Claws head for glory

GO CLAWS: Capricorn Claws celebrate after returning to Rockhampton having beaten Suncoast Lynx last Saturday to reach today’s grand final against the Cougars.

File

GO girls!

That is what everyone will be shouting as the Capricorn Claws head to Brisbane today for the biggest match of their year and the most important game in Central Queensland netball history.

It won’t be easy to beat an opponent like the Cougars, unbeaten so far this year, but then again the Claws have been the surprise team of the Ergon Energy Second Tier competition.

Coach Barbara Ahmat has watched the tapes of the Cougars and thinks the Claws have enough ability around the court to cause a major surprise tonight.

“We know we have the goods,” Ahmat said.

The Claws were being watched by the Cougars coach last week against the Suncoast Lynx but Ahmat intends to change things around on court to keep her opposite number guessing.

The match will be a totally new experience for the Central Queensland girls.

Firstly, it will be held at Logan Metro, courts the girls are yet to play on and, more importantly, the match is a curtain-raiser for the top tier final and therefore the stadium is certain to be full of spectators.

Ahmat hopes that some of those fans are wearing the black and gold of the Capricorn Claws.

After studying the way the Cougars play Ahmat thinks she knows their strengths.

“They have a good shooter. She is tall and a large girl which makes her difficult to defend against,” she said.

“The goal attack is quite a good player and so not all our effort will be in defending the goal shoot.”

The match will begin at 6pm tonight.