Join community footy writer, Beth Newman, at Dittmer Park, as Mt Gravatt tries to keep hold of fifth spot.
4:28pm: FULL TIME: SURFERS PARADISE 12.11 (83) – 7.20 (62).
Surfers Paradise have staked their claim on a finals spot, with a win over Mt Gravatt. The Demons took their opportunities across the day and claim the reward.
4:21pm: After a tight battle, the Vultures responded through Adam Stevenson. Twenty-three points down with a bit of time left. They’re still alive.
4:15pm: Chris Mitchell kicks what looks to be the sealer of the game for Surfers Paradise, after both sides coughed up chances.
4:12pm: Another one for Godfrey and the margin is down to 25 points. Mt Gravatt have the breeze this term too. Game on.
4:10pm: Sean Atkinson is down in a lot of pain. He’s limping off the ground.
4:07pm: Sam Godfrey takes a one-two, setting Jonah Licht for a good contested mark. Licht converts and the Vultures are back to a 32-point deficit.
4:04pm: Surfers Paradise big man, Michael Cunningham, nabs one for the Demons. He kicks it like a ruckman, though, and it’s a behind for them.
4:03pm: Brenton Saunders absolutely launches one, with the breeze at his back, for Mt Gravatt. It falls to the right.
4:01pm: It’s a bit of a stalemate early in this last quarter.
3:51pm: THREE-QUARTER TIME: SURFERS PARADISE 11.8 (74) – MT GRAVATT 4.11 (35)
Surfers Paradise utilised the breeze in that term, putting them in the box seat for a win at Dittmer Park.
3:48pm: Sean Atkinson has snuck up forwards for Surfers Paradise and kicks an important goal for the Demons. They’re up by 39 points now.
3:45pm: Merrett lining up for another goal and he slots it. He’s been instrumental for the Demons today.
3:40pm: Ben Merrett takes a bounce in the Surfers 50, pops a handball over the top to the feet of Dane Grant, who dribbles it through for a goal. The demons are up by 25 points now.
3:39pm: Todd Carbone being escorted off, looking a little worse for wear.
3:36pm: Chris Murphy has a chance to score one back for Mt Gravatt, after a Surfers turnover. But it falls to the right hand side and it’s rushed through.
3:33pm: A long kick goes straight into the hands of Dane Grant for Surfers Paradise. From just on the arc, Grant’s kick never looks like missing.
3:31pm: Merrett takes a mark, dukes out, and a 50m penalty, makes it an easy one. Out to 15 points.
3:29pm: John Macansh snags another for the Demons. Both sides finding the middle pretty well at the moment.
3:26pm: Sam Godfrey kicks a quick reply for the Vultures.
3:25pm: DEMONS GOAL. Chris Mitchell makes a very nervy patch for the Demons look good. The pill went through about five different pairs of Demons hands before Mitchell finally had a crack. Eight points to their advantage.
3:24pm: A 50m penalty gives Daniel Van De Werken a shot for Surfers. He has sprayed it. Another behind for the Demons and their lead is out to two points.
3:22pm: Surfers get the first behind, and have another go, intercepting from the kick in. The Demons have the breeze this quarter and it’s getting stronger so they need to take advantage of it.
3:21pm: Both sides are being really sloppy early in this term, turning over the ball far too easily.
3:19pm: Back in the second half. Big loss for Mt Gravatt, with Fraser Neate not emerging from the rooms after half time. Hearing he’s done a hammy.
3:00pm: HALF TIME: MT GRAVATT 3.9 (27) – SURFERS PARADISE 4.3 (27)
Surfers Paradise made the most of their opportunities late in that term, keeping scores level.
2:59pm: Third time lucky for Surfers Paradise. Tayler Rolfe looks for a shot, passes to Nathan Trevena, who attempts a shot, but it ends in the hands of Connor Manning. He can’t convert, but a behind puts the Demons in the lead.
2:57pm: MT Gravatt score a behind and it’s all square, deep into the second term.
2:54pm: Surfers have their second shot in two minutes, as Connor Manning takes a strong contested mark, 35 metres out, as the crow flies. He snags the sausage roll and the Demons take the lead!
2:52pm: Southport-listed Dane Grant has the pill straight in front of goals and he does not miss. That’s the Demon’s first for the term, cutting the margin back to just five points.
2:50pm: Jesse Green has a shot on the run, but it’s another miss for MT Gravatt. Their return ins 3.7 now – they’ll be hoping that doesn’t come back to bite them.
2:48pm: Mt Gravatt’s Cameron Ross just had the crowd holding their collective breath for a second, with a massive roost. It hit the post.
2:46pm: Another good grab from Jonah Licht, give the Vultures a shot. There is not one player in Surfers Paradise’s attacking half of the ground.
Licht slots it and that’s the first goal for either team this quarter.
2:43pm: Jonah Licht takes a great grab one out in the Vultures’ 50, on a slight angle. It’s a good looking kick, but doesn’t come around enough.
2:41pm: Simon Fenton has a crack, running through the guts, launching a shot from about 40m out, but he hits a Vulture defender.
2:38pm: True to form, Dittmer Park has cooled down significantly in the last half an hour. Pretty big breeze, feels like it’s favouring the Klumpp Rd side, but it’s hard to tell.
2:38pm: Ben Merrett lines up from a tight angle, shooting towards the hill side of the ground. It drifts through for a behind.
2:35pm: Demons holding possession early in this term. They’re playing it slow, but a series of chip kicks ends up in the Vultures’ hands. Mt Gravatt returns the favour and we’re back in the Demons’ 50.
2:33pm: We’re back in the second quarter. This is shaping up to be a tight one today. I’ve had a bad run of picking the nailbiters recently, so let’s hope this one goes the distance.
2:26pm: QUARTER-TIME: MT GRAVATT 2.4 (16) – SURFERS PARADISE 2.3 (15)
It’s been a good contest early here at Dittmer Park. Both teams are hard at the footy, but both have coughed up some key opportunities.
Ben Merrett getting plenty for the Demons, switching between the forward line and the ruck, while Joe Murphy has been good for the Vultures.
2:25pm: Joe Murphy has a shot after quarter-time siren. Staight in front, kicking from just inside 50 and it drifts left.
2:23pm: The Vultures struggling to take a clean mark in their forward 50. Demons defenders all over them at the minute.
2:20pm: Michael Cunningham cuts off Mt Gravatt’s rebound efforts, launching it to a pack about 10 metres out. Merrett clutches it high above the rest and slots it. Easy as you like. The Demons have a one-point lead now.
2:19pm: Surfers’ Nathan Trevena goes for an ambitious shot outside 50. A bit too ambitious really, it falls short.
2:16pm: Both teams turning it over too easily at the moment. Surfers just had about three chances for a goal within about 15m, but a couple of look away handballs stopped them scoring.
The Demons seem to be looking for Merrett every time they’re in scoring range.
2:14pm: Chris Mitchell hanging behind those numbers, takes a sitter in the goalsquare and kicks the Demons’ first goal of the day.
2:12pm: Mt Gravatt’s got numbers in defence and that is setting up some strong rebounding for them.
2:10pm: Surfers’ Daniel Van de Werken sells the candy, and passes across goal to a waiting Ben Merrett, but he can’t quite finish off.
2:09pm: Ben Merrett had a shot on goal for Surfers, but the free kick was reversed and that’s a missed opportunity for the Demons.
2:05pm: MAJOK ANEET! Aneet has taken a blistering run and launched a sensational goal for the Vultures. He’ll be adding that one to his highlights reel.
2:03pm: It’s pretty windy down here. The breeze not really favouring either team, though.
Vultures youngster, Jonah Licht, takes a strong contested mark, booting a shot from 45m out, but it’s touched on the line.
2:02pm: Mt Gravatt with the first set shot of the day. Straight through the middle. They lead 1.1 (7) – 0.1 (1)
1:59pm: The Demons have the first opportunity, but the shot goes ust right ,on the Klumpp Rd side of the ground.
Mt Gravatt rebounds quickly, and it ends in a behind at the other end.
1:55pm: Welcome to Dittmer Park. I’m looking forward to a cracking match here today, with plenty at stake.
Mt Gravatt currently holds fifth spot, a game ahead of Grange, Surfers and the Magpies, but they’re going to be under plenty of heat to maintain that advantage today.
Both teams are coming off disappointing losses, Vultures to Broadbeach and Surfers to Palm Beach, so this could be redemption for them.
For all the team info, check out this week’s record, here.
We’ll be checking in with all the other matches through the afternoon, and there are some big ones. Down the coast, Broadbeach takes on Morningside and Labrador hosts Wilston Grange, while UQ are out to prove a point against Palm Beach.
