Indigenous / South Pacific give favourites a fright.
North Queensland coach Barry Gibson left Port Douglas a little bit surprised and extremely impressed on Wednesday night.
The Townsville-based coach had watched every AFL Cairns game on tape this season, but the Cairns All Stars v Indigenous/South Pacific encounter was the first time he'd seen them in the flesh.
"And it was fantastic. I spoke to both sides afterwards and said I wasn't blowing smoke up them but that it was some of the most ferocious and intense regional footy I'd seen," he said.
"They could have gone through the motions considering they had club games on the weekend and again this Saturday, but they didn't and it wasn't a game for the faint hearted."
As expected the All Stars got the win, but the Indigenous/South Pacific squad showed they were no pushovers in a 10.7(67) to 9.5(59) scoreline.
"A lot of people were maybe concerned it was going to be one sided, but the Pacific boys set the tone and it meant the All Stars had to lift their game."
If there were five quarters the underdogs may have caused a boilover, coming back from 30 points down at half-time to get within eight at the final siren.
Centrals talent Leroy Enosa kicked a match-high three goals, while a host of players from both sides had two each. It was no surprise to their assistant coach Marc Harbrow, though.
"Looking at the squad in the days leading up to the game I was thinking we had a pretty good team," he said.
"And we almost got them."
He said there was no question on-baller William English deserved the Wayne Jackson Medal for best on ground despite typically solid efforts from Brian Durbridge, Kane Richter and Dwayen Bosen.
"He was unstoppable, he has such a strong core, nobody can tackle him," Harbrow said of English.
The Cutters star was an omission from the preliminary 45-man representative squad but is sure to be considered after the performance, with Gibson saying some new names would be added to the list.
"I've watched every video, but everyone looks different in the flesh," he said.
There were some injuries with Port star Kane Goodwin (shoulder, collarbone), the most serious.
"He'll be out, which is a shame because having watched him play this season I had him locked in on the half-back flank," Gibson said.
North Queensland will play South Queensland at the new Moreton Bay Regional Sporting Complex on June 8.
AFL Cairns operations manager Mel Dunstan said the inaugural clash would remain on the calender in Port Douglas during Carnivale next season
Last Modified on 06/11/2014 14:58