By Daniel Viles
Shield Retained, Pride Restored
South Queensland retained the women’s Intrastate shield with a 22-point victory at Bond University Oval on Saturday, but not before North Queensland had restored regional pride with a second half shutdown.
Any fears of another lopsided contest once South had kicked the first four goals of the match were allayed when North scored its first goal since 2022 and then held South to a stalemate for the remainder of the match.
The opening period belonged to South with several forward raids and a minor score to Nauru Under 19 captain, Febulous Kanth.
However, their first goal started at right halfback with a strong tackle from Alicia Withers. Two passes up the right wing released speedy forward Georgia Smith who broke a tackle before passing to the chest of Emily Watson. Her set shot never looked like missing.
North responded with a long period in possession but were unable to penetrate a defence being organised by skipper Rachel Crack (21 effective disposals, 5 tackles, 6 inside-50s).
It was Crack who, in the ninth minute, began an attack from halfback that resulted in Brittne Hayes handballing into space for Smith to charge between three defenders and grow South’s lead to 13.
That the lead did not increase further before quarter-time was down to desperate defence and strong intercept marking, particularly from Sarah Larkings.
Thirty-two seconds into the second term, Tiarna Jericho capitalised on a piece of good fortune when a skied kick to centre half-forward bounced backwards over the pack and into her arms. Jericho’s shot from 25 metres skidded through an empty goal square.
More strong marking from Olivia Meagher and Indiana Brough allowed North to break forward in the fourth minute and give Jade Ransfield space to mark within range. Her shot missed to the left but it was North’s first point in two years.
South’s counter-attack was brutal. After working the ball to the centre circle, Emma MacDonald found Scout Strong on the arc. From the free kick, Strong handballed over the marker, received the ball back, shot from the right flank into the goal square, then followed up to soccer through a loose ball from the most acute of angles.
North had slightly the better of an entertaining ten-minute period that went from end to end, many of their attacks courtesy of turnovers from Meagher.
Three and a half minutes before the main break, Cleo Dickie won a free kick at right half-forward for high contact, kicked infield to Larkings who handballed to Leanne Foley. From 30 metres, Foley unleashed a left-foot bomb that sailed through the sticks and ignited celebrations from the visiting fans.
From that point, no further goals were scored, South adding four behinds to its score in the second half and North one.
North had begun the half strongly anyway but were clearly galvanised by a leg injury to Jennifer Wren, the subsequent period notable for an increase in pace from the North Queenslanders.
Tilayna Nissen turned up in all parts of the park to affect the play, likewise Amy Mill who was taking intercepts in her defensive 50 before sending searching balls into her attacking 50.
The main catalyst, however, was Meagher. So often, it was the hard running and even harder tackling of the Thuringowa Bulldogs midfielder that propelled North forward. It was no surprise when she was named as North’s Best on Ground.
South, let’s not forget, didn’t concede a goal either. Bayley Woollett was an impregnable last line of defence, one two-minute period in the third term produced two intercept marks and a goal-saving tackle.
Winger Roisin Chu had a busy evening helping out with several tackles in her own half and a handy collection of inside-50 entries.
Whenever South was able to break out of their own half, either the darting runs of Smith and Watson or the marking and kicking prowess of Strong would raise the excitement levels. Strong’s audacious one-handed mark early in the final quarter had the air of someone playing in the backyard against her kid sister. While Crack would have been close, few argued when Strong was named as South’s best.
South Queensland became the first team to win a women’s intrastate clash at home and now holds a 2-1 lead in the all-time tally.
Saturday 22 June 2024, 4:15 pm at Bond University Oval, Robina
SOUTH QUEENSLAND 2.2 (14) 4.2 (26) 4.3 (27) 4.6 (30)
NORTH QUEENSLAND 0.0 (0) 1.1 (7) 1.1 (7) 1.2 (8)
South Queensland
Goals: Emily Watson, Georgia Smith, Tiarna Jericho, Scout Strong
Best: Scout Strong
North Queensland
Goals: Leanne Foley
Best: Olivia Meagher
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