By Beth Newman
BROADBEACH v LABRADOR
Broadbeach’s youngsters have shown their top speed but Cats coach, Wayne Petterd, said they would need to find another gear against Labrador
After a lacklustre performance in the wet against Palm Beach, and more rain forecast for tomorrow’s clash with the Tigers, Petterd said his charges needed to know when to slow things down.
“At this stage, everything’s flat out and we just seem to play the one tempo,” he said.
“We need to man up when we’re required to and play a bit of pressure.
“It doesn’t suit the style we’ve been playing, we like to run and carry, but we do have to find some composure.”
Southport-listed Darin Stewart has been called up to the Sharks NEAFL team this weekend, while the Cats will also miss Daniel Skrinis and Josh Searl is in doubt for the match.
Labrador will need to combat another wave of injuries as they face the Cats, with seven changes to their line up this weekend.
Tim Davidson, Sam walker, Adam Clarke, Hugh Wadsworth, Michael I’Anson and Todd Featherstone are all out, creating an opportunity for debutants, Andrew Hollis and Nathaniel Ellis while Kieran Daley, Brayden Eddy and state U18 player, Jesse Walton, return to the side.
Tigers coach, Steve Daniel, is confident his side can weather the storm tomorrow.
“The boys we have brought up just keep being outstanding,” he said.
“They’re doing what we need them to do and I expect nothing less tomorrow.”
The stingiest side in the competition this season, Labrador will be looking to continue that trend against the hard-running Cats.
MORNINGSIDE v WESTERN MAGPIES
There’s no shortage of talent at Jack Esplen Oval, but all eyes were on one player as Morningside prepared for their clash with the Western Magpies this week.
Panthers junior, Matthew Hammelmann, stole the show at training, and Panthers coach, David Lake, said it was reminiscent of the last rising star he coached.
“He led out and took a mark and you could see the players go ‘bang, this kid can play’,” he said.
“It reminded me of the first time I took (current SUNS player) Clay Cameron down to Mt Gravatt, in front of guys like Albert Proud and Jake Furfaro and they just went ‘wow’.”
Hammelmann will debut for Morningside in tomorrow’s game, but he is already a well-known talent, as a member of the Queensland U18 team, and the AIS-AFL Academy.
The Magpies clash will see two generations of Panther come together in the forward line, as Hammelmann teams up with club legend, Kent Abey.
“It’s a great opportunity for him to go down and play with the great Kent Abey, he’ll have a legend for his corner,” Lake said.
“That’s what the competition is set up for and the perfect opportunity has unfolded.”
Western Magpies coach, Glenn Humphrey, said his side would be looking to stem the influence of the Panthers at every opportunity tomorrow.
“The key is going to be deny them the football and try to play it on our terms,” he said.
“That is going to be very difficult but that’s what we want to try and achieve.”
Cory Hopkins returns from injury for the Magpies this week, with Brady Allen and Mitch Stallard called up from the reserves.
SURFERS PARADISE v SANDGATE
Despite a host of key inclusions, Surfers Paradise coach, Beau Zorko, says his charges will be wary of a hungry Sandgate outfit tomorrow.
With the return of a handful of Southport-listed players and some of their rising stars, including Cassidy Haberfield and Harrison Fraser, the Demons will field one of their strongest teams of the year, but Zorko said they weren’t getting ahead of themselves.
“This game has massive alarm bells for us,” he said.
“They’re going to come in all guns blazing, they’re going to crash and bash and try to put scoreboard pressure on as quickly as possible.
“We need to make sure we execute our game play and get the game on our terms as quickly as possible.”
Hawks coach, Rob Dickfos, said they wouldn’t be intimidated by the Demons’ raft of inclusions.
“Those players coming back from Southport and the state side will add polish, but we still need to compete and win those one on one contests,” he said.
“While we don’t necessarily have name players, we do have 22 players who will go out and give their all.”
Dickfos said the bye weekend had helped the side strengthen their cohesion, on and off the field.
“We spent the week off building the camaraderie of the team,” he said.
“I expect to show that in the way we go about our footy tomorrow.”
PALM BEACH v MT GRAVATT
Mt Gravatt coach, Brad Pollock, says his team will be ready for anything, against Palm Beach tomorrow.
The Vultures will be wary of the Lions if the rain forecast for tomorrow materialises, after Palm Beach’s dominant win a fortnight ago over Broadbeach, with Pollock unsure how his side would cope on a wet day.
“They showed last game, that they’re well-adapted to the wet conditions and we’ll have to be on our game, ”he said.
“That running style has been our game to this point, but there’s more to footy than just one style of game in one style of conditions.”
The two sides met in the pre-season, with the Lions notching a heavy victory, but Pollock said that would mean nothing tomorrow.
“This is a totally different scenario,” he said.
“I think we took out of that game that Palm Beach is a good team and a bit of an idea of the way they play.”
The Vultures will have to do without the in-form Adam Boon, who was called up to the Redland NEAFL side this weekend, as well as Chris Murphy (exam) and injured pair, Jayden Crawley and Troy Rogers, but Pollock said he wasn’t worried by the changes.
“They’ve been stand out performers and they’d certainly make a difference, but that’s part and parcel of footy.”
All three of the Lions’ QAFL representatives will be backing up for the Vultures clash, in a relatively stable side.
WILSTON GRANGE V UQ
They have two wins to UQ’s none, but Wilston Grange coach, Matt Trewhella, said they would be just as desperate as their opposition to notch a morale-boosting win.
With five straight losses leading into last weekend’s representative bye, Trewhella said a win would be important but it wasn’t the only thing on their mind.
“I’d be lying if I said a win this weekend wasn’t important for morale,” he said.
“I personally will be looking for an improved effort from the players, not just a win.
State U18 trio, Jacob Watson, Henry Leong and Harris Andrews come into the side,
With the return of ruckman Bradie Foster as well as Andrews, the Gorillas will line up with a lot of height, something that Trewhella hoped his side would take advantage of .
“We hope it will give us the advantage in the air, but that style of play requires us to have clean possession up the ground and execute our skills,” he said.
“If we don’t’ use the ball well, it will become a ground ball contest.”
Fresh off the bye, UQ welcomes back some key players, including midfielder Michael Stewart and captain, Adam Culvenor, while state U18 player, Dylan Adkins, will also debut for the Red Lions against the Gorillas.
UQ coach, Matt Stewart, said he would be focused on reducing the gap between his side’s good and bad footy.
“We’ve had some blow outs and a few close games this year,” he said.
“It’s about getting the difference between our best and worst football a lot smaller.”
Download the Rd 9 record here.
Michael Conlan – AFLQ CEO (18)
Labrador
Morningside
Palm Beach
Surfers Paradise
Wilston Grange
Lisa McKoy – AFLQ Media Manager (24)
Labrador
Morningside
Palm Beach
Surfers Paradise
Wilston Grange
Simon Devine – AFLQ CompetitionManager (26)
Labrador
Morningside
Palm Beach
Surfers Paradise
Wilston Grange
Breeanna Brock – AFLQ Female Programs Manager (24)
Labrador
Morningside
Mt Gravatt
Sandgate
UQ
Jack Barry – AFLQ State Coaching, Volunteer & Affiliates Manager (27)
Labrador
Morningside
Palm Beach
Surfers Paradise
Wilston Grange
Craig Millar – AFLQ Football Operations Manager (28)
Labrador
Morningside
Palm Beach
Sandgate
UQ
Beth Newman – AFLQ Community Football Writer (29)
Broadbeach
Morningside
Palm Beach
Surfers Paradise
Wilston Grange
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