SANDGATE v. SURFERS PARADISE
Sandgate 2.3, 6.5, 11.5, 15.6 (96)
Surfers Paradise 2.1, 2.6, 4.8, 6.11 (47)
It was coming, it was always coming.
Win number two from Sandgate was always going to happen, but I don’t think too many would have thought it would be this week.
It had been a dirty couple of games before for both clubs; the response was always going to be the main talking point.
One team breathed fire, the other couldn’t get the wheels turning.
The Hawks played four-quarters for the first time in a long time, they beat up the Demons around the contest, and they put goals on the board, something that hasn’t always been possible for them.
It was a bit of big brother pushing around little brother.
The usual suspects of Overington, the Rutledge brothers, and Lubke were on-song, but it was the inclusions of Forbes and Jackson from Aspley really straightened them up.
Harrison Fraser was good for Surfers, Nettlefold returned well, Woolford was good, they just didn’t get their hands on the pill enough as a team.
Surfers need to get out of this slump they are in, and do it quickly.
They can be one of the most damaging sides in this competition when on, but they won’t be much use if they lose touch with the five.
This competition is ridiculous, how can anyone be tipping well.
Coaches thoughts:
Graham Adams – Sandgate
“We were terrific all day. The two times we have played four quarters for the year, we have won both games.
“We believe we are not a bad footy side, but we are young and we just can’t quite play four quarters every week, and the times we do, we are really dangerous.
“The focus for us was not to be beaten at any contest around the ground, and I really believe that we succeed at that, and we were probably at our best in terms of clearances.
“They are up an about, so we hopefully it’s onwards and upwards now.”
Peter Young – Surfers Paradise
“That’s probably the worst we have played for a long time.
“I thought they were really good, they spread from the back half, ran and linked up. I think they tried to intimidate us, and they did.
“We need to get back to some basics, and try to get some boys back enjoying their footy again.
“When we were playing well we were all happy, so we need to get them having fun, and love playing footy.”
LABRADOR v. WILSTON GRANGE
Labrador 8.4, 11.5, 13.10, 17.14 (116)
Wilston Grange 4.2, 5.6, 6.11, 8.15 (63)=
The Tigers are really starting to roar.
No games for Southport or the SUNS in the NEAFL on the weekend meant that, barring injuries, the Tigers had a full list to pick from.
They played like it.
When your big three forwards – in Retzlaff, Goldsmith and Baxter – kick the first three goals of the game, you know you’re in for a good afternoon at the office.
The Gorillas, who went in young this week, just couldn’t go toe-to-toe with them.
The Labrador forwards had it on a silver platter at stages; at times it was express coming out of the midfield.
Eight goals in the first quarter was what set the game up. Grange worked back into the contest in the second, but after the main break it was all yellow and black.
Crossley returned to star in the ruck, Mills directed traffic down back, and Budarick was as clean as a whistle with his disposal.
There was also a bloke by the name of Todd Featherstone who pulled on the boots again in the seniors. Watch this space on that one.
Farry and Baker were very good for Grange, and Perry-Warren just keeps playing well wherever he goes each week, so the young guys are standing up, but they just couldn’t match the class of the Tigers.
Perfect start for the back half of the season. The Tigers will be the big movers coming home.
Coaches thoughts:
Perry Meka – Labrador
“The squad that I assembled in February, for the first time, finally played together.
“We were up and about. We got off to a great start, and the three talls took some really good marks early.
“We let them back in, in the second quarter with some undisciplined stuff which was addressed at half time.
“We worked through all of that, and finished off really well, and it’s always good to win the milestone games like it was for Mat Clarke.
“We had a target to kick over 100 points, which we were able to do.”
Matt Trewhella – Wilston Grange
“We were very young, and I thought we were competitive.
“The team we had up against the team they had, you’d think they would blow us out by 10 goals or more, but I thought we competed well.
“They just went from end to end quite easily, which got their big forwards into the game.
“It was just pleasing to see a kid play his first game, and guys who haven’t played seniors for a while back in the side and in some form. All we can do with a side like that at the moment is be competitive.”
WESTERN MAGPIES v. MT GRAVATT
Western Magpies 3.3, 9.4, 12.8, 16.9 (105)
Mt Gravatt 6.0, 8.3, 8.6, 11.8 (74)
There’s a real parallel in the Magpies resurgence this year, to their resurgence yesterday.
20 minutes into the first quarter they were on the mat, getting the count, dazed and stunned.
The Vultures had slammed six goals straight on them before they had kicked one.
All of a sudden they took a step back, thought their way through it, went more direct, and bounced back.
Staker kicked the first two for them, which kick started an eight goal to one run.
It was pretty much one-way traffic from that point. A depleted Vultures lineup just couldn’t go with the Magpies.
The 8-1 run was extended to 16 goals to five by the end of the game.
The Magpies were too classy by foot, were getting it in long and deep, and controlling the stoppages… a lethal combination.
The Vultures always had their backs up against the wall in this one, missing the cattle they did, and losing Chapman early, and Crawley at half time, which is what makes the first 20 minutes even more remarkable.
They need those blokes back, and ASAP.
Staker finished with five, Morton did well in the ruck once Beer tweaked an ankle, and the Mitchell brothers were as hard as a cat’s head all afternoon for the Maggies.
Chris Murphy battled hard in the middle, alongside Andrew Smith and Mick Hamill, and Hunkin had some nice passages of play on the outside for the Vultures.
Look out top five, the Magpies are here to stay.
Coaches thoughts:
Nathan Clarke – Western Magpies
“It was a great day. We knew they had a few out, so we were confident we could be really competitive.
“The start definitely wasn’t how we thought it would go, but that’s the great thing about the group, and that is what has drawn me to the group, because they have great character and they are really well led on field.
“Once the matchups sorted themselves out, and we realised we had a guy like Brent Staker up forward, things started to work out a bit better for us.
Brad Pollock – Mt Gravatt
“There was a few factors, but they were really good. No doubt they are up and about under Clarkey, but I just thought from our perspective I was disappointed we didn’t carry out some instructions, and a few things just didn’t go our way.
“A few crucial injuries are starting to really hurt us now.
“Their contested footy was better. They are strong around there, and they probably spread a bit better than us.”
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v. PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
Palm Beach Currumbin 6.2, 10.7, 14.11, 17.13 (115)
University of Queensland 2.4, 4.7, 8.12, 11.17 (83)
If you’re looking for an example of just how even this competition is this year, look no further.
This was 1 v 10. One loss against one win.
The margin might have been 32-points, but the scoring shot differential of two tells the story much better.
It was a see-sawing affair that had it all. It was quick, both teams find space on Field 9, the contested work was good, and they both kicked some ripping goals.
The difference in the end was the leaders. When it was there to be won, it was the likes of Danny Grant, Jesse Derrick, and Zac Callinan who took matters into their own hands.
Once Palm Beach were able to open up that six goal advantage early, they could fend the Red Lions off for the rest of the afternoon… but they certainly hung around.
If Jarryd Douglas isn’t in the conversation as one of the best players of the league, we are all getting it seriously wrong.
He bagged another nine goals yesterday, doing it all. They call him ‘Yak’ for a reason. He is an animal.
For UQ, Ballenden just gets better and better every week the way he attacks the ball. It’s scary to think what he will be capable of by the time the draft rolls around next year.
Mcnab and McCutchan were also very handy, in what was probably both of their best performances of the year.
Palm Beach have picked up in the second half of the year where they left off.
Coaches thoughts:
John Toottell – UQ
“We couldn’t put enough scoreboard pressure on. We had our opportunities, missed some pretty easy shots on goal, and they converted, which is a bit of a difference between the top sides and bottom teams.
“They were good, we were pretty good, we had our opportunities, we had a couple of lapses where they kicked two or three in a row and fought back.”
“I thought our pressure around the ball was pretty good, they were just the better team on the day.”
Chad Owens – Palm Beach
“There were patches where we started doing some silly things on the ball and off the ball. We were quite lucky that they kicked 11.17.
“It was a funny sort of a game. I was impressed with how they played. It was a game we never felt comfortable in, it was topsy-turvy.
“This week we kicked our goals which was nice.
“We went up there to get four-points and we got four-points. That was the pleasing aspect of the game. We have proven that we can win ugly.”
MORNINGSIDE v. BROADBEACH
Morningside 5.4, 9.9, 14.14, 16.15 (111)
Broadbeach 2.0, 3.1, 5.3, 7.11 (53)
Full recap: www.aflq-new.fspdev.com/live-145pm-morningside-vs-broadbeach
Morningisde’s on-field performance definitely lived up to the off-field hype at Jack Esplen Oval.
They dominated the contest from the opening bounce, putting a gap on the Cats, and never easing off.
It was fitting, on Homecoming day, that Matt Logan kicked the first, and from there, it was pretty much one-way traffic.
The main difference in the game was the pressure around the ball Morningside was able to put on.
They made Broadbeach’s foot skills look second rate, they choked them in, in the back half, and their smalls and talls hit the scoreboard.
By half-time the game was pretty much done, and the five goals the Panthers kicked in the third quarter made sure of it.
Mueller was outstanding across half-back, which left Mitchell and Abey to go to work up forward.
Delbridge won a stack, and Serrurier’s four goals were very hand.
It was a young Cats outfit that took to Jack Esplen Oval, very young. They will take a lot from it. That is the brand of football they strive to play.
The shining light from the whole day was the performance of Platell, a 17-year-old key defender, who showed he is more than up to the job.
He played on Abey, one of the most in from big forwards in the comp, and played very well. Future is very bright.
That lull a few weeks ago for Morningside looks well in the past.
Coaches thoughts:
Matt Walder – Morningside
Brett Andrews – UQ
“We always knew it was going to be tough, we lost a few troops at training,
“We were never in the game at all today, at all, but we were missing a few.
“We have got 22 injuries, plus the couple we picked up today, so it was always going to be a battle.
“I think they did out-pressure us, we were a bit loose. When we win we give that pressure, but just couldn’t handle it today.”
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
