by Daniel Viles
BOND UNIVERSITY v SOUTHPORT
Saturday 13 April 2024, 4:45pm at Bond University Oval, Robina
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Team lists available on the PlayHQ Game Centre
Head-to-Head: Played 6 – Bond University won 3; Southport won 3
Head-to-Head at Bond University Oval: Played 3 – Southport won 3
Last time they met: 12 Aug 2023 (Semi Final) – Bond University 7.9 (51) d Southport 4.5 (29) at Fankhauser Reserve.
The Gold Coast Derby between Bond University and Southport (aka Shark Stoush VII) at Bond University Oval will headline Round 2 of the 2024 Bond University QAFLW.
The premiers and minor premiers of 2023 each had comfortable wins in Round 1 which provided their combined nine debutantes with a smooth entry into the state league. Round 2 will give them a more veridical understanding of the competition.
The Bull Sharks regain Havana Harris and Tara Harrington who return from representing the AFL National Academy Girls against the Under-23 All Stars in Melbourne last week. Sally Evans is promoted from Bond’s Reserve Grade team which, like the Academy side, won its match by 104 points.
Georgia Hutton will miss a QAFLW match for Bond for the first time since Round 2 of 2021, ending her incredible run of 48 consecutive appearances.
The Sharks have included experienced defender Leigh Alder and given debuts to Alicia Gordon and Shayla Lloyd, both of whom arrived at Fankhauser from the QFAW (for Surfers Paradise and Pacific Pines respectively) and hit the scoreboard for Southport’s Reserves against Wilston Grange in Round 1.
There will be a disproportionate amount of attention on those Bond and Southport players who are also at the Suns Academy. To be fair, what’s not to love about seeing Southport’s potential all-teen halfback line of Sunny Lappin, Alannah Welsh and Mikayla Nurse lining up on a possible Bond half-forward trio of Harrington, Harris and Nyalli Milne? Similarly, who wouldn’t want to see if last week’s six-goal starlet Dekota Baron can generate more highlights?
The strength of the Bond University QAFLW is not only that it pits the young and talented against the mature and proven, but it supports the young and talented with the mature and proven. Baron will be challenged by experienced defenders like Grace Moodie, Jemma Blair and Jasmyn Davidson, but she’ll have alongside her astute half-forwards like Megan Hunt, Hannah Davies and Maighan Fogas.
At the other end of the field, Bella Iverach saw her 2023 forward partner Lily Tarlinton drafted by the Adelaide Crows at age 21. Her departure gives Iverach both the opportunity to become the key target and could allow her to cut loose. But then, as if a defence that could include Selina Priest would allow any opposition forward to go without attention.
For all the talk of great rivalry between the two breeds of shark, the six previous Stoushes, curiously all won by the visiting team, has had only one match with a single-digit winning margin.
Saturday’s other matches see Yeronga hosting its second Grand Finalist in a row when Aspley comes to Leyshon, UQ and Maroochydore each looking for their first win of the season, and Coorparoo travelling to Wilston Grange seeking to break its curse of never having won the first two matches of a Bond University QAFLW season.
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE v ASPLEY
Saturday 13 April 2024, 2pm at Leyshon Park, Yeronga
Head-to-Head: Played 9 – Yeronga won 5; Aspley won 4
Head-to-Head at Leyshon Park: Played 3 – Yeronga won 2; Aspley won 1
Last time they met: 15 Jul 2023 (Round 14) – Aspley 7.15 (57) d Yeronga 6.7 (43) at Giffin Park.
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v MAROOCHYDORE
Saturday 13 April 2024, 3:45pm at Base Architecture Meadows, St Lucia
Head-to-Head: Played 16 – UQ won 10; Maroochydore won 6
Head-to-Head at Base Architecture Meadows: Played 4 – UQ won 3; Maroochydore won 1
Last time they met: 15 Jul 2023 (Round 14) – University of Queensland 4.9 (33) d Maroochydore 1.2 (8) at Giffin Park.
WILSTON GRANGE v COORPAROO
Saturday 13 April 2024, 4:45pm at iiNergy Oval, Stafford
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 23 – Coorparoo won 17; Wilston Grange won 6
Head-to-Head at iiNergy Oval: Played 10 – Coorparoo won 7; Wilston Grange won 3
Last time they met: 8 Jul 2023 (Round 13) – Coorparoo 4.1 (25) d Wilston Grange 2.5 (17) at Giffin Park.
You can watch all matches in the Bond University QAFLW by visiting the Official AFLQ YouTube channel.
