It will be another action packed weekend across the AFL Mackay Allied Pickford's Division 1 men's competition.
From former AFL greats as stand in assistant coaches, paying tribute to a young star and keeping their finals hopes alive, it is a round full of mouth watering contests.
Click here for the Allied Pickford's Cup ladder
Magpies Vs. Saints
Third plays fourth in the Allied Pickford's Cup match of the round, when the ever improving Mackay Magpies host the North Mackay Saints in Glenella.
It will be one of the Magpies biggest days on their calendar this year not only with former AFL greats Peter Daicos, John Barnes and Doug Hawkins donning and the black and white and joining senior coach Paul Gurry in the coaching box. The Magpies are also looking to go equal third on points and defeat the Saints for the first time.
Both sides boast impressive midfield and defensive brigades, and whichever side can run the hardest and longest will collect the four premiership points in this encounter.
KEY PLAYERS
Magpies: Tyson Craig #48, Jeff Neumann #41, Jaebyn Drefke #1, Heath Thiele #8, Edward Trewin #52 & Jackson Webb #14
Saints: Mathew Landt #41, Ryan Hollows #33, Brendan Cowcher #18, Sam Dunbar #21, David Edwards #7 & Brenton Lauder #20
North Mackay will be looking to bounce back after their disappointing loss to Moranbah in Round 13, even though missing quite a few of their regular stars they will be keen to rain on the Magpies parade.
The Mackay Magpies are building slowly and know they aren't a benchmark side just yet but are building towards some successful years ahead and this match against the Saints might just be the kick-starter to a premiership in the next couple of years.
Magpies are yet to beat any of the top 3 sides and this may just be their day with the likes of Daicos, Barnes and Hawkins.
Mackay Magpies Vs. North Mackay Saints @ 2:45pm, Magpies Sports Park - Glenella
Swans V Tigers
On paper this match reads as 1st versus 7th and the Eastern Swans will no doubt record their 12th win of the season but this game is so much more than a match of football.
The Eastern Swans will don a special tribute jersey in memory of former Eastern Swans player Blake Bailey who tragically passed away in November last year. The Swans have changed their traditional red and white 'v' strip to green and white, with Blake's number 54 on the centre front of the jersey.
It is unlikely, not impossible but can the Tigers cause the upset of the season?
Bakers Creek have had a terrible run of luck with injury this season losing numerous key players to long term and season ending injuries. Rogers Oval is very similar to Etwell Park and if the Tigers can sneak through the Swans defensive zone and play the game on their terms, you just never know.
The Eastern Swans would rank as the number one side for goals from opposition turnovers and prey on the loose footy.
Simple for the Tigers, keep the footy in their hands and they are within a shot. Easier said than done.
KEY PLAYERS
Swans: Matthew Oakford #26, Terry Bailey #31, Dean Backwell #7, Samuel Lyons #24 & Rocklyn Miller #16
Tigers: Jason O'Shannessy #30, Quinton Quakawoot #3, Timothy Wauchope #27 & James Popperwell #18
Eastern Swans Vs. Bakers Creek Tigers @ 2:45pm, Rogers Oval - South Mackay
Bulldogs Vs. Sea Eagles
With five rounds to go, this Stevenson Park show-down between the fifth and sixth placed Allied Pickford's Cup sides is a massive match in defining their seasons.
Both the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles sit two games outside the top 4 and depending on the Glenella match, that gap could stay the same for the winner. Last years premiers Moranbah have faced a tough season with numerous key players from last years flag winning side moving due to work.
With each side coming off hard-fought wins in Round 13, both are carrying form into this match but it will be the Bulldogs who will start as slight favourites. Not only because of their home ground advantage but after defeating the third placed Saints by 17 points last week.
With their seasons on the line, staying disciplined and out working the opposition will be the key. Whichever of these two sides can do this consistently across the four quarters, will keep their finals and season alive.
KEY PLAYERS
Bulldogs: Kyle Rose #9, Dion Obst #13, Damien Krause #18 & Colin Sheldon #15
Sea Eagles: Matt Laskey #22, Jade Derbyshire #16, Eli Gunders #18 & Chris Bray #11
Moranbah Bulldogs Vs. Whitsunday Sea Eagles @ 2:45pm, Stevenson Park - Moranbah
Photo by Tony Martin - Daily Mercury: Magpie Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown and Saint Joshua McCormack jostle for the ball in the clubs last encounter at Zeolla Park.
Last Modified on 24/07/2015 15:08