By Terry Wilson
Image: Neplix
PALM Beach Currumbin will be defending their QAFL premiership title after overcoming Gold Coast rivals Broadbeach in a slogging Second Semi-Final on Saturday.
The defending titleholders won the battle of attrition by 9.15 (69) to 5.13 (43) on a heavy Salk Oval surface after establishing what turned out a match-winning in the first quarter.
That was the period when they jumped the Cats with three goals to four behinds. The Lions then restricted their derby rivals to 1.1 in the second term, adding 1.6 themselves as the arm-wrestle went on.
“Our first half set it up even if we didn’t make the most of our chances,” PBC coach Chad Owens said.
“We managed to keep them to one goal for a half, which was a minimal score and I thought we were able to get on top in those little one-on-one areas.”
The third quarter was a contradiction to the low-scoring first half when the sides had 15 scoring shots between them and the Lions at one stage held a 34-point lead.
But the dogged Cats, who lost five key players the previous weekend when they beat Morningside, never threw in the towel against the premiers.
As coach Brett Andrews said, they fought on but lacked the polish that PBC produced at times in the heavy conditions.
And he lamented a lack of scoring firepower that hurt.
“You have to take your chances against them, but we missed a couple of goals and gave away a couple of 12-pointers,” Andrews said.
“But I reckon we never really got going. For some reason we just don’t play well against them – and I don’t know what it is.
“We were lacking some forwards, that’s for sure and we probably missed our three (injured) on-ballers.
“It’s not all doom and gloom and that’s why we have a second chance and we’ve got a home preliminary final.”
Now the blowtorch is on Broadbeach in their Preliminary Final next weekend against the winner of Sunday’s Morningside-Surfers Paradise semi in Brisbane.
Andrews said his defence was good, led by Jimmy Royes and Nathan Quick on Jack Anthony and Jarryd Douglas respectively, and Darcy Dienjes.
“Our backs held their own but we didn’t have any strike power,” Andrews said.
“We fought hard, we battled hard, we had to scrap for our goals but theirs came a bit cleaner.”
Season 2017 premiership skipper Jesse Derrick was tremendous for the Lions, the 150-game plus clubman turning in arguably his best game of the season.
“I was rapt in Jesse, he was unbelievable, I thought he was huge,” Owens said.
“I thought Croady (ruckman Jon Croad) was good in the ruck and I thought our big forwards continued to give us something to go to.
“And I loved Tyler Cornish’s game (on-ball). He was an animal.”
Palm Beach Currumbin 3.2, 4.9, 7.14, 9.15 (69)
Broadbeach 0.4, 1.6, 4.9, 5.13 (43)
GOALS, Palm Beach Currumbin: J. Anthony 2, H. Hulls 1, J. Croad 1, J. Douglas 1, J. Burge 1, C. Graham 1, B. Askey 1, T. Cornish 1. Broadbeach: N. Kempe 2, X. McMahon 1, B. Erickson 1, H. Oea 1.
BEST, Palm Beach Currumbin: J. Derrick, T. Cornish, N. Crowley, J. Burge, C. Graham, A. McKenzie. Broadbeach: D. Dienjes, J. Royes, N. Quick, R. Finn, R. Dienjes, A. Rayner.
Labrador kick themselves to reserves defeat
A BOUT of goalfront blues was behind the demise of Labrador in their QAFL reserve grade Second Semi-Final loss to Broadbeach on Saturday.
The final scoreboard of 9.5 (59) to 7.15 (57) tells it all of how the muddy clash ended in favour of minor premiers Broadbeach.
A total of 22 scoring shots to 14, yet the team finishing as losers, is damning evidence of how much wayward kicking can cost a team.
It was nip and tuck all the way through until Broadbeach’s deadlier finishing in the fourth term got them home by the bare two points.
Daniel Seri was leading goalkicker for the match with three vital six-pointers for the Cats, who had Scot Ayres, dual seniors club best and fairest Josh Searl, Jack Bake and Max Gambell as their best.
This was one result the Tigers will not forget for a while, but they need to regroup to be ready for next weekend’s preliminary final.
Their best were ruckman Lachlan Davidson, Dylan Maccombie, Jack Watmuff and Jacob Bottrill.
