The Tigers will get a true guage on their form tomorrow when they meet South Cairns - a team North Cairns could face in the AFL Cairns finals series next month. Souths have overcome a mid-year slump to record some of their best results over the past month, while Norths have not clicked up a gear despite holding onto second spot. By their own admission, Norths have not been at their best lately, mainly because of a constant restructure of their forward line due to unavailability of several key men. But coach Kane Richter says they have assembled a group determined to make their stamp on September. One of those - a new face in a Tigers' jumper - is Lukas Ehlich. Last time Ehlich graced The Cairns Post pages, he was wearing Manunda colours and had won best on ground in the 2011 grand final. He made the move to Watsons Oval this season, but injury put him out of action until last week. "He's got one game under his belt now, back from injury and a good addition for us in the middle," Richter said. Norths play the Hawks next week in a grudge match for Ehlich, which should determine who takes second and the double chance in the semi-finals. But first task is negotiating Souths, who Richter rates highly, thanks to the form of Billy English, Dan Lock and Michael Douglas. "We've got a bit of work to do. They've picked up some quality players and there's certainly no complacency here," Richter said. "I played against Mick (Douglas) in juniors and know what sort of player he is, plus Lock, Billy and Micky Markham up front."
Last Modified on 25/09/2012 11:09