HERE IS THE CUP. COME AND GET IT IF YOU WANT IT

The unofficial half way mark has come and gone in the NEAFL and well done to the maroons in taking the sandgropers right to the final siren in yesterdays state clash in Mandurah. I certainly thought they would get slaughtered over there by such a quality out fit. Now that the state game is done with, it's down the run home towards the finals and the ladder is congested right now and really no one can say that there is a clear cut choice other than the thunder that will be there when the whips are cracking. There are plenty of questions over every side in the 5 and outside the 5. can aspley keep up the good work, they are already doing better what they were last season. At this stage last year they only had 2 wins and had replaced the coach and were struggling inside. They will get back a couple of senior players after the break and they have arguably the toughest road trip in the league, traveling to Alice Springs for a home game they gave up and I still don't know why they would do that. But with the likes of evans coming into the side. He will give them a boost. Mt Gravatt are sitting second and their form leading into the state game had been scratchy to say the least. Their midfield is all class and if they keep playing the way they are, look out the thunder. Southport are struggling to say the least. On the bottom of the ladder and not even looking like getting out of trouble. Their problem has been, can they kick a score and with Cleave Hughes coming back in the next 2 week they should find a good avenue to goal. But can they. Well broadbeach have been great, good and average this season. They smashed southport in the first round have had solid performances the rest of the way. The question for them is do they have the mental strength to see out the season. They seem to have already lost Rahn Hooper for the rest of the year. He is M.I.a at the moment and too be honest I doubt he will come back to the team. He does have a habbit of going awol. Labrador have started to get things back to normal. They have a few of their big name out through injury. They are still in the mix as far as I am concerned. Right now everyone is in the mix for final except maybe southport and the lions

Redlands started off the season with high hopes and recruited well. But they hit the wall and replaced their coach. They are within reach of finals and are getting some players back soon, can they make a run at the finals. I doubt they will. The thunder a rolling a long at a break neck pace at the moment and too be honest there isn't really much that could beat them. Right now and I believe they might start to hit the wall soon with most their players having played a full season in the ntfl. I reckon they might lose their first game of the season this weekend against aspley. Morningside, the reigning premiers are just going at the moment. They are missing a few of their best players and they should be back in the next few weeks with one of the clubs greatest players in jacob gough who is making a comeback that should boost their ruck stocks. Never right off a champion side and they are ready to roar. The lions are struggling at the moment and in part that has a lot to do with the seniors and if the seniors are struggling, so are the ressies. I expect them to fall away now after a solid start to the season. The suns are going strong now, but than again they are in a better possie than the lions. They can use as many listed players as they want. They will be their when the whips are cracking I feel

if southport can get some of their big names back, they will be hard not to be taken lightly. The compettition is so close right now and anyone can win it. I do think the thunder will come back to the field. Gee it's going to be a cracking finish to the season

WE WILL CHOOSE OUR FAVOURITES AND THEY WILL PLAY FOR QUEENSLAND

The state side was named, well sort of. They have trimmed the squad down for 34 to 27. I think there are a few shockers too be honest. No aspley players were picked and you have to wonder what games they have been watching this season, by the looks of it they were going to pick Copeland in the side and he deserved to picked. But for some reason they left out Reece toye. Reece Toye has been one of the best player in the comp so far this season and he hasn't even got a look in. I have always thought they will pick their favourites and they have certainly with this squad. Danny wise is a puzzling one as well. Yes he is a fantastic footballer, but he hasn't had that great of a season. I reckon Darren O'Brien and David James have had better seasons than he has and might have been closer to being picked. But some of the player if not a majority deserve to be picked. Nathan kinch should feel a fair bit unlucky as well in not being picked. He has held that team together just about, when they were struggling and is probably having a better season than the year he won the grogan. Also do we need lions and suns rookie listed players, I don't know if the sandgropers have them in the side. Why the hell should we. Pick players who deserve, not because they are on a lions or suns list and having an alright season. Lets just pick them. I have a feeling it's going to be a long long day for the maroon in mandurah

The 27-man squad is:

Niall McKeever (Brisbane Lions)

Kallen Geary, Dayne Zorko (Broadbeach)

Jake Crawford, Joel Tippett (Gold Coast Suns)

Ryan Davey, Todd Grayson, (Labrador)

Kent Abey, Caleb Brown, Paul Shelton, Adam Spackman (Morningside)

Nathan Gilliland, Gavin Grose, Albert Proud, Chris Smith, Josh Vearing (Mt Gravatt)

Darren Ewing, Cameron Ilett, Shaun Tapp, Iggy Vallejo (NT Thunder)

Scott Clouston, Brad Howard, Trent Manzone, Josh Pullman (Redland)

Kurt Niklaus, Matt Payne, Danny Wise (Southport)

HERE WE GO AGAIN

Fierce rivals of the last 5 years are at again on saturday when southport take on Mt Gravatt at southport. Last week southport got a good shot in the arm for their confidence with a comfortable victory over cross town rivals in broadbeach. While the vultures had a heart breaking loss against aspley at aspley last saturday. Mt Gravatts form has been a bit scratchy of late and they have been inaccurate in front of goal and really that has cost them 2 certain victories against aspley and redlands. Their midfield has been their shining point of their squad again. Players like Albert prud and Ah Evans having fantastic seasons so far and have been driving the vulture train. Gilliland is having another solid season and he is someone that will have too be stopped again this week. Southport last week showed if they can put a solid game in they can win and win well. Their usual suspects came to the fore in their win over the cats. I think they might have found a goal sneak and a couple of targets up forward to kick a score for them to win games of footy. I would expect Glenn Screech to go to either proud or evans and play a negating role like he did on zorko last week and he did a great job on doing that. These teams hate each other and they have had some classic battles in the last 5 years and I reckon this will be a beauty

DON'T ENGRAVE THAT DIAMOND ENCRUSTED WOODEN SPOON JUST YET

Southport showed plenty of ticker yesterday in the gold coast derby against a heated rival at frankhauser reserve. Their back line and midfield played pivotal roles in the win. The first half was a scrap and there really wasn't a clear winner coming out the 2 quarters. But in the second, southport started to get on top in the middle and Jason eagle had absolutely no influence on the game, like usual Kurt Nicklaus was blanketing his opponent. In the second quarter, adam devine was moved forward and had an impact on the game. Glen Screech who had been brought back after playing a few games in the 2s. Absolutely blanketed Dane Zorko and in a tagging riole. Korey foulton in his new role down back continued his good work for the cats. After half time the sharks gradually wore down the cats and were starting to win every contest all over the park and even though the cats kept close in the third term, you could see the sharks were getting on top in all areas. The last term was a precession for the sharks. 6 goals to none put the cats away and gave the sharks their secon win. The sharks will take plenty of confidence out of the win. Adam Devine and Glenn Screech are starting to get some good footy into them. They are far from out of it just yet

SUDDEN DEATH MATCH NUMBER 2

Everything is on the line for the sharks at shark park on sunday. Pride and season is definitely on the line for them. They are sitting on the bottom of the ladder with only 1 win and struggling for answers. The old legs are certainly starting show with them. Their main problem is clearly, they have no avenue to goal and they are missing cleve hughes dearly. He gives them a target and can kick big bags and they haven't been able to kick big scores this year. But the older brigade have stood when need. O'Brien and James have just about been their best players, a long with matty payne. Who seems to get better and better every season. But they can't keep relying on those 4 with wise every week to do all the work. Broadbeach have been going just enough of late. Last week they over ran a down on luster hornets outfit. Their last month has been below par. They got thumped by 17 goals by redlands and lost to Mt Gravatt at home and labrador in the space of a month after starting the season off like a house on fire. Their best players lifted last week and got them over the line. Their new recruit from the WAFL was good in his first game in the seniors, but ran out of legs by the end of the game. He will be a handy pick up for the cats. Southport have to find a avenue to goal that is for sure and I think they have to use Dane Grant as a perminat forward until Hughes comes back, that's if he comes back I suppose. The battle of the game will be Kurt Nicklaus and Jason eagle. This is a game where the Barrow normally stands up and blankets his opponent. These 2 teams hate each other and this game should be a cracker. I think the cats will win just. But I wouldn't be surprised if the sharks pull off an upset

SUDDEN DEATH MATCH NUMBER 1

It really is nearly do or die now for the hornets. If they lose this game of footy tomorrow against Mt Gravatt. They will be pushing shit uphill to play finals too be honest.last week they blew another chance at moving into the 5 and setting up their season to make a crack at finals. But the cats were too strong and the hornets fell short again and another stupid mistake by someone came a 50 meter penalty and goal. There always seems to be a stupid 50 meter penalty from something or somewhere for the hornets this season. The vultures on the other hand are just going a long nicely. They lost to a rejuvenated redlands outfit last week and that comes on the back of an up and down month for the mounties. Chris smith has clearly been their best player this season and probably been the best player in the NEAFL to date. Gavin Grose has been handy, down back and up forward when he has been pushed forward and Albert Proud has been outstanding since returning to club after being delisted by the lions and he has found a home at the vulture and it is good to see him playing good footy. The hornets will be missing Jeff Teale and his shut down rols that he has been doing so well this year. Last week Zorko tore the hornets a new one and I am pretty sure Teale would have went to Zorko and he would have probably went to either Proud, Smith or Evans. The game will be won in the middle as it always seems to be won. Shir and co have been great this year and will need to pull of another great performance to win this game of footy. If the hornets are on their game in this one, they can certainly knock over the vultures. But if they are whinging and arguing with umpire and play stupid footy. I think the vulture will give them a footy lesson and not for the first time either. It should be a great game of footy