The Tigers hosted the Coorparoo Kings in the qualifying Semi Final yesterday at the Den for the opportunity to go into the 2024 Hart Sport Cup QFA Division 1 Grand Final.
It was a much anticipated game after the two sides have been the ladder leaders all season with all but a cigarette paper separating them. The Tigers took the honours early in the season in their annual Anzac Day Clash at the Den but the Kings got over them in their return bout at Giffin Park.
The Tigers finished the season as Minor Premiers but it was impossible to say that either side could claim to have the ascendency or the much loved underdog status of modern sporting parlance.
The Kings drew first blood in a fast start through the boot of Joshua Ferguson but the Tigers responded quickly with one of their spearheads Ryan Doolan who was under plenty of attention.
The Tigers from that point were in control for most of the term with Jamie Ivers giving his small men first use of the footy in the middle with them in turn raining the ball into the forward fifty with impunity. Tom Fry, Beau Harris and Eddie Mallan went to work giving Doolan and Zac Quin the quick ball that any forward craves and the scoreboard ticked over accordingly.
The Tigers kicked six for the term and with a late goal to Jack Lake from the Kings the margin was almost four goals to the favour of the home side. The Kings had steadied the ship in the latter part of the quarter and would have been happy to hear the siren.
It has been a wind affected season and on cue the Ekka winds arrived to gust and play havoc with kicking for goal and in general field kicking. However it was hard to see that either end had any advantage with the wind swirling and coming in gusts. However the Tigers seemed to have made the most of their chances to the southern end of the Den to start the game.
The Kings had indeed regrouped at the first break to come out with more purpose and with a mission to blunt the Tigers attacking weapons. The Kings put more players back into their defensive half to block up the Tigers open forward line and the game became a much closer fought affair all around the ground. The scoring in turn dried up with both sides only able to record two goals apiece.
The Tigers defence has been a feature all season and with the reinvented Daniel Schmidt taking the lead as an intercept defender the Kings struggled to score. Will Brohm was back in action to give the Tigers the driving rebound they needed while James Stolz and Kyle Henry were miserly as usual. Once again Mitch Bruce took on the role of chaperoning Matt Suckling all day keeping him goalless in a wonderful effort for the young man.
The Tigers went into the big break retaining their almost four goal lead after a bruising quarter where both sides threw everything at each other faithful to the Mayne and Coorparoo clashes of old where both sides gave no quarter nor did they expect it.
The Tigers came out after the break looking to end the affair but the Kings are a good side and would not be lying down.
It was another captivating contest as neither side gave an inch to have the ball in contest from end to end as midfielders scurried back and forth and defenders snuffed out attacking raids. The Tigers were able to bookend two goals with Ryan Doolan kicking one early in the term and Captain Zac McLean kicking a ripper on the run near the end to give the Tigers the boost they craved as they approached the last break.
The Tigers coaching group set the scene for the last term imploring their side to keep to their business which they duly did with a four goal to two margin for the quarter to take the club to the 2024 Grand Final, their first since 2020.
The Tigers will now await the winners of the Kings and the University of Queensland Red Lions who will play off in the Preliminary Final next week.
The Grand Final is scheduled to be played at South Pine Sports Complex at Brendale on the 31st August 2024.
Scores: Mayne 14.13 97 d Coorparoo 6.15.51
Goals: R Doolan 5, Z Quin 4, T Fry 2, C Barber, Z McLean, D Athanasellis 1.
Best: Jamie Ivers, Tom Fry, Will Brohm, Ryan Doolan, Daniel Schmidt, Kyle Henry.
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