A bigger and stronger Port Douglas are throwing their weight around in the AFL Cairns competition this season and Manunda will head north to face their wrath well aware they will be outsized.
Led by 2005 Crocs premiership winner Lucas Teasedale in the ruck, the Crocs are turning back the clock to sit second on the AFL Cairns ladder after nine rounds this season.
A narrow victory against Saints, followed by a gutsy defeat of Centrals Trinity Beach with plenty of men missing meant they could enjoy last weekend's bye.
Manunda coach Clinton Gribble knows he does not have the cattle to match Port in terms of physicality, saying yesterday that they will take another small team to Port for the clash.
That should play into ruckman Teasedale's hands around the stoppages, although Gribble hopes to counter that advantage with some good old-fashioned hard work.
"We'll be pretty young again and pretty small, but with the right attitude and right apporach we will be able to make a game of it," he said. "I know Lucas used to play up here and they've certainly enjoyed having him back because he's seven foot tall, gives them first use of the footy and makes it very difficult for the midfield.
"But we'ver got to work hard, getting in and under is the best way to nullify them."
Manunda are two wins clear of South Cairns and Centrals in fourth place, but with a portion of their side flying in to play each week are far from a settled unit.
"We have lots out for all sorts of reasons this weekend and we've got a few doing that (flying in) at the moment and plenty of young ones getting a chance when they aren't here," Gribble said.
**Centrals Trinity Beach will search for a rare back-to-back win when they face Cairns City Lions at home tomorrow afternoon.
The Bulldogs upset South Cairns last Saturday thanks to a fast start and gutsy finish, and will look to notch their second win over the Lions. The Lions remain winless but have shown more than once they can mix it with the best.
Last Modified on 31/07/2013 15:47