There is a real star quality about both teams this week.
The two QWAFL Best and Fairest winners, the Rising Star, and the two leading goal kickers are all playing, which means there are one-on-one battles to watch everywhere you look.
Here are a few in particular to watch out for:
Jade Ransfield vs. Arianna Clarke
We are in for a treat. Two of the best young players in the competition going head-to-head in the Yeronga forward line. Ransfield, one of the league leading goal kickers battling it out with Clarke, the 2016 QWAFL Rising Star. This will be a mixture of both players winning the ball, but working defensively as well. Ransfield’s number one job is to win the footy and hit the scoreboard, that’s why she is there. Clarke has to stop that, but once the ball hits the deck she will want to get her hands on the pill and kick start Coolangatta Tweed’s run out of the backline.
Sam Virgo vs. Kalinda Howarth
One of the QWAFL Best and Fairest winners against the other leading goal kicker; what a matchup. Virgo has played her best footy as a small defender this year, but this is as big a task as any. Howarth is strong overhead, and can kick a long bomb, which means she is always a chance of finding the big sticks. If anyone is going to shut Howarth down though, it’s Virgo.
Emily Bates vs. Nikki Wallace
The midfield battle. Both Bates and Wallace are elite ball winners, so stopping each other completely is out of the question; they are too good for that. It will be about limiting the others damage, while still being an influence themself. They will both put their heads over it in the middle, but the key will be who can penetrate the forward 50 and find targets. If one of them is on top in that area, it’s going to put their team in a really good position.
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
