I have some intel on why the Panthers got rolled by the Bunnies last weekend.
Coach Wayne Bennett is getting most of the kudos for possibly winning the mind games over coach Ivan Cleary, but I have another theory.
Apparently, one of their star playmakers had to be rescued from Twin Waters beach by the lifeguards a couple of days before the game, so maybe he was either fatigued or mentally scarred after getting a good dressing down by the petite female lifeguard, for not swimming between the flags.
That same player has been getting blasted on social media by local legend Jon Wacker, who must have backed the Panthers because he has ripped in about how overrated this bloke is.
Jon played everywhere from front row to half back so he should know? What he lacked in pace he made up for in brutality and he is probably the best sledger I have ever heard.
Roos, Dolphins clash in league final
It will be a huge day of action at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Saturday when the Sunshine Coast Rugby League grand finals are contested.
Maroochydore and Kawana will collide in the A-grade decider at 5.30pm, after navigating a difficult season.
Team-members will have Dale Best in their thoughts, after he died while playing for the Swans in a pre-season reserve grade game between the clubs at Kawana in February.
“He’s a driving factor for us this season and hopefully the big fellow is pretty happy with how we’ve gone,” Swans coach Dennis Moore said.
“He just had a crack every time he played and was one of the best blokes around the club, and he encapsulated what our club is about.”
Kawana coach Andrew Hinson expected the Swans would “be playing for Dale”.
He said the pre-season incident was “devastating” and it brought the arch-rivals closer.
“The two clubs don’t like each other but we’ll forever be joined at the hip now,” he said.
Maroochydore finished the regular season in fourth place while the Dolphins were second, among nine teams.
The Swans have won five games in a row while Kawana has won three straight, and the only encounter between the teams, 18-14 in May.
Maroochydore’s last title was in 2018 while the Dolphins last won in 2015.
They met in a grand final in 2016, when the Swans claimed victory.
In my view, this is a battle of two very good coaches who have both achieved at high levels of the game, so it should be interesting.
The day’s action will start with the under-18 final involving Kawana and Noosa at 11am, then Beerwah and Yandina will clash in the Division 2B final at 12.30pm, Kawana and Beerwah will play in the Division 2 final at 2pm and Caloundra and Caboolture will meet in the women’s final at 3.20pm, before the A-grade decider at 5.30pm.
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Barbarians, Dolphins in union decider
Grand final fever will also be at the University of the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, when the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union grand finals will be held.
University will meet Noosa in the A-grade final at 3.30pm and it’s expected to be a thrilling contest between Brad Tronc’s men and Matt Buckland’s charges.
Noosa finished the six-team regular season as minor premiers, while University were second.
But the Barbarians have won the past two games involving the teams, including a 13-10 win in the first week of the finals.
The Dolphins are a perennial heavyweight and won the title last season, while the Barbarians last won the premiership in 2015.
The day’s festivities will start with the Colts decider involving Noosa and Maroochydore at 11.15am, then Noosa and Caloundra will meet in the women’s final at 12.15pm, before University meets Noosa in the reserve grade final at 1.30pm and the A-grade final at 3.30pm.
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Falcons in finals
The Sunshine Coast Falcons just snuck into the Queensland Cup finals and now face a huge task, against arch-rivals Redcliffe.
They will clash with the Dolphins at Moreton Daily Stadium at 2.10pm on Saturday, in a must-win encounter.
The Falcons won their last two games of the regular season to overtake the Northern Pride on the 15-team ladder, to snare the 8th and last berth in the finals.
They’ll take on a Dolphins team that finished 5th on the ladder.
The Falcons, coached by Sam Mawhinney, will farewell some of the region’s top players at the end of their campaign, including the retiring Dane Hogan, Martin Cordwell and Todd Murphy.
Ashley Robinson is a columnist for Sunshine Coast News and My Weekly Preview. His views are his own.
