Flight Centre Premier League Weekly Preview - RD14
It’s round fourteen, we still have no clear favourite, and two late starters have emerged from the pack with some excellent form. But it looks like Logan Lightning may have dropped out of the race, in ninth place, almost certainly out of the top four race mathematically with too may results needed to fall their way. No one is any the wiser who will make the semi-finals let alone win the title. On with the show... Logan Lightning vs Mitchelton Saturday 6.00pm at Cornubia Park Logan Lightning bowed out of the Westfield FFA Cup in a penalty shootout against Peninsula Power but it was the amazing statistic of 40 shots to 7 conceded which told the tale of a game they were lucky to survive. Recent losses to bottom placed Grange Thistle and a hammering from Eastern Suburbs are a worry to say the least. Where they go from here is anybody’s guess. Mitchelton still hold the upper hand in catch up games but following on from last weekend’s loss away to Souths United have dropped to fourth place on the ladder and anything but a win could see them fall out of the top four for the first time this season. The other fixtures look likely to play into their hands however but a loss in this game would give away their advantage. It seems unlikely. Logan have gone from bad to worse and don’t seem to have recovered from the Easts result. Mitchelton had a minor hiccup. Prediction: Mitchelton 3-1 Grange Thistle vs Peninsula Power Saturday 7pm at Lanham Park Grange Thistle are the team everyone is watching after turning their form around remarkably in a short space of time. How they approach this game with the same time looming on the horizon in the Westfield FFA Cup is an interesting proposition. Keeping in form and finding the measure of their opposition is crucial and they could even be favourites to take three points at home. Peninsula Power are the stuff of nightmares for their supporters. How they could so completely dominate a game and still not win in normal time is unfathomable. Couple that with back to back 3-0 losses against Lions and Easts and the radar is not quite picking up the incoming traffic. The sum total of their squad is still add up to all the talent they have in all areas of the park. Peninsula should win this game which means they probably won’t. Grange are almost a new entity at the moment. Prediction: 2-2 draw Eastern Suburbs vs Capalaba Saturday 7.00pm at Heath Park Eastern Suburbs are everyone’s new favourites to win the Flight Centre Premier League title and with recent results it’s no surprise. Youeil Shol is making it look all too easy with another hat trick against Power which was spectacular and effective in it’s simplicity. It’s almost got to the point where they look unbeatable. That’s not the case of course even if this game could be another one which is over by halftime. Capalaba may have lost 5-1 to Lions last time out but that result was probably not a fair representation of the match. The Bulldogs have improved markedly over the last month and somehow managed to come back from 3-0 down to win in the Canale Cup on Tuesday night. After missing selection for the new Queensland Premier League they have plenty to prove to their detractors. Capalaba will likely be revved up for this and have a better chance than expected but the Tigers are unbackable at the moment. Prediction: Easts 3-0 Souths United vs Ipswich Knights Saturday 7.00pm at Wakerley Park Souths United come into this game with another excellent home win under their belt proving once again they have an unpredictable X-factor which is almost impossible to counter. Make no mistake, if they want to push on towards the semi-finals they simply MUST win this game. They’ll be solid favourites to win of course but we’ve seem them fall in a big heap before, notably the heavy loss at Wolter Park. Ipswich Knights finally added another point to their tally and more importantly didn’t cop a hammering from Rochedale. It’s a good solid result but being up by two clear goals and not winning doesn’t inspire confidence. Nothing to play for other than pride anymore which always makes things difficult. If they can recapture some of their early season form they could easily put some contenders out of the race. Form suggests Souths will win easily but this will be closer than it looks on paper. Both teams have been fragile at times. Prediction: Souths 3-2 Lions FC vs Albany Creek Saturday 7.00pm at Lions Stadium Lions FC finally put together back to back wins and despite looking gone for all money a month ago sit in third, three points off the lead with a game in hand. They are back, folks. Unable to hit the target for ages, they now have eight goals in two games and will have a serious claim for the title if they come through the catchup game unscathed and highly possible results fall their way. Albany Creek copped a 5-2 whacking at the hands of Holland Park Hawks last week, but goalfests are almost inevitable these days up on the hill so the result is slightly exaggerated. Every match is vital when you are in equal fourth place and a draw here would be really handy, particularly with regards to keeping up a solid goal difference. It would be a surprise but they have the ability if they can turn it on. Lions are no longer easybeats and Lions Stadium is a fortress again. Creek will need luck and must score every opportunity Prediction: Lions 2-0 Rochedale Rovers vs Holland Park Hawks Sunday 5.15pm at Underwood Park Rochedale Rovers had everything going their way and were playing some great football before two results which can only be described as dreadful. With respect to their opponents, they have been unexpectedly poor. And if they intend to win the league, only a victory against second placed Holland Park Hawks will allow that to happen. Surely missing Lewis Cameron alone can’t make all that much difference? Holland Park Hawks will satisfy a lot of local pundits if they can win the title whilst playing easily the most attacking football in the league. Importantly, they have twice as many points at home this year as they do away (14/7) despite losing up the hill against Mitchelton. Hawks can win this title and the 5-2 win after Dan Smith’s departure made a bold statement with destiny in their own hands. It’s impossible to back Rochedale at the moment because they have issues. Hawks are as good as they have ever been. Prediction: Hawks 3-1
