them the footy all day long and whoever wins that battle might just win the game. At home the hornets will be hard to beat and I think they might just get over the line in a tight contest

THE STATE GAME IS NEARLY HERE

The annual stat game is on again this year and the mighty maroons travel west to face a mighty sandgroper outfit looking to win and win wellthey have picked a good squad and have a few ex afl players in the mix. But the rest are experienced players that have been quality footballers in the WAFL for years and have won plenty of flags and sandover medals. I hope queensland can give the sandgropers a good run fior their money even thought it is played over the in Mandural at. I think the queensland selectors will sit down at the end of this round and pick a squad of 30 or more to pick from. I hope they pick the players that have been playing well in the early stages of the NEAFL Northern conference. Not a whole heap of ex afl players for the sake of think because they played at the highest level that they will beat a strong WAFL outfit. It might back fire on them.

My squad would be

Aspley

Matt shir

Jeff Teal

Reece Toye

Robbie Copeland

Jamie Sheehan

Miccah Buchanan

Michael Hutchinson

Brisbane Lions

Josh Green

Broadbeach

Dane Zorko

Jason Eagle

Jesse Derrick

Goldcoast Suns

Sam Illes

Sam Day

Maverick Weller

Labrador

Todd Greyson

Ryan Davey

Trent Knoebel

Todd Featherstone

Morningside

Paul Shelton

Austin Lucy

Nathan Kinch

Damien Booney

Caleb Brown

David Lillico

Mt Gravatt

Chris Smith

Albert Proud

Nathan Gilliland

Josh Vearing

NT Thunder

Cameron Illett

Ross Tungatalum

Shaun Tapp

Kenrick Tyrrel

Darren Ewing

Jake dignan

Jed anderson

redlands

Scott Clouston

James Charlesworth

Trent Manzone

Phil Carse

Southport

Danny Wise

Matthew Payne

Darren O'brien

Daniel weymouth

Kurt Nicklaus

this is what I think the squad might look like. There are quite a few bolters in the side. The 2 from aspley I feel deserve a shot. Jeff Teale has been great all season and could be useful as the n umber 1 tagger against such a quality midfield that the sandgropers will have. But the side has it's usuals in there and they should be picked. I expect the boys to get flogged over there. But they will give it there all for there state I hope

SANITY RESTORED. NEARLY WELL MAYBE

Sanity is restored, well sort of for the panthers yesterday. After a gritty 26 point win over arch rivals southport sharks at esplen oval. The panthers choked the life out the game in the last. But their work in the second and third quarter really paved the way to them winning the game of footy. At quarter time it was struggle for both teams, with the sharks having a goal lead and most of the play for that quarter. The older brigade were dominating the contest as well. With Wise ,O'Brien and James running and marking and having a field day. But the panther went about shutting them down and their young back men started to lift and gave plenty of drive for the panthers and they piled 5 goals on and Kent abey was the clear catalyst in leading the panthers back in front. His marking was brilliant and 3 goals in the quarter lifted his confidence and lifted the team. In the third the panthers jumped the sharks, with the midfield starting to dominate and the forwards were given a silver service and 4 goals to none in no time had the panthers a 4 goals lead and looking rather good. But the older brigade of james, O'brien clamped down on the panthers midfield and with some spectacular marks and slotted 3 quick goals and the sharks were back in the contest and looking sharp. But a quick goal from Ferguson put the panthers clear again and a late goal put the sharks within a point of the panthers. It looked like we were going to get a grandstand finish fitting this rivalry. But it just didn't happen for the sharks. The panthers midfield flexed their muscels and took control and with 4 goals to none in the last put the sharks to bed and a record of 1 and 5 and 2 games behind the panthers. The panthers showed plenty of character to win this game of footy. Their big names that have been a bit quiet lately were their best and the younger players were solid and won most contests. Big game next weekend at graham road

LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION AT GRAHAM ROAD ON SATURDAY

Game of the round maybe, well it probably is. Aspley and redlands should be beauty on saturday at Graham road. The hornets are coming off back to back wins against last years grand finalists and redlands beat a rad hot Broadbeach side by 17 goals. These 2 teams do match up well against each other and the 4 contests between the 2 have been tight affairs on every occasion even though the margin in 2 of the 4 games has blown out. The hornets have started to jell well as a unit and are playing some good footy. Hutchinson has been the stand out so far for them and is just finding the footy with ease. Jeff Teale has been a surprise packet. Has been getting the best midfielder every week and has done a great job at shutting them down and di so last week with nullifying paul shelton all day klong and he had very little influence on the game of footy. Robbie copeland is playing some fantastic football and is leading from the front and this is clearly his best season at the hornets so far. Last week was his best game, shutting Kent abey out of the game completely. Redlands can be an outfit that can bite you and they certainly bit the cats last week. They have plenty of talent across the park. Their midfield is the key to them winning the game and if they are shut out. They can be put to bed early. I wonder if travis johnstone will play this week, he has missed a few games and they might need his run and ball winning skills to win, At home and in front of a tv ausdience of about 30 people. I think the hornets will make it 3 wins in a row

GEE HELL MUST HAVE FROZEN OVER

No wonder the ground has been so cold to walk on lately. Hell must have frozen over. To have 2 heavy weight of queensland football holding up the NEAFL ladder is an absolute shock too be honest. After watching both sides the last few weeks, I can see why they are both on the bottom of the ladder. Their best players are good, but clearly their second tier players are struggling or it's the other way around. Last week aspley put the clamps on the panthers clear danger players and slearly the panthers struggled to find any winners outside of them to get them over the line. The sharks are struggling in all departments right now and at 1 and 4 they are in what you would call a massive hole that they might even struggle to get out of at this early stage of the season. Matty Payne has clearly been their best and he need help big time, but the team is aging and can't keep going like they use to. Darren O'brien has been showing plenty of ticker in the last few weeks as well. Their problem is, where are they going to find an avenue to goal. Cleve Hughes is still out injured and he won't be back for a while and they need some one to kick a bag or 2 in the next few week until he comes back. The ruck battle might just win this game. morningsides ruck stocks are a bit bellow par at the moment and if they can win the battle against putt and weymouth and feed plenty of footy to their midfield. They might just win this game of footy. Kent abey has been a bit quiet this year and in a big game like this, I expect him to lift another notch and get himself out of the rutt. This is the best rivalry in queensland footy and this game3 will be a cracking game of footy and I think the panthers will continue the sharks woes. 1 and 5 isn't looking so good

ANOTHER SOLID TEAM EFFORT SEE THE HORNETS TAKE THEIR SECOND WIN IN A ROW

The hornets are starting to show plenty of ticker now after a slowish start to the season. Yesterday again they lead for for most of the day and in the last quarter they kicked away to run out comfortable winners against last years premiers. It was a team effort and most of the key players all had great games. Bushy cop;and had an outstanding game, he absolutely blanketed reigning Joe Grant medaluits, kent abey and he was sent to ruck duties in the third to get him into the game and it didn't work that well either. The new players for the hornets have stepped up and are playing some good footy asd well Miccah Buchanan was a solid peformer again yester and even though he was limping around after the game yesterday, he should be right to face redlands at aspley next saturday, which will be a crucial game. The winner of that game will find themselves in the 5. Dylan Reid gave away some really stupid free kicks again this week, but at 3 qtr time the coach gave him a fair rev up and he lifted in the last and started to play some good footy. Matt Davis was great again on the wing and he roosted a bomb 10 seconds after the first bounce in the last to get the hornets on a roll that morningside couldn't stop. For morningside Jesse Fewkes and Nathan Kinch were there best and the big news to come out of the game for them was. Damien Bonney getting reported late in the third for a typical soft tummy tap. The panthers do have plenty of concernes in their camp at the moment. They need a ruckman to stand up, right now they can't find one. Next week it will be the bottom of the table clash between the biggest rival in the qafl amd I don't think many people would have thought the sharks and the panthers would be holding up the ladder at this early stage of the season

WILL THE GORILLAS IN THE MIST RIP THE LIONS APART

A big chance for the gorillas to show they are the real deal tomorrow against the competions heavy weight in palm beach. They are sitting on top of the ladder with 3 straight wins and one of those agaisnt last years grand finalist in sandgate. On the other side of the ledger the palmy boys have had their struggles. Losing their first 3 games, but to good football teams and they will be looking to get their first win on the board in this one. The teams that have been picked, there wasn't too many surprises. But for palmy, there still is no tommy tarran and that must be a concerne. Is he fit or are the easing him back in through the 2. the keys to this game will be both sides backlines, if either side can have a win in that ares of the game, they will be with in a shout of winning this game. Arnold Knight will be a big player in this game for plamy and this bloke can give his team some drive off half back and collect a heap of the footy in the middle all day long. I think the gorillas in the mist might just cause another boil over here in this one and it should be a cracking game of footy