Flight Centre Premier League Weekly Preview - RD17
It wouldn’t be the 2017 Flight Centre Premier League without something out of the ordinary and last week it was Ipswich Knights with the second surprise result in a row when they came back to grab a point from Holland Park and perhaps should have claimed all three points.
Apart from that, everything went pretty much with the favourites suggesting something is bound to happen because it always does. Your guess is as good as mine. On with the show...
Logan Lightning vs Albany Creek Saturday 6pm at Cornubia Park Logan Lightning were back onto the winner’s list at John Fredericks Park last weekend but it’s all too late and any other outcome would frankly have been a catastrophe. In the first game at Wolter Park, they almost pulled off a miracle but lost 4-3 from two goals down at halftime. It’s not irrelevant and times have changed. No reason they can’t get back to back wins other than motivation. Albany Creek are walking the tightrope and living on hope with last week’s loss to Grange Thistle really sticking a screwdriver into their spokes. Three points from fourth place becomes an unassailable six points if they lose at home against Logan with other fixtures not playing into their hands. This game is a must win. The biggest game of the season. Of course, they very nearly did it last year with an amazing late season purple patch. Aspirations are completely different for these two sides but it’s a level playing field if they both play their best football. Prediction: 2-2 draw Grange Thistle vs Rochedale Rovers Saturday 6pm at Lanham Park Grange Thistle did it again, winning their third league game of the season away at Wolter Park followed by another against Capalaba in a midweek catch-up, thus now becoming the joker in the pack for the rest of the contenders with Rochedale Rovers being next one on the agenda. They will have plenty of motivation to keep going and finishing at least in eighth place, a stunning achievement considering they didn’t win a single game until round thirteen. A tipper’s nightmare. Rochedale Rovers are three points clear at the top with some sensational football and two inestimably important wins over Lions and Easts tucked into their back pocket. The only reasonable question at this point is, can they sustain their wonderful run all the way to the title? Returning to Lanham Park is either going to give them nightmares or see them grow an extra leg. No easy points in this league. Thistle can justifiably be considered one of the better teams in the league and hosting the title favourites won’t affect their composure. Prediction: 1-1 draw Mitchelton vs Holland Park Hawks Saturday 6pm at Teralba Park Mitchelton aren’t in free fall, that would suggest a sustained string of losses, but they are almost ready to put on the parachutes with losses to Ipswich and Peninsula in the last fortnight. Hard to say what that means because everyone has had a rough patch at some time during the season. In fact, a win in this game would have the added bonus of narrowing the field but doubters are everywhere at the moment. Holland Park Hawks can, obviously, still make the semi-finals being only one point outside the four but they really haven’t seemed themselves since the draw at Underwood Park. No goals at home against Souths and a dour draw at Eric Evans Oval suggests something isn’t quite ticking like it was earlier in the season. It wouldn’t be ideal but any sort of result at Mitchelton is a good outcome so defence will be the key. Common sense says the Mustangs will win but common sense has largely been irrelevant all year. Upset of the week. Prediction: Hawks 2-1 Eastern Suburbs vs Souths United Saturday 7pm at Heath Park Eastern Suburbs are currently on the roller coaster, which apparently every team has to endure at least once in 2017, with a draw at home and a loss at Underwood Park taking the title race back out of their own hands. Even if Shol is injured they are still playing some wonderful football...whether they deserved to lose last week is a matter of opinion. Plenty more tiger in the tank and current second favourites. Souths United lost to Lions FC last weekend in a game which was never in their control but Jon McKain missing from the puzzle most likely made a difference. Still, they hold the vital fourth place on goal difference which would surely achieve their pre-season targets if that is what eventuates. Interestingly, Souths would be first based on home form alone so away trips are obviously an issue. Check the team sheets for the names Shol and McKain. Home advantage sure to play it’s part. Prediction: Easts 2-1
Lions FC vs Ipswich Knights Saturday 7pm at Lions Stadium Lions FC might only be in third place at the moment, but next weekend they will more than likely bridge the gap with a win in the catch-up game against Holland Park Hawks. Then they’ll be one point from the title lead. Memories of the loss at Eric Evans Oval will be a huge motivation for them, with excessive redemption possibly on the cards. Another clean sheet seems likely, as does a a massive stat count in the affirmative column. Ipswich Knights are obviously in the business of conjuring miracles. Truly awful three weeks ago, they’ve beaten the top side and drawn against one of the title contenders. But what does that mean in this game? Can they actually do the double over their local rivals? Are they riding their luck or are they actually fulfilling some of the predictions bandied about in the pre-season? So many questions with answers that make no sense. If nothing else, the Knights have added some spice to a game which looked a foregone conclusion. Could be over at halftime. Prediction: Lions 3-0 Peninsula Power vs Capalaba Sunday 2pm at AJ Kelly Field Peninsula Power are back. Or are they? Consistency has been a myth at Kippa-Ring but some interested spectators last week are suggesting their combinations were impressive enough for them to start planning for September. A buoyant mood will no doubt pervade AJ Kelly Park too after Power were drawn up against the current Westfield FFA Cup holders Melbourne City in their RD of 32 inaugural appearance.
It remains to be seen if cup distractions will play their part in their league ambitions, but no-one is writing them off, least of all me. If somehow they don’t win this game, nothing may ever be certain in football again though. Capalaba slog on and undoubtedly will fancy themselves to get something out of every game they play, but at the moment it seriously looks as if they're anemic, such has been the drain on their life force by player departures. Anything they achieve from now on will be a bonus and they at least now have a target of avoiding the wooden spoon. There’s a sinking feeling, that might not happen. In form or out of form, it’s impossible to tip against Peninsula in this one. Still, there is always some element of doubt whoever they play. Prediction: Power 3-1
