A gritty Western Australian Amateur Football League (WAAFL) side defeated a gallant Queensland on Friday night at Yeronga.
There wasn’t much separating the two for the majority of the night, but when the rain came down in the middle two quarters, the visitors played the percentages better.
For the first 20 minutes, it was all Queensland around the footy.
Danny Green had two goals, Estall was looking dangerous, and Smith was competing well.
What hurt was the two goals they handed the WAAFL from 50 metre penalties, and one from a rush behind infringement from the ruck.
Their dominance didn’t show on the scoreboard at quarter time.
The maroons started the second how they finished the first, up in the centre clearances, but couldn’t impact the scoreboard.
After 10 minutes of dominance without any reward, a WAAFL transition goal from a turnover signaled the momentum shift.
From that point, as the rain started to fall, the WAAFL went to work.
As the ball became a cake of soap, it was their little blokes like Rudrum (who was names best on ground), Taylor, and Williamson who became the match winners.
They took over the stoppages, they attacked the contest harder, and they made the most of their opportunities in front of goal…something Queensland – who kicked 6.16 for the night – didn’t.
When the rain stopped late in the game, Queensland regained the ascendancy, but it was all over red-rover.
Fletcher McIvor left everything on the Yeronga deck, and was deserving awarded the Zane Taylor Medal for best on ground.
Pope was good on the inside, and Buntain was solid down back, they just couldn’t find that extra 10 per cent as a unit they needed.
All in all, it was a great game of rep footy. Every single one of the 46 players had a crack. and it was contest from the first bounce until the final siren.
All you can ask for.
WAAFL 10.6.66 to AFLQ 6.16.52
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
Photo: Ron Lockens
