PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN v. MT GRAVATT
Palm Beach Currumbin 6.1, 9.4, 12.9, 15.12 (102)
Mt Gravatt 4.2, 6.6, 11.8, 14.9 (93)
Full recap: https://aflq.com.au/live-145-palm-beach-vs-mt-gravatt/
It wasn’t the most convincing of wins, but the Lions are now two games clear on top of the ladder, and are well and truly in the box seat to wrap up the minor premiership.
It wasn’t the prettiest of games, it definitely wasn’t a textbook display by either side, but what it was, was quick.
Actually, it’s the quickest opening quarter I have seen all year.
For the most part, it was a pretty even affair. The Vultures were taking Palm Beach’s short option away, while the Lions were trying to use the corridor going forward, and push the Vultures out wide in defence.
There was one moment though where the momentum swung and you just felt Palm Beach were destined to win.
The moment came late in the third quarter, when Jesse Derrick got out the back of the stoppage, ran to 55, and dribbled a goal home.
When I say dribbled, the ball would have bounced over 10 times before crossing the line.
It nearly didn’t get there, it was nearly the most bizzare moment of the game, but it worked, it gave them back the lead, and it really changed the course of the game.
From that point on, the Lions were able to withstand Mt Gravatt emptying the tank, especially in the last 10 minutes, while kicking clutch goals from limited opportunities.
The standout on the ground was Liam Mcneven. He’s one on one work on Crawley was great, but the rebound and run he provided the Lions not only saved four goals, but created just as many. He hardly put a foot wrong all day.
Mt Gravatt weren’t helped by losing Estall before the game, as well as the run off half back from Bacic and Chris Murphy, but Smith won the ruck battle, and Mick Hamill was supurb in the guts.
This was finals like.
Coaches thoughts:
Chad Owens – Palm Beach Currumbin
Brad Pollock – Mt Gravatt
“It’s a pretty rare thing where five blokes pull out the night before a game, so for them to psychologically produce what they did, I was really happy with that effort.
“When you miss a couple of your better players, they don’t make those skill errors that Palm Beach capaitlised on.
“Our skill errors and judgment errors gave them the goal or two they needed every time.
“They boys were saying that was that was the fastest game of footy they have played in. We did well to hang in there.
“We just lacked a bit of polish coming off half-back.”
LABRADOR v. SURFERS PARADISE
Labrador 4.5, 9.7, 10.12, 15.15 (105)
Surfers Paradise 0.1, 5.2, 6.3, 9.4 (58)
Before Labrador ran out on Saturday, Perry Meka presented Ryan Davey with a jumper signed by the playing group.
He spoke of what Ryan Davey meant to this footy club, and what they were playing for today.
They didn’t let him down in his last game, and they came out with a real purpose.
Not only did they hold Surfers Paradise so a solitary point in the first quarter, the Tigers put four on the board themselves.
Surfers worked back into the contest in the second, but could only even it up, never make any real inroads to the Tigers’ lead
It was contested, it was tough in the middle, and it was ferocious, but it was the Tigers pressure which became key.
When the Demons kicked three in a row mid way through the last quarter it breathed life into the game, bringing it back to 28-points, but Labrador quickly put it to bed.
Coombe kicked his fifth for the day, and the Tigers got up by 47-points. That was a breakout game for him.
Hicks and Thorsen were on fire for Labrador, getting the ball moving forward.
Cass Haberfield was a standout for the Demons, going to work in the middle.
The Tigers move into second, while the Demons slip outside the five.
Coaches thoughts:
Perry Mecka – Labrador
“It was a big day, with Tinks’ last game. They really lifted, it was a great day.
“We put physical pressure on them, that’s where we got them. We had a lot back from the last time we played them.
“The beauty of yesterday was out next tier played outstanding. They stood up and played really well.
“Our contested footy numbers were through the roof, and our one per centers got us up and about.”
Peter Young – Surfers Paradise
“We just had one of those days. They started off well, hit the ground running, and the ball didn’t bounce our way right from the start.
“We stuck at it, but we are disappointed. You’ve got to take the opportunities when they present themselves, and we didn’t.
“They were really good though. You put all your time and effort into stopping players, and someone else gets off the chain.”
WILSTON GRANGE v. SANDGATE
Wilston Grange 4.6, 6.8, 8.8, 12.12 (84)
Sandgate 2.3, 4.6, 7.7, 11.9 (75)
It’s been a while between drinks, actually it’s been 77 days, but the Gorillas are back on the winners list.
While it was tight right until the final siren, this one was set up in the first quarter.
It’s no coincidence that the 15-point lead the Gorillas built at quarter time was pretty much maintained at every break.
They made the Hawks chase to get back in the contest, meaning they spent their petrol tickets earlier than planned.
The difference in the contest was capitalisation
Grange took the half chances, Sandgate didn’t.
It was tough in the middle, both forward lines got a good look at like anticipated, but it was the Gorillas who put it on the board.
Youngster Perry-Warren bagged five, and Bradie Foster booted three from the ruck. Without them it could have been a different story.
Aden Rutledge chimed in with five for the Hawks, and Jackson and Crawley held the back line together, but just couldn’t drag the others along with them.
Welcome back, Gorillas.
Coaches thoughts:
Matt Trewhella – Wilston Grange
“It was important for us to get square from our last game against Sandgate as they smashed us.
“It was also important for the guys to learn how to win again, we were tested and never broke away but we controlled the game in the last quarter.
I thought Bradie Foster had the better of Gray, Frazer Eaton was solid down back and Perry-Warren was a handful for their defenders.
“We also debuted Connor McFadyen, and Under 16 state player, so that was great for the club.”
Graham Adams – Sandgate
“It was a pretty even game, but they probably took their chances where we didn’t.
“I thought we just didn’t kick the goals from set shots or crumbed footy that we should have.
“They started really well, we had to play catch up, but we certainly had our opportunities.
BROADBEACH v. WESTERN MAGPIES
Western Magpies 7.4, 12.7, 15.10, 17.15 (117)
Broadbeach 3.4, 5.6, 7.8, 10.8 (68)
After a slight deviation last game, the Magpies’ train is back on track.
They did it with a comfortable win over Broadbeach, which was set up in the first half.
They jumped out of the blocks the better, kicking four of the first five, and seven of the first ten in the first quarter.
Broadbeach weren’t getting beaten up in the first quarter, especially not in the first 10 minutes, it was just that the Magpies were capitalising on their chances.
The second quarter was when they really got on top. They were cutting off the Cats’ first handball, keeping them in the middle, but then beating them with their run.
A five goal to two quarter gave them a 42-point half time lead, which was always going to be a long way back for the Cats.
The Magpies lost Stallard and Dennis to injury in the first half, which definitely slowed them down a bit in the second, but they had the points in the bank.
While the Cats worked into the game late, there was no coming back.
When the final siren rang, the Magpies were 49-points up, and had win number 10 on the board.
Luke Scott was a standout and both ends of the ground, and Chris Hunt was great down back for the Magpies.
It was Broadbeach’s kids, like O’Shea and Palmer in the ruck who stood up.
Coaches thoughts:
Brett Andrews – Broadbeach
“There were some good spots in there, the first 15 minutes was really competitive, but they were probably just too good for us, and the score reflected that in the end.
“They were too big, and ran us of our feet, which is actually where I thought we would get them.
“They are a good side, and are on the up. Pretty solid all over the park. We had a go, just were eight goals off the pace.”
Nathan Clarke – Western Magpies
“They were on top early, played like they had nothing to lose.
“They could have been three goals up, but then we found our rhythm and went on with it.
“At half time it was about how we manage it after losing those blokes.
“When they win those clearances they are dangerous. We needed to test them out with our ball movement.
“The guys are pretty disciplined, so were able to settle early.”
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v. MORNINGSIDE
Morningside 10.1, 18.4, 23.6, 29.9 (183)
University of Queensland 3.0, 4.3, 7.5, 9.7 (61)
It wasn’t just four points, it was also a valuable nine percentage points on the board for Morningside on Saturday.
Comprehensive is the best way to describe this victory, and the tone was set early.
They came out breathing fire against a depleted UQ, bagging 10 goals in the first quarter alone.
You don’t lose many games when you do that.
By half time, the margin had blown out to 85 –points, and the job was done.
It was the Morningside of old. They were dominating the clearances, they were linking up from the back half, and their big men were kicking them from everywhere.
They were going so well, that Bisset, on debut, kicked the opening goal, and three in the first quarter alone.
To UQ’s credit didn’t roll over in the second half. They became more accountable in the middle, and they started to get their hands on the footy, but they were never in it.
The Panthers ran out 122-point winners, with a real contribution across the park.
Mitchell and Abey had 14 goals between them, and Mollison gave them first use in the middle.
Macanawai continued his good run with UQ, and Curtis battled hard all day, but they didn’t have the support around them.
Coaches thoughts:
John Tootell – UQ
“They came to play, that’s for sure.
“We came back worse after the break, losing a few to the Lions, and losing some to injury, but they gave us a footy lesson on how to run well, how to spread, and how to move well.
“The boys tried, but again, slow starters, and the game was over by quarter time.
“We became more accountable in the second half. We played a bit tighter. We needed to get more physical at the contest, which they were really good at.
“It was the small things, it was the Morningside of old.”
Matt Walder – Morningside
“We kicked 10 in the first quarter, and in previous games we have only kicked nine all together, so when you do that you don’t loose too many.
“Our really good start definitely helped, but overall it was as good of footy as we have played in a long time.
“After three weeks of struggling to win a game, we had the break and regrouped.
“The ruck and the stoppages we were well on top of, but we were also able to rebound well off half back. It was a bit of a blend between those two areas.”
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
