Mt Gravatt 13.11.89 defeated by Western Magpies 15.7.97

Sometimes, you’ve just got to win ugly. That’s exactly what they Western Magpies did yesterday, but boy were they made to earn it.

Mt Gravatt took it right up to the Magpies on Saturday; their turn around in form this year has been superb.

The Magpies jumped out of the blocks much better, which was the difference in the end.

The put four goals on the Vultures pretty quickly, and from that point, Mt Gravatt were forced to play catch up.

The Magpies link up game was too strong early. It was being played on their terms.

A couple of very important goals to the Vultures just before half time brought them back within 20-points at the main break.

Momentum was all blue and white in the third. The Vultures kicked four in a row, including two to Adam Boon who went forward, to draw level.

Hamill, in game 100 for the club, was outstanding in the middle, as was Jesse Green who is in stellar form this last month.

A late one to Matt Thompson in the dying seconds of the third quarter gave the Magpies a nine-point lead at the final change.

When they needed someone to stand up stamp their authority of the game, the Magpies found it in Val Pope. His two goals to open the last nearly ensured victory.

The Vultures battled hard, and played some fantastic footy, but they fell just short of bridging the gap.

In the end, the Magpies were eight-point winners, and stay a game clear in second on the ladder.

Coach’s thoughts:
Brad Pollock – Mt Gravatt

“It’s a bitter sweet feeling I suppose. On the bitter side it was a game we could have, and maybe should have won, we certainly had our opportunities, but it was the same old story with a few errors and missing shots we should have got.

“On the flipside, their effort to get back into the game after a bad first quarter was outstanding, they played some good footy. Our defense was terrific.

“We stopped that free flowing game that they get from their back half. It shows when we are up and about we can match it with the top teams.”

Glenn Humphrey – Western Magpies

“It was a tough game. They definitely came out to play.

“We were good in the first quarter but then dropped off the pace a little bit, which allowed them to get back in the game, and then they played it on their terms.

“Sometimes you just have tow in ugly, and we certainly did that today, which is good, it keeps us in second spot.”

Sandgate 8.7.55 defeated by Surfers Paradise 17.12.114

Three quarters of football against four quarters of football; that was the difference in Saturday’s game.

Surfers Paradise out lasted Sandgate, putting the foot to the floor in the final quarter, and the Hawks didn’t have any petrol tickets left to give.

Rutledge kicked the first of the game for Sandgate, before the Demons went on a mini run.

They kicked the next four of the game in seven minutes; including Fraser’s first of seven for the afternoon, to kick away to an 18-point quarter time advantage.

The Hawks came back at the Demons a bit in the second. Hedger kicked two, and Stackelberg proved his prowess with the last goal of the second quarter to bring the margin back to 13-points at the long break.

It was tough in the middle, but the Demons got back on top in the third.

Ryan Agita covered the loss of Cassidy Haberfield beautifully, cracking in all day, as the spread and carry of the Demons came to the fore.

At the last break, the Demons were 21-points up.

When Maynard kicked the first of the last quarter, Sandgate got back within 15, but that was the last yelp they gave.

Surfers Paradise kicked the next seven goals of the match to blow the margin out to 59-points.

They have lost a few heartbreakers this year, but this win is reward for effort for Surfers Paradise.

They are on the right track, the kids are developing well, now it’s about finishing the year off strongly, and this win will go a long way to doing that.

Coach’s thoughts:
Graham Adams – Sandgate

“We were okay for three quarters but we ran out of legs and Surfers ran over the top of us.

“It’s been a reflection of our season. We play good for three quarters, but we just fall away for one every week, the same thing keeps happening.

“We are trying everything we can to win that game, we are competitive for three quarters, but we just can’t finish it off.

“Early on, I don’t think we took all of our chances, but they were able to hang in and steamroll us in the end.”

Peter Young – Surfers Paradise

“We didn’t start as well as we wanted to, but I think we finished off really well.

“Our spread, switch, and run were fantastic, especially after half time.

“We thought our run off half back was great, and we had a couple of young boys who really stood up today.

“Last time we had a good win like that, we had the bye, but now we have got some good momentum for next week.”

UQ 12.20.92 defeated Broadbeach 8.10.58

If you isolate the last month of football, the Red Lions are red hot.

They have turned their season around in a big way, and Saturday’s match is proof.

They were dominant in their win over Broadbeach yesterday; it was all on their terms. If they kicked a little straighter, it could have been a blow out.

It was tight early. Both teams kicked two opening quarter goals, with the Red Lions holding a one-point lead at the first break.

Half way through the second quarter, it was still as tight as it could possibly be, with both teams going goal for goal.

It wasn’t until Stewart and Crameri kicked two in a row for UQ, that they were able to break the streak.

At half time, UQ were 12-points up. The test now would be to see if they could stick around for all four quarters.

The second half was all red and blue.

The Red Lions linked up well from half back, their defensive pressure was through the roof, and they were on top in the middle.

Matt Judd on the inside, and Brody Tebut on the outside were causing real headaches for the Cats.

Daffy was very good for Broadbeach, but he didn’t have enough mates with him along for the ride.

At three quarter time, the Red Lions skipped away to a 22-point advantage.

Holding the Cats goalless in the final quarter, while kicking two themselves, summed up UQ’s defensive work.

In the end, UQ were 34-point winners, and are finishing 2015 off on a very positive note.

Coach’s thoughts:
Darren Pfeiffer – UQ

“It was a good game. It was pretty tight throughout the first half. I put it on the boys to defend better, so to keep them to eight goals is a real positive.

“The last quarter, when they had a sniff with the wind, we just went stoppage after stoppage after stoppage with our tackling pressure which was really encouraging.

“We were a bit more accountable in the midfield. We have been pretty competitive in the last month, we have got a couple of tough games coming up but if we keep that defensive pressure you never know.”

Brett Andrews – Broadbeach

“It was embarrassing, the scoreboard flattered us. It may as well have been 80-points.

“We just didn’t have a go, we have got a few part time footballers at the moment. The effort just wasn’t there.

“It was a sad day for the club.”

Wilston Grange 15.10.100 defeated Labrador 13.15.93

It was one of the games of the season. It was tough, it was physical, and it made September a lot juicier.

Each Gorilla player put a target on the back of their Tiger opposition player, and they hunted yesterday. That was the difference. They just wanted it more.

It was a scrappy start to the game, but the Gorillas intentions were made apparent early. Pressure.

Trewhella continued his good form in front of the sticks by kicking the first, which sparked a little bit of a run.

A couple of late ones to Brittain and McIvor-Clark gave the Gorillas a 13-point quarter time lead.

The Gorillas were definitely on top, but in a five minute purple patch, like good sides do, the Tigers were able to kick two quick ones, courtesy of Josh Fraser, and hit the front.

The Gorillas didn’t go into their shells though. They went back to what was working, putting every single Tigers’ possession under the pump.

At half time, the Gorillas held a six-point advantage.

Labrador turned it on in the third quarter. They broke lines, they hit targets, and they were converting. It was the output we expected before the game.

Josh Fraser looked unstoppable, and the footy was finding Lappin wherever he went.

The Tigers reached a game high 24-point lead in red time in the third quarter. If the quarter finished two minutes earlier, it would have almost been curtains for the game.

But, with their backs up against the wall, the Gorillas kicked two goals in the last two minutes of the quarter to bring it back to a 13-point game.

When Nixon-Smith kicked the opening goal of the last quarter for the Gorillas, it was game on, but it didn’t stop there.

They were relentless in the last, proving that they can mix it with the best of the best when it counts.

Trewhella’s goal at the 24-minute mark all but sealed the game. The Gorillas had knocked off the top team.

It was a seven-point win in the end for Wilston Grange, but it was more than that. It was a win that keeps their top three dreams alive, and gives the group a lot of confidence going into September.

Coach’s thoughts:
Matt Trewhella – Wilston Grange

“We made a couple of big moves late, which helped us, and created a few goals which was the difference, so full credit to the guys in the box.

“I thought our turnovers came from kicking off one step killed us, and they were able to rebound it quickly with their transition from defense, so they were two things we addressed.

“Our pressure the last three weeks has been pretty poor, we are starting to get comfortable with pressure in a game, but it has to come early for us, and we started well today.”

Steve Daniel – Labrador

“We got beaten by a better side today, they were awesome.

“They just wanted it more than what we did today.

“The third quarter was super, but the last quarter we just left it to too few, a few boys put the cue in the rack, and they were better than us, full credit to them.”

Palm Beach Currumbin 13.15.93 defeated by Morningside 17.16.118

If you give a team like Morningside even half a sniff of putting the foot to the throat and lighting the game up for a short period of time, they are going to make you pay.

Palm Beach found that out the hard way on Sunday. In the end, it was 15 minutes of football that decided the whole game.

The Lions jumped out of the blocks the better, kicking the first two of the game thanks to Bannister and Harrison.

That’s when the Panthers responded.

They kicked the next four to lead by 10-points at the first break.

The second quarter, ultimately, was where the game was one and lost.

Palm Beach lapsed for 15-minutes, and Morningside took full advantage.

The Panthers kicked six unanswered goals in the second. It was the Morningside of old.

It was high pressure football, link up running, and dominance around the stoppages

At the main break, Morningside were 45-points up, and the Lions would be pushing it uphill to come back from there.

Luckily for the Lions, they proved in the third quarter that the second was just a bad quarter, not a trend.

There pressure around the ball came back; they locked the game down again, and attacked a lot better.

Both teams went goal for goal, making it a 43-point ball game at the last break.

While the result was nearly a lock, Palm Beach gave the game a little bit of life in the last quarter, kicking the first four to bring the margin back to 17-points, but when Mazoletti and Abey goaled, it was lights out.

Morningside ended up winning by 25-points, staying a game clear of Wilston Grange who are now snapping at their heals.

Coach’s thoughts:
Chad Owens

“That period in the second quarter was pretty much the end result.

“We came back hard late, but missed a couple of sitters. When we put them under pressure, we had them, but in that second quarter we just let them run riot.

“When they did that, they were too classy. They just had too much skill in the end. Their ball use was a lot better than ours.”

David Lake – Morningside

“Our process were really good today, and our first half was outstanding.

“We had  good run from behind, we had good pressure around the footy, we were dominating the stoppages, and then in the second half they came out and changed the game.

“You focus on the end I guess, but we were excellent early.”

By Andrew Wiles – @andrewjwiles