THE FLAG IS THERE FOR THE TAKING. ANYONE CAN WIN IT

I see the so called experts are starting to write off the gorillas chances in the premier division. That's fine with us too be honest. I think the boys would just love to fly under the radar going into finals. They have probably the easiest run into the the finals, playing the last 3 games against teams outside of the finals race. But they can't rest on their lorrels going into these games, because it will bite them on the arse and they could go from playing a home final to play playing a sudden death game down the coast. Right now the top 4 is a cramped race, with all teams with 3 losses and anyone could take out the minor premiership and the all important week off in the first week of the finals. If sandgate get the minor premiership they will have the problem of having a bye leading into the finals, so they would be ripe for the pickings in my eyes. Palm beach are the real danger out of the top 5 right now. They're on a rampage and really there might be something special to knock them off come finals. The maggies are the un known as far as I am concerned. How many players will they get back from the lions and can they make a run at the top spot. It reall is a tight race for the flag in the premier division and any of the top 5 can win the flag. The finals are going to be a cracker

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD. SHOULDN'T HAVE DROPPED MY CRYSTAL BALL. I MIGHT BE ABLE TO TELL YOU

The new NEAFL has started off well as far as I am concerned, even though the suns are virtually getting their own way with the amount of players they are allowed to use from their list of afl players. Things are sort of rosy. The question what does the future hold for the new comp, where will the northern conference is going to expand to. Cairns is probably the first option they will look at and other than that they may not look else where. But I think if this comp really wants to get better, the sooner the afl brings in a reserves comp the better. i think the reserves comp is still on the agenda for the afl and I can see it happening in the next few years if not earlier. Next year will be a big year for this new comp, will they keep having pointless byes during the season where up to four teams will have a bye on the same weekend when they could be playing each other. But next their will be the country carnival and that will give the comp a whole round by and of course the state game as well. The eastern conference has already chosen the teams that will partake in the league next year and I have a feeling there will be more cross conference games next year. The more of them the better I suppose. We will all have to wait and see what the afl and the 2 league offices come up with for the future of this league

BROADBEACH RUE TOO MANY MISSED CHANCES

The arch rivals of gold coast took on each other once again today and it was a tight scrappy affair with either side looking like winners at all stages during the game. The game started off like most games do, as a scrappy contest. The sharks were getting plenty of the footy early and really they could have put the game away in the first quarter. They had that many inside 50 and they just could convert their chances and they were controlling the footy and having hughes back at full forward helped, as he kick started their scoring and ended up with 2 for the quarter with adam devine slotting the other. For broadbeach in that their ealry pressure was good and that was a sign of things to come and at one stage they were holding on for deer life and once they were starting to win the clearances and kept the pressure up they got back into the contest just through hard work. Zorko and Derrick were in everything, but eagle was being held well by nickalaus

The second quarter was just a slug fest. Broadbeach had all the footy and really in my opinion should taken the game away from southport. Their zone pressure was the key to their strong quarter. When ever southport managed to get the ball outside of the 50, the ball was rushed straight back in and the southport defense were put under immense pressure. But some strong hard work by the 2 stalwarts of the club in danny wise and kurt nickalaus really kept the sharks in the game. Nickalaus was holding jason eagle in check and eagle just couldn't get a sniff of the action. Really if it wasn't for those 2, the outcome of this game might have been difent. Broadbeach remarkably only took a 1 gola lead into the break and you could tell the sharks had a sniff of a victory.

The third quarter was going to be won on the half forward lines just about. Southport got the first goal of the quarter and got a lift out of it. But broadbeach hit back and kept pressing and pressuring through their zones at the kickouts and southport needed to figure out how to beat it. Zorko was still running a muck up and down the clubhouse wing. But ill discipline was costing the cats big time and Zorko was a culprit on a few occasions. Giving away free kicks and 50 meter penalties at stupid periods. Southport got out to 2 a goal lead and really the game looked shot for the cats at 3 qtr time. They had the game where they wanted it in the second quarter and they let it slip in the third through doing stupid things

the last quarter the sharks took over and run out 2 goals winners. They had the belief and they took it. Their zone improved enough for them to force a couple of kicking in erors that resulted in a goal and the game was gone. The second quarter really was where the game was won and maybe saved in the end. Wise and Nicklaus were outstanding in that period, if the sharks didn't have them. They would have been in a bit of trouble