The Sunshine Coast Fire are back on the road again this weekend, making the familiar trip south to Logan to take on the Queensland Academy of Sport on Saturday.
After taking maximum points from the North Queensland Razorbacks last round, confidence will be high for the Fire and anything short of three points against QAS will be met with disappointment.
For QAS, it will be their first match in a fortnight, after their Round 2 fixture with the Strikers was postponed. In Round 1, the young side fought out a 1-1 draw with the Whitsunday Miners.
In the corresponding fixture last season the Fire ran out 5-1 winners, but QAS are always capable of an upset with their young players full of raw ability.
With two wins and two clean sheets recorded by the Fire so far, signs are very positive for the 2011 competition. With Ryan Smith, Leon Dwyer, Dylan Roberts and Victor Fenehia all getting game time against the Strikers in Round 1, it is clear that the Fire will have strength in depth this season. This depth may prove useful in the latter part of the season, when fatigue and injuries begin to take their toll.
The Japanese duo of Takanori Sato and Kota Shibahashi are also playing important roles, and are acclimatising well to Australian football according to Richard Hudson.
“Both players are having an impact on the team, Taka has been showing his class in defence. It takes some time to get used to the physical side of the QSL, but both are quality players and are adding a new dimension to our side”.
Adding to the international flavour of the Fire this year is New Zealander Jason Hicks and Solomon Islander Judd Molea. Both attacking players, Hudson believes the side is even more potent with Jason and Judd in the ranks.
“Jason got some game time in Ayr, and looked very good. He will hopefully take some of the creative weight away from Tyson Holmes, who gets so much attention from other teams. We are still awaiting clearance on Judd, but he has been training very strongly and will be a revelation when he gets out on the pitch.”
Kick-off for the Round 3 fixture is set for 6pm on Saturday March 26, at Meakin Park in Slacks Creek. The Under-19 Fire will meet QAS in a curtain-raiser at 4pm. With the Under-19s having a bye last week, the boys will be desperate to get out on the pitch and notch their first win of the season.
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