Broadfoot Has Soft Spot for Broady

Goal machine Chris Broadfoot has vowed not to over-embellish the celebrations if he scores against the club that nurtured him in tonight's Gold Coast Premier League grand final at Broadbeach Oval.

The Coomera striker, who has played a combined total of 11 years in two spells at Broadbeach United, returns to his one-time hunting ground with his arrows aimed this time in the direction of his ex-teammates as they seek to parlay a minor premiership into a ‘double’.

Having skippered the Dolphins last year, this season's Premier League top striker has mixed emotions at the prospect of piercing his pals.

“I'm best mates with Lee Vernon (Broadbeach's player-coach) and while I'm dedicated to trying to help Coomera with their first ever grand final, I won't rub it in if I score because I still have a lot fondness and connections at Broady,” said Broadfoot.

“I always wish them well, though not on Saturday.

“They will always be my club in a way but at the same time I want to be a part of something special for Coomera.

“We're a club that nobody has ever rated and what we've achieved so far this year has been beyond anyone's expectations.”

With 26 goals in 23 games this season as Coomera stormed to third on the ladder behind Vernon's minor premiers, Scottish-born Broadfoot was joined at the unsung club by brother Steve and fellow midfielder Alex Morrison in a coup for coach Danny Nield.

“It's Coomera's first chance of any Premier League success,” added 28-year-old Broadfoot, who has yet to score against his former team this season but knows what it takes to win a grand final, having achieved the feat at Burleigh and Broadbeach in previous years.

“We lost 3-1 at their place and drew 2-2. Broadbeach have been the benchmark this year but that doesn't mean we can't beat them.”

Broadbeach skipper Simon Kaliba insisted that no special attention will be paid to Broadfoot, insisting: “Coomera are not a one-man team and they have threats all over the park. Chris is a big danger but we also have players like Nori Uchimura who can damage teams.

“He scored a couple when we won our last grand final against Burleigh back in 2006 and he knows what it requires.

“We're quietly confident. We have home advantage and we've prepared perfectly.

“We're at at full strength and will have no excuses if we don't get over the line against an admittedly very good Coomera team.

“It's going to be very physical and one thing is for sure, there will be goals.”

That appears a certainty from two teams that scored in excess of 120 goals between them over the course of the campaign.

David Lewis, Gold Coast Bulletin
19 September 2009

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