MT GRAVATT v. BROADBEACH
Mt Gravatt 4.3, 6.6, 7.10, 13.12 (90)
Broadbeach 3.1, 5.1, 7.5, 8.11 (59)
Mt Gravatt took another step towards playing finals footy yesterday, but it wasn’t easy.
Broadbeach were like the annoying little brother for three quarters. They nagged, they annoyed, and they just wouldn’t go away.
The game itself was everything we expected.
Quick, intense, a pressure cooker, it was two young sides emptying out the petrol tanks. The fuel light was on.
For three quarters, it was an arm wrestle.
Every time one side would kick a couple in a row, the other would grind out a response. There was no momentum.
The Cats had a genuine crack, but it was the class of Mt Gravatt who came to the fore in the last quarter.
They turned a five-point three quarter time advantage into a 31-point win, thanks to two majors each from Troy Moncur and Aaron Christensen to start the quarter.
It was lights out from there, Mt Gravatt had to poise, and the legs.
Quick kept the Cats in the game down back, Chadwick brought his own footy at times, and Searl had a real dip in game 100, but they couldn’t get over the line for him.
It was the bigger blokes for Mt Gravatt that were the difference. Tronc, Jamieson, Eddy, they were all superb.
Mt Gravatt is doing everything in the power to not rely on other results, and take their finals fate into their own hands.
Coaches thoughts:
Brad Pollock – Mt Gravatt
“They had us worried, that’s for sure, they had a red hot crack. They ran and they took the game on, it was a really fast game.
“The difference in the end was we kicked goals when we needed to late.
“We were letting it out of the forward line a bit too easy.
“We had a few blokes who were a bit underdone, so it was good to get that game into them. Our leg speed was good in the end.”
Brett Andrews – Broadbeach
“For a young side, we are very good, just did a few things wrong on the day.
“We are starting to be a bit more accountable.
“Poor goal kicking cost us, which has been a bit of a problem all year.”
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v. WILSTON GRANGE
University of Queensland 3.2, 8.6, 12.10, 17.12 (114)
Wilston Grange 3.1, 5.2, 10.6, 12.7 (79)
I’ve said it all year; beware a young team who believe they can win.
This will surprise some, but an upset was always on the cards this week.
Minus Hannaford, this was one of, if not the best-balanced team UQ has put on the park all year, and they made sure they cashed in.
Once they opened up a lead late in the second quarter, they refused to let it slip, not on the day they celebrated their 60th anniversary.
It was a pretty even first quarter; neither side could really get a run on.
Trewhella looked the most dangerous forward, proven by his third goal 10 minutes into the second, but that’s when the game was turned on its lid.
The Red Lions must have sensed the occasion, because they were kicking them from everywhere.
They kicked the last six of half to head into half time 22-points up. If you fast forward through the next hour of footy, that was the difference.
It’s not that the Gorillas didn’t have their fair share of opportunities, they just couldn’t capitalise.
UQ were back to the game plan that has been on top of the whiteboard all year.
They ran from behind, they opened up the game through handball and their link up work, and they play for each other.
That’s a dangerous mix, no matter who you are.
Grange came back at them in the third, a Declan Watson move forward paid dividends getting them within a couple of kicks, but UQ weren’t rolling over.
They kicked the last four of the game to stamp their authority, and put win number two in the books.
Tagell was the star for UQ, finishing with six majors, and Ferron was unstoppable over the footy.
For Grange, Richardson was good down back, and Baker showed a lot, but it wasn’t to be.
UQ make it two wins in 2016.
Coaches thoughts:
John Tootell – UQ
“It makes a big difference with the inclusions we had, they really added some zip, and gave us a few targets.
“They weren’t too bad, it was definitely youth vs. youth. We controlled a lot of the game, but really took our chances this week.
“They came back at us two or three times to their credit, but we were able to hold them out, and kept our nose in front.”
Matt Trewhella – Wilston Grange
“We just couldn’t claw back a lead they held on to all day.
“The last quarter we needed to start well, but they kicked a few early ones at that was it.
“We weren’t bad, they were just better today. We butchered it going forward.
“We had a lot of opportunities inside 50, but we just didn’t give our forwards the best chance, and they defended well.”
WESTERN MAGPIES v. SANDGATE
Western Magpies 5.2, 5.5, 10.7, 14.13 (97)
Sandgate 3.2, 7.2, 7.2, 11.3 (69)
The Western Magpies made it five on the trot yesterday, but it was a lot closer than most expected.
We thought Sandgate would have a crack, and have a crack they did.
The only different in the game was a 20-minute period in the third quarter. That’s what decided it.
It’s usually Sandgate who get on top in the first quarter, but this week it was the Magpies got away to a flyer.
They kicked four of the first five, but the Hawks pegged them back to 13-points at the first change.
The second quarter was all red and green. Stackelberg kicked the first three of the quarter, and the Hawks held the Magpies goalless.
It was their physicality that was key. They were up in the contested ball, the barometer of that football club.
The fire was lit by Nathan Clarke at half time, and the Magpies responded.
Their five goal to nil third quarter would prove to be the difference in the end.
It was their ability to get the ball on the outside and hit targets that got them into this position. Yes their contested work was good, yes they were converting, but it was their foot skills that broke it open.
The Hawks, thanks to another three goals in a row to Stackelberg got within eight-points in the last quarter, but the Magpies were able to settle.
Copland’s last two goals sealed the deal; they were 28-point winners.
Stackelberg had a day out for the Hawks. He jagged seven for the day, supported well by Beven feeding him the ball.
Janke-Cain and Lewis were the key for Magpies. They opened the game up.
Breathing down the neck of the top two now.
Coaches thoughts:
Nathan Clarke – Western Magpies
“It was a really good win for us, we were pleased with it.
“I don’t think we played our best, but that is a credit to Sandgate, I’m surprised they haven’t won more games, our boys will definitely take a lot out of it.
“We nearly doubled their scoring shots, but it was just one of those games.
“We moved the ball a bit better in that third quarter. In the second quarter we got a bit spooked when they had a few numbers in front of the footy, which we rectified.”
Graham Adams – Sandgate
“Sometimes you can walk away from a loss but are still reasonably happy, that’s how we were today.
“While we didn’t get the win, it was definitely a step up.
“We took it right to them today. Hopefully we got a bit more respect back.
“Our endeavor to play four quarters was there, it was just that slip up in the third that cost us. When they got a break, they were really clean, and hit a lot of targets.”
MORNINGSIDE v. LABRADOR
Labrador 1.4, 7.4, 13.8, 19.11 (125)
Morningside 5.1, 5.2, 6.5, 9.6 (60)
Full recap: https://aflq.com.au/live-145pm-morningside-vs-labrador-2/
The Tigers took another step closer to their top three aspirations today, but it wasn’t without an early fright.
Before and after quarter time was like watching two different games of footy. I honestly thought the teams swapped jumper at quarter time.
The first quarter saw Morningside dominate the centre of the ground, play a quick brand of football, and out pressure the Tigers.
The Panthers back six may have been relatively inexperienced, but they didn’t have to work too hard early.
A five goal to one opening quarter gave Morningside a 21-point quarter time lead.
That’s when the Tigers awoke from their slumber, and pushed the Panthers onto the ropes.
For the next three quarters, Labrador punished them around the ball.
They hunted in packs, they started taking the game on more, and their forwards were getting more of a look in.
By three-quarter time it was all over red rover.
Clarke was outstanding in the middle, and Young played well down back for the Tigers.
Baxter booted five, and Thorsen kicked three in the last quarter. That’s a handy option to have late in the year when they need one.
Brad Dale took the points in his battle with Retzlaff, which will do wonders for his confidence, but for the most part, the Panthers fell asleep after quarter time.
That brings Labrador to within four points of the top three. Game on.
Coaches thoughts:
Matt Walder – Morningside
“As much as Labrador lifted, it was the general thought for our blokes that it was going to continue on, and it didn’t.
“Labrador turned up the heat, we didn’t come with. They did to us what we did to them in the first quarter, but they probably went half a step further.
“We didn’t respond in the second half, we found ourselves swimming further away from shore.”
Perry Meka – Labrador
SURFERS PARADISE v. PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
Surfers Paradise 2.3, 6.7, 11.11, 16.14 (110)
Palm Beach Currumbin 5.2, 8.5, 9.8, 12.10 (82)
Surfers needed another scalp to get things back on track. Today, they got one.
It wasn’t until late in the piece they could do it though, with 10 minutes to go it was an eight-point ball game.
Both teams had some key outs before the game. Palm Beach lost Woolley, Thynne, and Callinan, while Surfers lost Pope and Hector. That meant legs were always going to be a factor.
The Lions capitalised the best early.
They kick four of the first give to open up a 16-point quarter time advantage.
Half way through the second, they skipped out to a 27-point lead, and alarm bells were ringing for the Demons.
To Surfers’ credit, they kicked three clutch goals late in the second to get back within nine-points, which gave the game a pulse.
The third was when they put the foot down. They were able to hunt the Lions around the footy, force them to cough it up, and spread like they were a month ago.
They also took the short option away from the Lions, and forced them to kick long and to a contest.
A seven goal to one quarter handed the Demons a 17-point lead at the last change.
With the Lions missing a few runners, it was always going to be difficult to get back. They did get within eight points thanks to a couple of Douglas goals, but Daniel Green, Stevenson and McKenzie made sure of the result with very important goals.
For the Demons, Matt Green did the job on Croad, Stevenson kicked five from the ruck, as did Green, and McKenzie gave them a lot of zip.
Jesse Derrick stood up again for the Lions, Lys and Douglas had good games at either end, but they just couldn’t over the line.
Sufers, who sit in sixth, are now just two games off top spot. Ridiculous.
Coaches thoughts:
Peter Young – Surfers Paradise
“We had 20 players from the club not playing this week
“I didn’t think we were down early, I think they just put more scoreboard pressure on than us.
“Our second quarter got us in the game, and our third quarter was outstanding.
“Our tackling pressure was outstanding, it is a real strength of our game.
“We hunted the ball, and our midfield was good. They are a really good footy side though, we just had to take the short kick away from them.”
Chad Owens – Palm Beach Currumbin
“For two and half quarters they were clearly the better team, but we just couldn’t put them away in the second quarter when we had the chance.
“We ran out of legs, which we knew would be an issue when we lost that much run.
“No excuses though, we had our chances, but we needed a good lead coming into the last quarter.
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
