Eagles, Cats in do-or-die clash

The National Sports

By ROBSON AKIS
A REMARKABLE finals series begins for the top-four-finishers in Port Moresby AFL at the Colts Oval this weekend.
Regular finalists Taurama Suns and Gordon Kokofas meet for the first grand final nod on Sunday while newcomers West Eagles take on Bomana Cats in the do-or-die clash tomorrow.
The Eagles will be asserting themselves to progress into the preliminary final next week after their nail-biting 13-point win over Suns last week.
West proved they have the talent and the composure to win the pressure games and even though the last game of the regular season would have no bearing on their finals run, their clinical approach to the Taurama side showed they are a team that gives 100 per cent every time.
Star Eagles Alonge Mondo, Allan Mara, Morgan Mondo, Joshua Giru and Meli brothers Eddie and Dominic will be urging their teammates to show nerves of steel to give the Cats a good run for their money.
Former PNG Mosquitoes stalwart Sylvester Mangaea will team up with Alois Melua and young ruckman Jack Reed to control the centre square against the elusive Cats Kelly Kaugla, Kataha Seewee and young Jason Logi.
The interesting duel will be between the two Kerema youngsters Gilmore Morehari (Cats) and the Eagles new recruit from Gerehu Magpies and the current national rep Greg Ekari.
The pair are elusive ball runners in the midfield and their battle could play a role in getting either side over the line.
Peter Lavong (fullback) and Jackson Ngawi (full forward) will be hard at work at the opposite ends of the goal mouth for the Cats to progress into the next round of the playoffs.
The Cats got the nod for the finals after edging out Koboni on percentage with their emphatic 34-point win over Defence last week, despite the Demons big 67-point shellacking of the Kokofas.
The Kokofas would want to forget that embarrassing lapse in the final round of the rergular season and should be focused on matching the Suns.
In the women’s final, reigning premiers Gerehu Magpies should sink the Dockers for the early grand final berth while Koboni get past the Kokofas to make it into next week’s preliminary final.