Sport
14 August, 2026
2026 MCDFNL Round 18 Football Preview — Trentham vs Maryborough Giants
In just their third year of existence, the Maryborough Giants are set for their first foray into the unknown of MCDFNL senior finals football.
Yet there is a discernible difference between making finals and competing for premierships, and the Giants will aim to prove they can do the latter against the defending champions Trentham.
Maryborough’s round five defeat to the Saints somewhat symbolises how the Giants have fared against the competition’s top contenders through their breakout campaign.
Led by Mitch Stork, Brandon Carter, Murray Bond and Cody Wright, Maryborough had Trentham on the back foot for long periods, outscoring the reigning premiers in the second and third quarters.
However, that extended excellence was marred by a disastrous opening term where Edward Fanning, Joel Dovaston and Alister Ferrier helped the Saints kick 57 unanswered points.
Those prolonged lapses have remained costly for the Giants, slipping away from their potential elimination final foes Navarre after allowing eight second-quarter goals and giving Carisbrook a 25-point quarter time lead last weekend they couldn’t claw back.
The Giants will look to attack Trentham with their aggressive, fast-paced ball movement, a tall order against a Saints backline that’s in sensational form, allowing just 47.9 points a game on average during their current seven-game win streak.
Maryborough will also have to be especially cautious of Trentham key forward James Regan, who’s scored an astounding 28 goals in his last three matches against the Giants.