Coopers Friday Night Footy - Preliminary Final Preview

It’s snuck up on us, but in the QFA competition its Prelim Final time already with the Woodies taking on Morningside tonight at McCarthy Homes Oval at 730pm.

It was a short home & away season, with each team playing each other once and one club twice. Cooincidentally, the side the Woodies met twice were Morningside in Round 1 and Round 8, with a victory in both games going to the Black & White. Morningside snuck into the finals on percentage to finish 6th, and were impressive in knocking off the 3rd placed Jimboomba Redbacks on their home deck last Friday, while the Woodies who finished 2nd enjoyed the week off to rest some older bodies and allow some injuries to recover.

It’s a strong looking lineup once again for the Woodies, though at this stage they have not yet finalised their 22 due some availability and weather concerns. However, coming into the side will be Lachlan Woods, Alex Dickfos, Sam Banim and Andrew Thomson. Woods injured a shoulder back in Round 4 and is set for a full return, while Thomson damaged his ribs and shoulder in Round 5 and is now back to full fitness. Dickfos and Banim offer contrasting forwardline options, and are both difficult matchups for the opposition.

Out of the side are Gareth Crawford with a hamstring strain and Chris Brown has a damaged back and hip from a heavy hit 2 weeks ago and despite the week off, didn’t quite get up for the game, though should the Woodies get up tonight both these players will create huge selection headaches the following week.

There is class on every line for the Woodies, headlined by Luke Scott across half back, Val Pope, Doc Davis and Chris Mihalopoulos as experienced midfielders who can push forward and find the goals, while Abdullah Haddad on a wing creates extreme pressure around the contest with his pace. Nick Barling in the ruck is a tough match up at any level and should give the likes of Pope, Davis, Brady Allen and Sam Curtis first use of the footy.

It should be a cracking night of footy as both sides battle it out for the right to play in next weeks Grand Final at Coorparoo.

Sherwood Woodsmen vs Morningside - 730pm @ McCarthy Homes Oval Fri 11 Sep

B: Prior - Petch - Pearson

HB: Scott - Page - Workman

C: Verma - Woods - Haddad

HF: Lloyd - Doc - O’Dea

F: Mihalopoulos - Dickfos - Banim

Foll: Barling - Allen - Pope

Int from: Thomson - Merritt - Garland - Curtis - Young - Evans - Gillespie