The Southport Sharks will host the Gold Coast Suns this Saturday afternoon at Fankhauser Reserve in the fifth instalment of the Mackenzie Cup.
The annual clash honours Dr Alan Mackenzie, affectionately known as “Doc” who was a towering figure in the history of both clubs.
Dr Mackenzie served as President of the Southport Sharks for 49 years and dedicated his life to Australian Rules Football in Queensland, contributing as a player, volunteer, medical officer, coach, selector and administrator.
His impact extended beyond Southport, playing a pivotal role in the formation of the Gold Coast Suns. On April 2008, he joined the GC17 bid team tasked with bringing AFL football to the Gold Coast. A vision that was realised on March 2009 when the AFL granted a provisional licence for the Gold Coast Football Club.
Dr Mackenzie later served as a board member of the SUNS for a decade and was recognised as a life member in 2018, cementing his legacy as a foundational figure of the club.
The Mackenzie Cup was first introduced during the 2022 VFL Preliminary Final, where the Sharks claimed a 28-point victory at Fankhauser Reserve. Since then, the contest has developed into a competitive and meaningful fixture, with the Sharks claiming last year’s encounter in dominant win at home.
Introduced at the 2022 VFL preliminary final, Southport currently holds a 3–1 advantage across the four previous Mackenzie Cup clashes.
Last time the two sides met, Southport came away 55-point victors.
Ahead of this weekend’s match, Southport veteran Jesse Joyce reflected on the significance of the occasion.
“It’s always exciting playing against the Suns. There’s always a circle around it.”
“It’s a big rivalry. There’s obviously the Cup that we are both trying to win and Doc has been a big figure for both of our clubs. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of both clubs and he was the forefront of getting both established.”
“The biggest thing is, we just want to be lifting that Cup on Saturday.”
The game starts at 12:05pm at Fankhauser Reserve and is free to attend.
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