By Beth Newman
1. Defence reigns supreme
If there was one thing to take out of last weekend’s clash between Palm Beach and Labrador, it was the importance of defence. Both sides laid incredible pressure and it was their defenders who really stood up. A ferocious display of pressure from both sides meant one-out leads by forwards were hard to come by and there were certainly no easy goals. The QAFL’s top side, Morningside, has also built its strong start on defensive pressure, with Josh Brown and Nick Tomlinson impressive early. Defence is what a team is built on and the top sides are proving that already.
2. No guts, no glory
Sandgate returned to their fighting best against Morningside on the weekend. The game was taken out of their reach in the third quarter, but they Hawks kept their foot on the pedal for the rest of the match, and the scores showed. If they continue on with their never say die attitude, they will gain plenty of respect.
3. Davey all day
Captains need to stand up and be counted and that’s exactly what Ryan Davey did on the weekend. Both coaches made mention of the 2012 Grogan Medallist after the match, such was his impact. He is a super player and a fantastic leader, making the difference at pivotal moments of the match. Faced with the option of going interstate or to a NEAFL club, Davey stuck fat with the Tigers and everyone down at Cooke-Murphy Oval will be ecstatic he did.
4. Cats have claws
Broadbeach were a major unknown quantity at the start of the year, given their relatively young list and high player turnover, but they are looking like a major threat early in the year. Their kids have more than managed the step up and their focus on skills in the pre-season has obviously paid off. They saw off another potential top five contender on Sunday, in Wilston Grange, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they continue to rack up the wins.
5. The QAFL might be closer than it appears
The largest margin in the weekend’s footy was 38 points, hardly a flogging by anyone’s definition. The remaining four were decided by four goals or less, with the result up in the air until the dying stages. Morningside is the only undefeated side, while UQ is the only one yet to win, though their performance on the weekend signals they probably aren’t too far away. Clubs are figuring out where they stand, coming to terms with re-shuffling teams most weeks and the results are starting to show.
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