Potential Gold Coast NAB Cup Final

[Beaussie]

Should the Lions beat the Dogs and the Roos beat the Dockers, Gold Coast footy fans could be in for what may well be the first step towards local derbies in QLD.

Reward for Gold Coast AFL fans
Nick Smart
01Mar07
http://www.gcbulletin.com.au/article/20 ... ports.html

THE Gold Coast could be in store for a mouth-watering NAB Cup semi-final clash between the Brisbane Lions and the Kangaroos at Carrara next weekend.

Buoyed by last Friday night's sellout at Gold Coast Stadium between the Kangaroos and Collingwood, the AFL will reward locals by staging another match at the venue next weekend.

In this weekend's NAB Cup quarter-finals in Melbourne, Brisbane meet the Western Bulldogs on Friday night and the Kangaroos clash with Fremantle on Sunday.

If the Roos and the Lions advance the AFL will play the semi-final showdown at Gold Coast Stadium. It would be a big coup for the Coast and would almost guarantee another sellout, which would further turn up the heat on the fledgling Gold Coast Titans.

The Lions and the Roos have spoken about building up a rivalry over time, and this match would be the first step towards making that a reality. But even if the dream Roos-Lions semi-final does not eventuate, the AFL still plan to have the Kangaroos playing up here next weekend. That means they will either be playing a NAB Cup semi-final clash against the Bulldogs/Lions or a practice match against unnamed opponents.

Those opponents are believed to be the losers of the NAB Cup quarter-final clash between Hawthorn and Carlton.

AFL Queensland CEO Richard Griffiths said it was a great result for Gold Coast AFL supporters.

Griffiths was still waiting for official confirmation from the AFL last night, but said it has been given the green light.

"From what I believe and have been told, the Kangaroos will be playing at Carrara next weekend," he said.

"That will either be a NAB Cup semi-final or a NAB Regional Challenge match depending on how they go this weekend.

"One way or the other, I believe we will certainly see the Kangaroos on the Coast again next weekend."

It is another boost for Gold Coast AFL fans as it is one game more than promised by the Kangaroos this season. The Kangaroos will now play five matches at Gold Coast Stadium in 2007.

It is not yet known if the Kangaroos Gold Coast members will be entitled to attend the match through their membership.

AFL media manager Patrick Keane told The Gold Coast Bulletin the match is very much in the works.

"We are discussing the possibility of staging a proposed Kangaroos and Lions NAB Cup semi-final match at Carrara," he said. "It is depending on certain results at this stage, but it is a good possibility."

Keane said the AFL was 'very pleased' with Friday night's season-opening clash at Carrara last Friday night. In an encouraging result for the league, 11,341 went through the gates and packed out Gold Coast Stadium.

[Willis 21]

How did this one go??

7,000 crowd??

[Beaussie]

The match between the Lions and Roos didn't eventuate at Cararra.