ANDREW ALOIA | September 3rd, 2011
TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN
Story courtesy of the Townsville Bulletin
IT is the big example set by the smallest of Swans that Curra captain Blair Hill says must be followed in today's preliminary final against Hermit Park.
While the Tigers might have the snarl, it's the staying power of onballer Adam McDonald and the energy he produces that the Swans will be relying on in their rare appearance in the penultimate week of the RSM AFL Townsville premiership.
"We have to focus on playing a good, hard running game of footy, have our youth run them off their feet," Hill said of their 3pm meeting at Tony Ireland Stadium.
"It's the Adam Mac, the little super star for us, who has the legs we need.
"We are expecting the Tigers to play their rough brand of footy.
"You, of course, play to your strengths and ours is running while their is flexing their muscle."
Tigers skipper Andrew Grubba doesn't see any point in denying that their physical size might will be a telling factor.
But he stops short of labelling it a mission directive.
"The fact is that we are a lot bigger side, and when we play we bring that to the table.
"It's not a conscious thing that we go out there to be especially physical against them, but it's not a bad thing that it's in the back of their minds," he said.
Likewise, the expanses of Tony Ireland Stadium has Grubba concerned with the fleet footed Swans midfield and ball winning capabilities of McDonald best suited to the ground.
"We've never played them out there and of course they like to run, so it's going to change things a bit."
And it's not just an ability to spread play that Curra is buoyed by, having pieced together a solid four-quarter showing to overcome University in last week's elimination final. "It finally came together and we stuck it out," Hill said.
Last Modified on 03/09/2011 09:40