Tigers hold off determined Lions

The Tigers travelled to Red Rooster Park at Morayfield to take on the Moreton Bay Lions yesterday as they look to get through the 2025 QFA Division 1 Season in tact and ready for the finals.

In another week of putting together the best side they could, they once again were forced to make five changes to the one that got over a determined Caloundra Panthers last week.

Despite the changes in personnel, the Tigers blasted away to a great start yesterday with three goals to Zac Quin in the first five minutes to stun the Lions who were beaten by the Tigers by over one hundred points last time they met.

The Tigers pushed their lead out to seven goals before the Lions stepped up their performance to dominate the last ten minutes of the first term and set the scene for the remainder of the game.

The Tigers are not used to being pushed around in the middle but it was all Lions in the second term with their ruckman Sam Cabrera getting plenty of first use and small man Luke Smith dominating clearances.

The Tigers rested defenders James Stolz and Kyle Henry who have been the leaders in the team’s 2025 defence who have let in an average of less that fifty points all season. It is a very young group including Hayden Fry, Hayden Rainbow and Noah Breen and they have outperformed all expectations this year.

The Tigers debuted Campbell Antonio this week in defence after he has starred in the twos all season. He and George Hiotis who debuted last week had a very big job taking on the Lions star forward Rhys Nickalls who is a physically imposing player in the air and on the ground. While Nickalls was somewhat contained to four goals, former Aspley star Tom Watson proved a handful for the young Tigers kicking seven goals in a strong display.

The Lions narrowed the margin to less than a goal as they approached the main break and looked very dangerous particularly with the weather scheduled to come in very ugly fashion in the third term.

The Tigers came out after the half time break ready to go kicking four quick goals through the work of Louis Quin and Zac Puncken out of the middle with Ryan Doolan and Zac Quin working in tandem to create a handy margin. This included a masterclass in forward defensive work from Eddie Mallan as he got into the action.

The Lions were once again not phased by the Tigers ability to rattle on quick goals as they returned fire. It was goal for goal for a while with the Lions narrowing the margin again before the Tigers broke back to a six goal margin at the final break.

It was more of the same in the final term with the Tigers kicking five goals to the Lions four to finish with a handy win. Doolan had kicked another nine to bring his season tally to 61 from 13 games while his partner in crime Zac Quin has amassed 49 goals from 10 games.

The Tigers will enjoy a rest next week before hosting the UQ Red Lions the following week.

Scores: Mayne 21.12.138 d Moreton Bay 15.9.99

Goals:  Ryan Doolan 9, Zac Quin 7, Zac McLean 2, Eddie Mallan, Louis Quin, Alex Craigie 1.

Best:  Ryan Doolan, Zac Quin, Louis Quin, Eddie Mallan, Noah Breen, Zac Puncken.