After five months of footy, it all goes on the line this weekend for Logan Brothers and West Brisbane Panthers.
Download the Round 18 team lists here
The two teams meet in the final BRL round at Civic Park with the winner to earn a place in the top six.
After a one from eight start to the year, West Brisbane looked long odds to make the finals.
However, the side’s ability to ‘hang in’ games has proven their strength.
Despite the poor beginning, there weren’t any blowout scorelines and a positive points differential means they can now leapfrog fifth-placed Logan Brothers with a win.
The Panthers have defeated both Valleys and Carina in the past fortnight, and had other results fall their way to open up a shot at the six.
“The boys are quietly confident,” Panthers coach Wayne Weekes said.
“We already class the season as being a great success, if we can make the semis after this week it’ll be a little feather in the cap considering where we were earlier in the year.”
West Brisbane’s roster was whittled to a bare minimum midway through the year.
They have played with just 16 players on multiple occasions and were forced to call up a number of 17-year-olds.
However, the return of forwards Andrew Gormley and John Tasi has given Weekes’ side extra oomph leading into their biggest match of the season.
“We’re very tight as a team and we’re honestly one of the closest sides I’ve coached,” he said.
“The closer we’ve gotten to being in with a chance (of making the finals), the more excited the players have become.”
Logan Brothers have had an inconsistent past four weeks, with injuries and Intrust Super Cup promotions affecting continuity.
They lost to Easts Tigers 46-6 last start, but put a whopping 74 points on Normanby the round prior.
The most important part is that both teams can control their own destiny.
“I’m sure they’re not going to lay down for us, we’ll have to be at our best to knock them over … they’ll be ready to go too,” Weekes said.
“But if we lose on the weekend, we’ll put our hand up, say we had a red hot crack, but just fell short.”
Round 18 acts as a perfect prelude to finals footy; all four top teams play each other.
First placed Wynnum Manly Redland City meet Redcliffe at Ken Hayward Oval, while the Jets host Easts at North Ipswich Reserve.
Gaters can secure their spot in the finals with a win over Normanby.
A loss to the Hounds will mean Gaters must rely on Logan Brothers beating West Brisbane to make the top six.
Logan Brothers clash against West Brisbane will be live streamed HERE with commentary from John Devine.
ROUND 18
Saturday, 29 August
Logan Brothers v West Brisbane Panthers at Civic Park, 3pm
Gaters v Normanby Hounds at South Pine Sports Complex, 4.30pm
Ipswich Jets v Easts Tigers at North Ipswich Reserve, 5pm
Sunday, 30 August
Carina v Valleys Diehards at Langlands Park, 12.05pm
Redcliffe Dolphins v Wynnum Manly Redland City at Ken Hayward Oval, 3pm
