Photo by Anthony Byron Photography
By Abby Collins
Aspley have shown they won’t be relinquishing their crown without a fight by slugging their way to a 6-point victory over Redland-Victoria Point in their grand final rematch at Zupps Aspley Oval.
The pain of the grand final defeat clearly drove the Sharks throughout the long hot summer, and they brought to the round two rematch an intensity they couldn’t muster in the grand final.
The Hornets were on the back foot from the opening bounce, and it quickly became clear there would be no repeat of the 42-point romp that delivered their back-to-back premiership.
But their experience showed as they seized the momentum in a stunning third quarter to set the scene for a tense final term. In the end the Sharks were left to lament poor conversion as the Hornets hung on for a 15.4 (94) to 12.16 (88) win.
Opening Quarter
The Sharks were on the attack from the opening bounce, dominating possession in the frantic opening minutes and putting two goals on the scoreboard before the home side knew what had hit them.
The Hornets conceded five goals to Matt Hammelman in the grand final and it was quickly evident the former Brisbane Lion was going to be a handful once again as he claimed three in a seven-goal opening quarter deluge from the Sharks which gave them a handy 24-point lead into the first break.
Second Quarter
The outside run of Brock Aston was wreaking havoc on the Hornets and early in the quarter he turned that into scoreboard pain when he booted his first for the game he quickly. Aspley were forced to set Coen Harker for a negating role in an attempt to curb his influence.
They began to claw their way back into the contest by making the most of their opportunities and when the siren sounded on a 6.1 quarter, they had reduced the margin to just eight points.
Third Quarter
The champs had been given an opening and they came out after the main break full of fire.
It was Thomas Watson who turned the game on its head with two goals in quick succession to give Aspley the lead.
The Hornets were also able to match the Sharks’ pressure and the men in white suddenly became the hunted. They struggled to get clean possession while Aspley began to move the ball freely setting up a flood of opportunities for their forwards. The home side matched the Sharks’ seven goal opening quarter and their manic pressure restricted Redland-Victoria Point to just three behinds to take a 20-point lead into the final break.
Fourth Quarter
When the Sharks review this loss, they’ll rue their inability to make the most of their dominance in the final quarter.
The ball spent the majority of the quarter in the Sharks’ forward half, but goals were hard to come by.
Matt Hammelman matched his grand final heroics with two final quarter goals to take his tally to five.
With the scores tied at 88-88, both sides were looking for a hero and it was Thomas Watson who put his hand up, booting his fifth to give the Hornets some breathing space.
It was fitting that the game ended with the ball in the hands of Liam Dawson who had been a key figure across half back for the Hornets who hung on for their second win of the year.
Aspley 3.2 9.3 14.4 15.4 (94)
Redland Victoria Point 7.2 10.5 10.8 12.16 (88)
GOALS
Aspley: Watson 5, Hill 4, Dodge 2, Mahon, Peppin, Saunders, Templeton
Redland: Hammelmann 5, B Aston 2, Brown, Cameron, Huddy, Malone, Smith
BEST
Aspley: Watson, Craven, Coombes, Crawley, Harker, Hill
Redland: Malone, Reeves, B Aston, Hammelmann, Petterwood, Hausfeld
INJURY
Aspley: Stakelberg (Knee)
Redland: Nil
OTHER RESULTS
BROADBEACH V LABRADOR
Broadbeach 3.4 7.8 10.13 13.14 (92)
Labrador 3.2 5.4 5.7 8.12 (60)
GOALS
Broadbeach: Harrington 4, Reeves 3, Howard 2, Chadwick, Hithcock, Erickson, Boakye
Labrador: Alex Fyfe 2, Anderson 2, Gibbeson 2, Aiden Fyfe, Simpson,
BEST
Broadbeach: Dawson, Harrington, ONeill, Hitchcock, Wood, Gwynne
Labrador: McEldrew, Foon, Webster, Deegan, Anderson
MORNINGSIDE V MAROOCHYDORE
Morningside 4.5 9.9 16.15 21.17 (143)
Maroochydore 2.2 5.5 6.7 9.9 (63)
GOALS
Morningside: Downie 4, Cockatoo 3, Castle 3, Waters, Dadds 2, Mcdonagh 2, Godwin, Lohmann, Bertoli-Simmonds, Purslow
Maroochydore: Hahn 3, Scholard 2, Wilson, Faulkner
BEST
Morningside: Mcdonagh, Bertoli-Simmonds, Castle, Hodge, Dadds, Lovig
Maroochydore: Hahn, McLachlan, Lang, Govan, Laing, Holt
WILSTON GRANGE V NOOSA
Wilston Grange 3.4 7.10 8.14 12.23 (95)
Noosa 5.1 7.3 8.5 10.8 (68)
GOALS
Wilston Grange: Raines 3, Mathieson 2, Mifsud 2, Rhook, Fidler, Gordon, Bowles, Derksen,
Noosa: Freeman 3, McCarthy 2, Conn, Airey-Bambeck, Free, Mallen, Langen
BEST
Wilston Grange: Westerberg, Mathieson, Gordon, Mifsud, Raines, Mcgregor
Noosa: Conn, Langan, Freeman, McCarthy, Crisp, Airey-Bambeck
MT GRAVATT V PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
Mt Gravatt 3.2 4.2 6.2 7.3 (45)
Palm Beach Currumbin 8.6 18.8 25.16 30.20 (218)
GOALS
Mt Gravatt: Clare 7
Palm Beach Currumbin: Rubock 10, Dawson 6, Cilmi 4, McInneny 2, North 2, Cahill 2, O’Brien, Jolley, Hall, Beaman, Beaufoy, Hayes, Valpied,
BEST
Mt Gravatt: Clare, Durrant, Griffiths, Brent, Conway, Hurst
Palm Beach Currumbin: Hickey, Valpied, Dawson, Rubock, Cilmi, Hall
SHERWOOD V SURFERS PARADISE
Sherwood 2.3 3.7 7.8 8.10 (58)
Surfers Paradise 4.3 7.6 10.8 13.10 (88)
GOALS
Sherwood: Austin 3, Nelson 3, Waistcoat 2
Surfers Paradise: Rekers 2, Hall 2, Smith, Patten, Haberfield, Shea, Reardon
BEST
Sherwood: Collins, Harris, James, Edwards, Fletcher, Meekin
Surfers Paradise: Beardsell, Woodburn, Smith, Brauman, Jewell, Anderson
