NORTH Cairns player-coach Jo Butland is preparing to take on South Cairns in tonight's AFL Cairns Women's League grand final despite battling a badly broken left foot.
Butland suffered significant ligament damage, a fracture and a broken bone in the Tigers’ semi-final win over South Cairns two weeks ago.
Butland was still on crutches on Tuesday and has not declared herself a certain starter but South Cairns expects to see her run on to Cazalys.
"I was on crutches at the start of the week but every day it’s getting a bit better so we’ll wait and see," Butland said yesterday. "If I play then I’ll be starting the game, I don’t work too well coming off the bench because I’ve got too much nervous energy."
Butland said she would avoid putting pressure on her foot before the game because she did not want to know how painful it would be.
"If I do play I’m going to be going in a bit blind," she said.
"The ligament damage is almost worse than the fracture and the break."
South Cairns coach Mick Douglas said his spies had spotted Butland at training and he expected her to move from the ruck to the forward line.
"We did hear that she did train (on Thursday) night and Tuesday so we expect her to play, probably up at full-forward because she won’t have to run too much," he said.
"It’s one of those things, it’s a grand final so she’s going to try to play.
"I’ve got a girl that’s going to play on her if she does wander up forward.
"I’m not too worried, she’s obviously going to be in a fair bit of pain."
Butland said her players had enough firepower to claim the flag regardless of whether she played.
"We’ve trained very well over the last two weeks, we’ve got the best and fairest player in Ruby (Leete) who has had an exceptional season and across the park we are strong in all key positions," she said.
Douglas backed his side to rise to the occasion.
"We’re just going to play one-on-one footy. I’ve got a lot of confidence in my girls.’’
The Cutters will be without key player Eileen Ludwick but midfielders Christie Wilson and Ashleigh Singleton could be influential.
Tonight’s match starts at 8pm.
