Join community footy writer, Beth Newman, down at Dittmer Park for this weekend’s make or break clash between Mt Gravatt and UQ.
4:31pm: FULL-TIME: MT GRAVATT 24.17 (161) – 8.5 (53)
4:29pm: UQ’s Dan Poultney kicks a strong goal from a tight angle, giving the visitors something to smile about.
4:28pm: Another goal for Mt Gravatt – the margin is out to 114 points.
4:25pm: Tom Crameri on the UQ bench, with an iced shoulder.
4:22pm: UQ have finally broken through, for their first goal of the quarter, with Jake Evans kicking one.
4:20pm: Jayden Crawley kicks his fifth for Mt Gravatt.
4:19pm: Mt Gravatt have been all over it this quarter. UQ showed good signs in the middle patches, but their first and last quarters have truly unravelled them.
4:17pm: Brenton Saunders has the ball again, and it’s another goal. Number nine.
4:16pm: Chris Murphy kicks one for Mt Gravatt and they’re out to a 109 point lead.
4:15pm: Mt Gravatt’s Frazer Neate and UQ’s Tom Crameri having some friendly words on the boundary.
4:12pm: SEVEN FOR SAUNDERS! The small forward is on fire today! Mt Gravatt are up by 102 points.
4:10pm: Another Mt Gravatt goal- to Dean Williamson!
4:08pm: Brenton Saunders uses his body beautifully, beating off UQ defender Jordan McDonald, running into an open goal for his sixth.
He’s been very good today.
4:07pm: Jayden Crawley is lining up for another. It falls short and UQ have a chance to rebound.
4:05pm: Brenton Saunders kicks his fifth. He’s finding the big sticks easily.
4:04pm: Chris Murphy has a hopeful snap from the boundary.
4:02pm: Redland-listed Sam Godfrey takes a ripper mark on the wing for Mt Gravatt. Ultimately, it’s a behind for the Vultures.
4:01pm: Final quarter underway.
3:53pm: THREE-QUARTER TIME: MT GRAVATT 16.14 (110) – UQ 5.4 (34)
The Vultures slotted one on the siren to take their lead out to 76 points at the final change.
3:52pm: Mt Gravatt have had it basically in their goal square for about two minutes and they can’t finish of. UQ wins it out.
3:49pm: Jarrod Prakelt takes a mark in the middle of the ground, and he’s lining up. It’s gone a fair distance, but it’s ushered out of bounds by a pack of players.
3:46pm: Mt Gravatt have a chance through Dean Williamson – he attempts a pass, but doesn’t execute properly. In the blink of an eye, UQ have it back in their 50.
They can’t finish off, though – with a strong intercept mark to Mt Gravatt – and it’s back the other way.
3:45pm: Majok Aneet blazes away out of the UQ attacking 50, but Williamson can’t mark it.
3:43pm: James Markham with a centering kick, and Chris Murphy kicks the Vultures’ 15th goal.
3:40pm: Two straight for the Vultures, with Brenton Saunders slotting another major.
3:38pm: GOAL for Mt Gravatt. After almost 10 goalless minutes, the Vultures’ Will Hamill breaks through. Margin out to 58 points.
3:37pm: Majok Aneet plays on from a mark, and it looks for a second like he’s created something, but Jayden Crawley can’t mark it. Al Carlson defending well.
3:36pm: Jonah Licht takes a strong grab on the wing for the Vultures and they take it backwards, before reloading.
3:34pm: Both sides sticking close this quarter. Jayden Crawley snaps mid-fall facing away from the goals, but it misses.
3:32pm: A scrappier start to this quarter, with plenty of stoppages.
3:29pm: Jayden Crawley has another shot. He kicks his third.
3:26pm: A massive spoil from Sean Yoshiura nips a UQ attacking charge in the bud.
3:24pm: Mt Gravatt takes the first clearance, and the ball is parked in their 50. Uq making a contest out of it, and they boot it to their advantage.
3:04pm: HALF TIME: MT GRAVATT 11.13 (79) – UQ 5.2 (32)
A much improved effort from UQ that quarter, lifting their defensive pressuer and maintaining some composure.
3:03pm: It looks like a goal to UQ. The umpires have a bit of a chat, but it’s given the all clear. Ball beats Vultures defender Matthew Johnson over the line.
3:02pm: Al Carlson has cut off another Vultures’ attacking chance. The veteran has been good this quarter, giving the Red Lions some much-needed composure.
3:00pm: The Vultures have kicked another goal, leading by 53 points.
Meanwhile, Jayden Crawley has limped off the ground with a trainer. Not sure exactly what he’s done, but he looks a bit sore.
2:58pm: Nick Tronc delivers a nice-looking kick to Jayden Crawley, but Creepy can’t mark it. Al Carlson spoils and takes off.
2:57pm: Mt Gravatt’s James Markham looks to have dislocated a finger. Not grat news, but doesn’t look too serious.
2:54pm: Another Vultures goal, from Brenton Saunders, his second for the game.
2:52pm: Majok Aneet trying to generate a bit of X Factor for the Vultures, taking the game on.
2:51pm: This game has gone up a notch in this term, with both sides’ defensive pressure lifting.
2:49pm: Tim Davison has been a rock for UQ this quarter, rebounding strongly.
2:48pm: Dan Poultney takes a strong one-on-one mark and he’s kicked the Red Lions’ third of the term.
2:46pm: Goal for Mt Gravatt. They haven’t had as much of it this quarter, but they’ve made the most of their opportunities, with two goals.
2:45pm: Majok Aneet, one of Mt Gravatt’s Redland-listed players, tries to break into space, but he’s wrapped up by UQ’s Michael Stewart.
The Red Lions’ defence has gone up a notch this quarter and it’s paying off. Game could be a different story if they’d started like this.
2:43pm: Joe Murphy goes for a ripper run, but kicks it straight into the hands of Tim Davison, one of the Red Lions’ 2014 recruits. The Red Lions make the most of it, with their second straight goal. Good start for the visitors.
2:41pm: UQ with a quick reply, have kicked their first goal of the term and second of the match. Mt Gravatt now leads by 43 points.
2:40pm: It’s swinging like a yo yo, but Mt Gravatt come up with the goods, as they have for much of the day. Youngster Jonah Licht, who is shouldering the ruck duties in the absence of Wiley Buzza today, kicks the goal.
2:37pm: Solid mark from UQ and they have the first shot of the quarter. It’s missed.
2:35pm: UQ gets the first clearance of the term and an early chance.
2:29pm: QUARTER TIME: MT GRAVATT 7.9 (51) – UQ 1.1 (7)
The Vultures have had everything their way in the opening term. Jayden Crawley has two and is continuing his strong early season form.
2:27pm: Behind to the Vultures – they’ve kicked 7.7. Inaccuracy is keeping UQ in this.
2:25pm: Al Carlson takes a strong defensive mark for the Red Lions and they have a chance to build from here.
2:23pm: Chris Murphy runs into the goal square and kicks another goal for the Vultures. UQ have a lot of work to do. They won’t be happy with this.
2:21pm: Bit of a deadlock in the Vultures’ half-forward line the last couple of minutes. Crawley is setting up for his second goal and he kicks it easily. Their lead is out to 28 now.
2:19pm: Jayden Crawley is having a shot for the Vultures. The teenager loomed as the side’s key backman in the pre-season, but he’s been a revelation in the forward line in the past three weeks. Close to Mt Gravatt’s most important player.
2:17pm: The Red Lions looked like they were going to break through, courtesy of Jarrod Prakelt, but the Vultures take it back once again, and they’ve kicked another goal.
2:16pm: Another shot for the Vultures – bit of an ambitious one, from the pocket, and it’s a behind.
2:13pm: A nice run from UQ out of the back line, but they turn it over at that halfway point again. They just can’t get it past the centre square at the moment.
2:10pm: 50m penalty to the Vultures, giving Matt Johnson an easy shot. They’re up by two goals.
2:08pm: Another behind to the Vultures. UQ setting up, but struggling to make it past the centre.
2:06pm: UQ gets a free kick and 50m penalty and they’ve got a shot just on 50. It all ends in a behind and the Vultures are reloading.
2:05pm: Mt Gravatt are getting all the entries at the moment, but they’re not making UQ pay.
2:04pm: Two out on the fulls for the Vultures, in a row.
2:02pm: Jayden Crawley drops a sitter in the Vultures’ forward 50, which could have been a likely goal. They get it back and Faser Neate launches it from outside 50 and it’s out on the full.
2:00pm: The Red Lions have one back, thanks to Jake Evans. Some pretty accurate kicking from both sides today.
2:00pm: Brenton Saunders kicks the second for the Vultures.
1:59pm: Yoshiura is already making an impact, in his first game of 2014. He’s not going to be available all that often for the team, but he’ll be handy when he is.
1:58pm: The Vultures have the first goal, courtesy of Yoshiura. The Red Lions need to get one back soon to stop the momentum.
1:57pm: Sean Yoshiura kicks off a nice chain for the Vultures, with a great run from Fraser Neate through the guts.
1:56pm: First bounce and UQ gets the clearance, but it’s pretty quickly seen out.
1:45pm: It’s the first time I’ve been back here at Dittmer Park for a while, but not much has changed. It’s still the coldest place in Brisbane.
LATE CHANGE: Cain Tickner is out for UQ, with Dan Poultney coming in. Poultney was originally rested to give his body a bit of a break, but that will have to wait a week now.
1:41pm: Just under 20 minutes away from game time here, and the reserves have just played out a two-point thriller. After trailing 51-23 at half time, Mt Gravatt came home with a wet sail, clinching a 76-74 win over UQ.
Can the Red Lions get revenge in the seniors or will it be a double win for the Vultures?
