By Ant Wingard
Yeronga South Brisbane (2) v Coorparoo (6)
Friday, June 28, 7:00pm
Leyshon Park
The QAFLW’s old rivals will once again converge under the Friday night lights of Leyshon Park and both sides will have the opportunity to rewrite contrasting form against one another in the season-defining derby.
Yeronga’s home deck has painted the backdrop to many encounters between the two southside teams however form suggests the Kings may have the upper hand in Round 10.
Coorparoo have claimed the four points against the Devils in the sides’ two most recent encounters at Leyshon Park and their most recent loss at the venue being way back with the 2017 QAFLW Grand Final.
Seemingly, if the game were to have been hosted at Coorparoo’s Giffin Park Oval, it would be Yeronga who would hold the upper hand having won in the two most recent games there between the two sides and having only lost once to the Kings there since Round 1 of the 2016 season.
This week’s contest looms pivotal for both sides given the scope of the season with a win almost solidifying Yeronga’s place within the finals bracket as they look to usurp Bond University from top spot.
For Coorparoo though, the showdown could be a boom or bust affair with the Kings sitting behind the eight ball in sixth place – one game and plenty of percentage behind the Roos, Red Lions and Bluebirds.
Yeronga will regain midfielder Sam Virgo for the contest, dynamic forward Jade Ransfield and Laura David for her second game of the season.
Coorparoo have lost ruckman Emma McKenzie and will still be without number one ruck Tahlia Hickie, meaning Hannah Hillman will shoulder the ruck duties against Jessy Keeffe.
Elsewhere, Emma Zielke returns alongside defender Emma Gibson, Caitlyn Huth, Amy Duxfield and Queensland Under 18 bottom-ager Macie Brown.
Bond University (1) v University of Queensland (4)
Saturday June 29, 3:45pm
Bond University
Outright third spot could be up for grabs when University of Queensland tackle ladder leaders Bond University on the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon.
Of course, that scenario would require both a Red Lions upset over the Bull Sharks and for the away side to make up the 30-odd percentage they trail Coolangatta, who currently occupy third, should the Bluebirds also claim the four points over the similarly positioned Maroochydore.
Should the Red Lions fail to cause the upset and the possibility of dropping to fifth, or even sixth could eventuate should Maroochydore claim a big win over the Bluebirds and Coorparoo do the same tonight against Yeronga.
It’s a match with a lot riding on it for the Red Lions however the west-Brisbane club will need to navigate their way past the Bull Sharks without some of their most esteemed talent on the field.
2018 QAFLW Rising Star winner Nat Grider, Bree Koenen and Sharni Webb will all miss the clash as three significant losses for the Red Lions.
Other losses to this week’s team include Jane Childes, Eva Agnew and Maddison Wood while Xanthe Cerutti, Greta Bodey are among the rafts of ins for the Red Lions.
Bond University have too made a handful of changes to the side by welcoming back in midfielder Laura Attard and defender Tiarna Ernst while wing/half-forward Erin Sundstrom will also play after she was a late inclusion in to their Round 9 win over Maroochydore.
A win for Bond would all but lock away a maiden finals birth for the Bull Sharks who could produce their eight win of the season.
And with Yeronga still hot on their tails, ensuring a first-week home final by clinging on to top spot could prove imperative with the finals near given the side have lost just one game on their home deck this season.
Maroochydore (5) v Coolangatta Tweed (3)
Saturday June 29, 4:45pm
Maroochydore Multisport Complex
Coolangatta Tweed has called in a favour from one of the most astute minds in women’s football as the Bluebirds hope to resurrect their season.
Former Carlton General Manager of Women’s Football Nicole Graves, who spent the 2018 AFLW season with the Blues, has joined Coolangatta’s ranks for the remaining five games of the 2019 season.
Graves joins the Bluebirds at a crucial time for the team, who are one of three sides who enter Round 10 with a 5-4 record, one of which is this week’s opponent Maroochydore.
Coolangatta coach Matt Bedford confirmed the arrival of Graves, who also coached Swan Districts to back to back WAFLW premierships, to the Bluebirds’ backroom staff for at least the next few weeks.
Graves is perhaps the biggest addition to the Bluebirds side who have now one two of their previous three games yet the side will also usher back both Rosalie Adamson and Ebony Peterson but lose Elisa Mangan and Holly Mirfield for the contest.
Maroochydore will welcome back Ashleigh Hales for the crunch game as one of many inclusions for the Roos which also includes Brooke Randall, Maggie Harmer and Jacqui Dover.
The Roos also find themselves among the finals log jam but enter the contest in rather chequered form having traded losses and wins over their past five games.
Wilston Grange (7) v Aspley (8)
Saturday June 29, 12:15pm
Wilston Grange’s hopes of regaining some footing in the QAFLW standings have taken a hit after midfielder Catherine Svarc has been ruled out of this weekend’s north Brisbane derby with Aspley.
The Gorillas currently find themselves in seventh place having won just one of their previous eight games but face the proposition of resurrecting their 2019 season without their star midfielder in Svarc.
Svarc, who again featured for the Brisbane Lions in the QW Winter Series last weekend, has been arguable the Gorillas’ most consistent performers throughout the season and has been named in the team’s best players more than any other player in the competition this season.
Her absence leaves a significant void in the midfield and against an Aspley side who despite struggling to hit the scoreboard consistently, have established themselves as a gritty, contested side, mean Wilston Grange could again be up for a challenge.
Svarc is one of three changes for the Gorillas alongside ruck Emm MacNeill and Stephanie Walker, while the also regain emerging tall Imogen Stackelberg and Queensland Under 18 midfielder Mackenzie Findlay.
Aspley will be without leading goal kicker Michaela Campbell for the contest however the Hornets will unveil former GWS GIANTS defender Renee Tomkins, who has made the switch from AFL Sydney outfit East Coast Eagles, for the showdown alongside the returning Kylie Guarino and Shaye Easton.
Image: David Layden Photography
