by Terry Wilson
Gold Coast Bulletin
There was one close call in the opening round when Mayne, last year’s wooden spooners, upset Surfers Paradise by 13.5 (83) to 11.13 (79) at Sir Bruce Small Park on Sunday.
A sealing goal by 2011 player-coach Luke Faulkner enabled Mayne to end a 16-match losing streak that dated back to 2010.
In slippery conditions, the Demons fell into bad habits and coach Beau Zorko was unimpressed by the display.
“We did not carry out instructions, we were very undisciplined the way we played and towards umpires adjudications,” Zorko said.
“That’s it in a nutshell. We were our own worst enemies and it had nothing to do with the weather.
“Mayne played with a lot more structure and have some quality targets up forward.”
Ex-Broadbeach midfielder Taylor Rolfe, half-back Ryan Dienjes and half-forward Simon Fenton were the pick of the Demons.
Ferguson nominated Goondiwindi recruit Corbin Sellen as his best, jokingly suggesting the “Goondiwindi Grey”, famous racehorse Gunsynd, is back in action.
Super veteran Andrew Housego, heading into his umpteenth season with the yellow and black, stood out at centre half-back and full-back Matt Jones did a good job on Demon forward Korey Fulton.
A downer for Mayne was the second-quarter send-off of Queensland representative Caleb Brown. This meant the Tigers played for 15 minutes a man down on the field.
PALM Beach-Currumbin have some sobering news for rivals in the new SEQAFL Division 1 competition following a demolition of Gold Coast rivals Coolangatta on Saturday.
After the Lions smashed the Blues by 18.21 (129) to 5.3 (33) at Salk Oval on Friday night, coach Daryn Cresswell revealed yet another key signing for the club.
Cresswell said centre half-back Jake Smart is due to arrive on the Coast this week link with last year’s runners-up after a summer in the Darwin competition when he made the team of the year.
As the scores suggested, PBC were way too good for the Blues, although they took some time to adapt to slippery early conditions under the lights.
“The way we play conditions didn’t suit, but the second half was much better when we were more direct,” Cresswell said.
Beau Runnalls, the small forward behind the 4 arrival of Smart he played with the big man at Wanderers kicked five goals for the Lions, whose best were evergreen James Drake, Sydney recruit Mick Atkinson and wingman Jesse Derrick.
Burleigh have plenty of work to do if their 9.9 (63) to 25.15 (165) loss to Wilston-Grange at Bill Godfrey Oval is any guide.
Away from fine efforts from on-baller Josh Perring, wingman Hugh Priest and five goals from big Cam Rowlands, there was not much for coach Zane Doubleday to enthuse over.
“There was a 15 to 20 minute window of the second quarter when they blew us away,” Doubleday said.
“We matched it with them in the third quarter and the start of the fourth. Then the floodgates just opened.
“I was very disappointed with some of our players, including some experienced ones, who dropped their heads, became undisciplined and let their frustrations show.”
For the Grange, however, things are looking good following the club’s off-season recruiting drive.
Ex-Aspley pair Steve Brittain (four goals) and his cousin Dan Brittain (four), Brodie Shade (five) and Dan Collins (four) were all among the majors in the 102-point landslide.
The PBC and Grange results were only two of four hugely uncompetitive matches played out on Saturday when premiers Noosa smashed Sandgate by 18.10 (118) to 4.5 (29) at Weyba Road and Western Magpies slaughtered Springwood by 25.19 (169) to 9.3 (57) at Chelmer.
Former Brisbane Lions Anthony Corrie kicked 10 goals for the Magpies, who had Dominic Beer and veteran Chris Mihalopoulos in their best.
Springwood had Mitchell Vasterink and Dylan Witney tried hard for the outclassed Pumas.
At Weyba Road, big Danny Brewster, last year’s leading goalkicker, booted seven for the Tigers and irrepressible rover Caleb Isles starred on the ball in the triumph over their 2010 grand final rivals.
Defender Adam Bovalino and ruckman Peter Trompf did well while for the Hawks, Brendan Forbes and Boyd Fuller were best.
