Photo: Brooke Sleep Media
By Chris ‘Yeendy’ Yeend
The Cats and Hornets started the 2023 season in a big battle against each other; it’s fitting that the pair line up in their opening finals bouts for a place in the decider, while reigning Grand Finalists Palm Beach Currumbin look to keep its finals aspirations alive against a red-hot Morningside in Reserves finals action.
SECOND SEMI FINAL
BROADBEACH v ASPLEY
Meetings this year
Round 1
Broadbeach 12.8.80 defeated Aspley 7.9.51
The Cats unleashed new recruit Shawn Watson in his debut, and he finished with four goals after coming across from Mt Eliza in the Mornington Peninsula League. Ben Major also impressed. Ky McKenzie and Lachy Sherwood kicked two goals for Aspley while Jesse-Patrick Doherty performed well.
Round 16
Broadbeach 15.12.102 defeated Aspley 2.10.22
The Cats kept the Hornets goalless in the first half as it led by 34-points at the main break. It kicked four goals to one in the third term to open up a match-winning 55-point lead before kicking on to win by 80-points.
Sam Banks-Smith kicked four goals for the winners while Ben Major was again outstanding. Ky McKenzie kicked both of Aspley’s goals while Lochlan Harrop tried hard.
Record against top six teams
Broadbeach – 7/2
Aspley – 4/4
Leading Goal Kicker
Broadbeach – Harry McInnes – 34
Aspley – Ky McKenzie – 22
Season so far
Broadbeach – After getting bundled out in the opening round of finals last year, this team has taken to every game as though it was a Grand Final. With some changes of personnel in the Senior team in the off-season, new talent has come into both teams and had the opportunity to develop and build a strong core of 44 players that take to the field each week. Like Richmond during the glory run in recent years, players this year have come into the Reserves to play key roles and have done so magnificently. It has the best record of any team in the competition against top six teams and comes into this game on a nine-match winning streak.
Aspley – After going down to PBC in the Preliminary Final last year by five-points at home, it has worked hard this season to be a force again in the competition. It went some way to extracting revenge against PBC in Round 3 with an impressive 19-point win after its first-round loss to the Cats.
After dropping five games during the home and away season, four against teams that finished in the top six and two against the Cats, it will be well prepared for a finals campaign where it hopes to go at least one better than last year. To have a number of players push into the Senior team across the year in place of injuries, excel and come back as better players – makes this group much better than last year.
IN/OUT
Broadbeach Ins – Sam Banks-Smith, Adam Hull, Alan O’Neill
Broadbeach Outs – Josh Searl (Seniors), Harry McInnes, Zac O’Brien
The Cats bring in some quality talent with Banks-Smith, Hull and O’Neill. Hull is a noted goal kicker and will be a major influence for this team.
Aspley Ins – Lachlan Sherwood, Jesse-Patrick Doherty, Rhiley Owens, Macauley Lonergan, James Nelis
Aspley Outs – Jordan Hayden, Connor Crawley, Alexander Barnes, Angus Walton, Corey McGuren
Lonergan and Nelis are big ins for this team; both playing in the Senior premiership in 2022.
Why each team can win and why
Broadbeach – With each player playing their role to perfection, it is no surprise that across the year this team has the best attack and defence in the competition statistically, and the best record against teams in the top six. This team means business.
Aspley – A good blend of quality Senior and Reserves experience and quality leadership on the ground. Nelis will have a big say in proceedings with his invaluable leadership.
Who will win
Broadbeach will be too strong. Its record against Aspley this season is outstanding, but it’s been that way against most teams this year. It’s hard to fault a team that comes into a game that determines a spot in the Grand Final that has a nine game in streak.
FIRST SEMI FINAL
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN v MORNINGSIDE
Meetings this year
Round 12
PBC 18.6.114 defeated Morningside 5.3.33
With 11-points separating the pair at quarter-time; the Lions put on five goals to one in the second, six to three in the third and five to one in the final term to seal an 81-point victory. Five players kicked multiple goals for the Lions with Ti Cuffe as best on ground for the winners while Dylan D’Roza kicked two and Jake Edwards worked hard for the Panthers.
Record against top six teams
PBC – 3/5/1
Morningside – 5/3
Leading Goal Kicker
PBC – Cameron Poharama – 39
Morningside – Shaq McLeod – 28
Season so far
PBC – After dropping just five games this season, all to teams that finished in the top six to finish third at the end of the home and away season with the W/L/D record against top six teams is a testament to how close this competition is. It comes into this game on the back of a three-game win streak, winning six of its last seven games. This group made it to the Grand Final last year after sneaking into the top six on percentage and this team is better than the one that took to the field in 2022.
Morningside – it will be a season of missed opportunities for this team. It missed the top two by two games, losing to Redland Victoria Point and Sherwood – two teams that finished in the bottom two on the ladder with four wins each. Aside from those two blemishes, it’s been a pretty solid season. It comes into this contest on a two-game winning streak after losing to Broadbeach in Round 20; after going into that contest on a four-game win streak.
IN/OUT
PBC Ins – Tierone Cuffe, Jackson Graham, Tristan Evert, Dean Katsiris
PBC Outs – Carden Skalij, Mathew Walkerden, Mitch Beaufoy, Max Cruse
Four changes for the Lions headlined by perhaps a key inclusion to the forward line with Katsiris returning after kicking 12 goals in four games prior to last week’s contest against the Cats at Senior level. He has kicked three goals or more in seven matches across Reserves and Seniors this year.
Morningside Ins – Frasier Lay
Morningside Outs – Damian Martin,
Frasier Lay comes into the team. He has played at almost every level of football available to him this year with Seniors, Reserves, Colts, Under 17 Queensland Boys and Brisbane Lions Academy Boys.
Why each team can win and why
PBC – The Lions possess a really strong forward line that clicked into gear after quarter-time against the Vultures with 10 of the last 14 goals. Cam Poharama is an incredible player up forward and Bronson Howard is a tremendous leader. A few key ins around the midfield and forward line will make this team tough to beat.
Morningside – This squad is filled with big-game players many of whom played at Senior level in 2023 with good results. It does rise for the big occasions and stands up well in important games. It has the second best record in the competition against teams in the top six; only behind Broadbeach who has lost two games against teams in the top six.
Who will win
The reigning Grand Finalists will be too strong here and with a line-up that has a bit more depth. Palm Beach Currumbin will again, look to go the hard way to the Grand Final but it’s a path that is familiar to it.
