The AFL North Coast Juniors commence their finals series this weekend with Under 12s, 14s and 16s glory up for grabs.
In the Under 12s, the Swans have been the top side this season but will again face stern opposition from Sawtell who grabbed a narrow one-point win over the red and whites last weekend. North Coffs and Bellingen/Nambucca are outside chances, and will need the individual brilliance of Riley Channells and Jonty Neaves respectively to get them deep into the finals race.
The Under 14s has been a three-horse race with the Swans again narrowly leading the Saints. Last week, it was the Swans who defeated the Saints by a narrow two-goal margin. One should never underestimate the ability of Dean Burkitt coached side to be successful come finals time though. North Coffs finished only two games behind the Swans at the end of the season with a better percentage. Northern Beaches round out the four-team competition and will struggle to make it past the first week of the finals despite their marked improvement.
The Under 16s is the most intriguing, especially with the presence of the Mid North Coast (MNC) and Armidale sides in the finals. MNC started the season with two wins by less than a goal before hitting a flat spot. They have talented individuals in Brayden Kennedy and Alex Stack, with their progress contingent on how well they play as a unit. Armidale are a raw side in terms of ability and will need to hit the ground running in the first week of the finals but have the size and athleticism to challenge. North Coffs are favourites despite their big loss to Sawtell in Round 14. With their Under 18s out of the race, the 'Roos may be more fresh to make a serious tilt at a rare Under 16s flag.
Results should be posted in the AFL North Coast Juniors tab on this website over the course of the finals series.
Week 1 Finals Draw
Sunday 23 August 2009 at Stadium Drive, No 1 Oval |
Match A |
10.00am |
U12 |
Sawtell (2) V Northern Beaches (5) |
Match B |
11.15am |
U14 |
Coffs Swans (1) V Sawtell (2) |
Match C |
12.45pm |
U16 |
North Coffs (1) V Sawtell (2) |
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Sunday 23 August 2009 at Stadium Drive, No 2 Oval |
Match D |
10.00am |
U12 |
North Coffs (3) V Bellingen/Nambucca (4) |
Match E |
11.15am |
U14 |
North Coffs (3) V Northern Beaches (4) |
Match F |
12:45pm |
U16 |
MNC (3) V Armidale (4) |
NB: Lowest Placed U12 Loser is eliminated
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Coffs Swans U12s - No Game |
Last Modified on 19/08/2009 22:06