by Daniel Viles
BOND UNIVERSITY v ASPLEY
Saturday 8 July 2023, 2pm at Bond University Oval, Robina
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 9 – Bond University won 7; Aspley won 2
Head-to-Head at Bond University Oval: Played 4 – Bond University won 3; Aspley won 1
Last time they met: 13 May 2023 – Aspley 8.1 (49) d Bond University 6.7 (43) at Zupps Aspley Oval
Second place in the Bond University QAFLW awaits the winner of this Saturday’s match of the round at The Canal between the Bull Sharks and Aspley.
Bond Uni’s win over Southport completed a cycle in which Southport, Bond and Aspley had one win and one loss in their most recent meetings against each other. The only losses that any of the top three have experienced in 2023 have been to each other with the Hornets’ draw against Coorparoo in the opening round putting them two points behind.
There are significant differences in personnel from the thriller in Round 5. The Bull Sharks can field eight players tomorrow who missed the match at Zupps Aspley Oval through SUNS Academy commitments, although they will be without Brisbane Lions past and present in Leah Kaslar and Mikayla Pauga. The Hornets now have Rania Crozier back from the Lions Academy but have lost Charlie Mullins and Ella Smith to the Lions non-Academy.
However, the major threats for each side may not be today’s Academy players, but yesterday’s. Jasmyn Davidson (16 contested possessions) and Lily Tarlinton (three goals) are Academy graduates who, with Courtney Sexton (9 clearances), starred for Bond in their win over Southport. Similarly, Aspley’s primary ball-winners in 2023 have been another Academy graduate in Lucia Liessi and real-life-but-not-football academic Mikayla Martin.
In addition, the advantage either side may need could come from a central Queenslander starting on the bench. Yeppoon’s Ella Calleja can put the ball inside forward 50 at will and ensures that interchanges don’t hinder Bond’s forward movement. Mackay’s Hannah Giles has led Aspley’s tackles and contested possessions in her only two state league matches and may provide the extra midfield grunt needed to keep Bond’s half-forwards out of the equation.
BOND UNIVERSITY
FB | 29 Jemma Blair | 49 Kiara Bischa | 10 Grace Moodie
HB | 20 Paris Lightfoot (c) | 27 Sienna McMullen
C | 40 Charlotte Taylor | 1 Josie McCabe | 11 Georgia Hutton
HF | 18 Ava Usher | 63 Havana Harris | 4 Tara Harrington
FF | 9 Bella Iverach | 56 Lily Tarlinton
FOL | 50 Jasmyn Davidson | 7 Courtney Sexton | 17 Christy Landwehr
IC | 2 Georgia Johnson | 8 Ella Calleja | 12 Sally Evans | 14 Gabby Deller | 26 Nyalli Milne
EMG | 3 Shannon Nolan | 31 Tobi Chapman | 33 Skye White | 53 Mia Salisbury
Coach: Andy Lovell
IN: Nyalli Milne
OUT: Tobi Chapman
ASPLEY
FB | 10 Morgan Lanigan | 13 Lucy Thompson
HB | 20 Emma Pittman | 23 Ange Lingard (c) | 5 Lucy Pengelly
C | 15 Jaimie Bryant | 12 Lucia Liessi | 16 Anna van de Wiel
HF | 9 Louise Tyson | 25 Jess Stallard | 40 Rachael Vetter
FF | 19 Hanna Brennan | 37 Rania Crozier
FOL | 28 Anais Kirvan | 30 Mikayla Martin | 4 Courtney Daniec (c)
IC | 8 Maddy Kawa | 31 Jaida Tabb | 35 Ella Desrettes | 45 Hannah Giles | 54 Emma Lendrum
EMG | 1 Ari Williams | 33 Gabby Roberts | 42 Izzy Kotatis
Coach: Luke Glacken
IN: Ella Desrettes; Hannah Giles; Maddy Kawa; Jaida Tabb
OUT: Izzy Kotatis; Holly Mirfield; Holly O’Flaherty; Gabby Roberts
COORPAROO v WILSTON GRANGE
Saturday 8 July 2023, 2pm at Giffin Park, Coorparoo
Head-to-Head: Played 22 – Coorparoo won 16; Wilston Grange won 6
Head-to-Head at Giffin Park: Played 8 – Coorparoo won 6; Wilston Grange won 2
Last time they met: 13 May 2023 – Wilston Grange 6.7 (43) d Coorparoo 5.8 (38) at iiNergy Oval
Giffin Park hosts an unofficial play-off for the last remaining berth in the Bond University QAFLW finals on Saturday afternoon when Wilson Grange visits Coorparoo.
While the pre-season Gorillas would have been delighted to know that they would still be in finals contention come July, the current Gorillas have earned the right to be more ambitious than that with their four wins in 2023 including a memorable win over the Kings two months ago.
A Kings victory would create a 10-point gap between them in fourth and either Wilston Grange or University of Queensland in fifth; a Grange victory would narrow the gap to two points and open the door for Grange, UQ or even Maroochydore to slide into fourth. Both Coorparoo and Grange close the season with matches against Maroochydore plus two of the top three.
The Kings have opted to inject some muscle and fire into their forward line through JJ McLean and 7-time premiership winner Adair Henderson. Chloe Gaunt’s return provides a tall target that will provide plenty of crumbs for the pace of Roberts-White, Chesterfield and Baldwick.
The Northern Territory connections within the Gorillas have enticed Waratahs’ Grand Final captain Kierra Zarafa to the QAFLW. Em Keehn has been named as starting ruck for the first time this year but is likely to rotate through the key positions with Shiner and MacNeill.
Photographers should camp near Coorparoo’s defensive 50 where the overhead marking skills of Fetahagic, Oliver and Edmunds in navy and Geere, Shiner and Anderson in tricolours will be regularly on show. This may mean the most important players in this zone could be Lucy Schneider and Daisy Carter, whose speed and strength respectively may be the “plus one” that tilts the contest to their team’s advantage.
COORPAROO
FB | 23 Charlotte Edmunds | 29 Kaitlyn Zelinski
HB | 30 Taya Oliver | 15 Ajla Fetahagic | 18 Lucy Schneider
C | 47 Laura Blue | 3 Sally Young (c) | 12 Jo Miller
HF | 42 Grace Roberts-White | 54 Chloe Gaunt | 26 Chelsea Chesterfield
FF | 39 Jacinta Baldwick | 17 Adair Henderson
FOL | 59 Coco Garton | 24 Hannah McLaughlin | 4 Jess Watts
IC | 19 JJ McLean | 27 Megan Evans | 31 Jasmine Fretwell | 34 Liz Hills | 36 Ayla Fraser
EMG | 32 Emily Robinson | 8 Mel Sweeney | 44 Josii Hargreaves
Coach: Rebecca Randazzo
IN: Charlotte Edmunds; Chloe Gaunt; Adair Henderson; JJ McLean
OUT: Amy Dwyer; Bonnie Farrell; Binta Lamin; Emma Zielke
WILSTON GRANGE
FB | 14 Annabel Pettigrew | 49 Shania Jones
HB | 17 Kylie Welsh | 21 Jacinta Ens | 51 Gemma Donataccio
C | 18 Siobhan Senior | 1 Mackenzie Findlay (vc) | 5 Keyshia Matenga
HF | 8 Kalista-Jayne Shiner | 30 Kierra Zerafa^
FF | 15 Daisy Carter | 9 Mia Geere | 35 Charlize Anderson
FOL | 13 Emily Keehn | 40 Jayme Winter | 7 Chloe Litherland (c)
IC | 2 Abbey Brokken | 4 Megan Boscoe | 25 Maegan Dick | 48 Emma MacNeill | 52 Grace O’Donnell
EMG | 16 Tarin Moke | 23 Caitlin Gunn
Coach: Brenton Meddings
IN: Abbey Brokken; Mia Geere; Shania Jones; Kierra Zerafa
OUT: Uma Brennan; Naomi Celebre; Georgina Ott; Caitlyn Rawding
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE
Saturday 8 July 2023, 2pm at Base Architecture Meadows, St Lucia
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 25 – Yeronga SB won 17; University of Queensland won 7; Drawn 1
Head-to-Head at Base Architecture Meadows: Played 6 – Yeronga SB won 4; University of Queensland won 2
Last time they met: 13 May 2023 – University of Queensland 4.5 (29) d Yeronga SB 2.5 (17) at Leyshon Park
The River Riot? Maiwar Melee? Schonell Skirmish? There may be no nickname for the second-most played fixture among current Bond University QAFLW clubs but there are finals implications for the University of Queensland and future implications for Yeronga.
UQ’s win over Wilston Grange before the bye has given them an outside chance of a finals berth should they defeat their cross-river rivals on Saturday, Maroochydore next week, and then destroy the form guide with away wins over Aspley and Bond Uni.
Yeronga is mathematically out of the finals race but the advantage of being the youngest side in the competition is that you see the fastest learning curve. A side that has gained experience out of necessity now has two players, Madi Goodwin and Courtney McDonnell, who got that winning feeling with Queensland in Hobart last Saturday, plus a centre half-forward in Zimmorlei Farquharson who is probably the most experienced 21-year-old women’s footballer in Queensland.
The Round 5 match at Cansdale Street was notable for a masterclass from Queensland midfielder Ava Seton, and for the constant pressure on her from Taylah Welch. It would be no surprise to see Lisa Milne employ Welch in an identical role at Base Architecture Meadows on Saturday, especially with Peppa Poultney back in the ruck after recovering from a finger injury and Chelsea Winn having developed connections with her fellow Devils midfielders.
The challenge for Yeronga will be that the Red Lionesses now have a midfield enhanced by Ashleigh Moyle and Laura Roy, who are both Lions (Academy) and red. Combined with the experience of Lauren Middleton, it may take more than close attention to stop UQ from winning the ball repeatedly.
With Madi Crowley-Long unavailable, Lucy Hicks will captain UQ for the first time.
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
FB | 21 Jessi Henning | 12 Charlotte Andrews
HB | 19 Jasmine Dekker | 8 Lucy McCormick | 5 Meagan Cook
C | 2 Jane Childes | 16 Ava Seton (vc) | 9 Lara Mason
HF | 4 Kadie Fletcher | 17 Brooke Sheridan | 14 Harriet Knijff
FF | 23 Elka Barnett | 1 Gracie Champion
FOL | 18 Lucy Hicks (c) | 11 Ashleigh Moyle | 17 Laura Roy
IC | 6 Lauren Middleton | 10 Jacinta Fisher | 22 Julia Dawson | 24 Eva Sartor
EMG | 39 Jackie Chan Tie | 55 Kate McKenna | 58 Indiya De Jonge
Coach: Ross Clayfield
IN: Jacinta Fisher; Ashleigh Moyle; Eva Sartor
OUT: Jackie Chan Tie; Madi Crowley-Long; Kate McKenna
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE
FB | 24 Stephanie Field | 1 Stephanie Rosenthal
HB | 5 Jess Matthews | 8 Lucy Bellinger (c) | 55 Jamie Howell (vc)
C | 4 Camilla Burnett | 14 Madison Goodwin | 7 Tiarnah Isua
HF | 21 Sophie Dunne | 39 Zimmorlei Farquharson | 9 Ebony Milne
FF | 6 Courtney McDonnell | 28 Emily Rogers
FOL | 30 Peppa Poultney | 34 Chelsea Winn | 25 Georgia Cuffe
IC | 2 Georgia Hewett | 3 Georgia Carmody | 40 Farradai Hopkins | 45 Tamika Smith | 47 Taylah Welch
EMG | 12 Abigail Lunson | 31 Holly Mills | 35 Sophie Wheeler
Coach: Lisa Milne
IN: Stephanie Field; Emily Rogers; Tamika Smith
OUT: Charlotte Millen; Holly Mills; Laura Wagner
MAROOCHYDORE v SOUTHPORT
Saturday 24 June 2023, 2pm at Domino’s Oval, Maroochydore
Head-to-Head: Played 4 – Southport won 3; Maroochydore won 1
Head-to-Head at Domino’s Oval: nil
Last time they met: 13 May 2023 – Southport 14.17 (101) d Maroochydore 1.0 (6) at Fankhauser Reserve
Maroochydore will face its biggest challenge in this year’s Bond University QAFLW at Domino’s Oval on Saturday when it becomes the first team to play Southport coming off a loss.
The Sharks produced their most complete all-round performance of the year against the Roos in Round 5 winning the Inside 50s 74 to five, 12 of those from Poppy Boltz and 11 from Georgia Breward who also had 40 disposals.
This time around, Maroochydore will be without AFLW fullback Kiara Hillier but will have the speed and skill of Sophie Peters and Amber Swan, plus a host of teenagers whose stocks have noticeably risen in recent matches, including ruck Lilly Baker, wide runner Lily Logan, the imposing and skilful Indiana Williams, and three-goal star against Aspley Kaiya Hides. Coaches Hume and Malone can also include key forward Chelsea Gillard for the first time since Round 3.
Southport’s loss to Bond Uni showed that the Sharks midfielders could be pressured into ineffective disposals that severed the connection to the half-forwards; but even then, they were skilful enough not to concede intercept marks and ensure that not every counter-attack began at full speed.
Vice-captain Rianna Schipp, who has impressed this year as a winger with strong forward pressure, has been named on the ball, possibly with an eye to the finals in case greater flexibility is needed within the squad. Classy left-footer Caitlin Wendland, fresh from a scarcely believable 21 tackles in Central Districts’ last-gasp SANFLW Grand Final win, has been named at half-forward for her QAFLW debut with the ability to drop back onto the ball or out to the wing if required.
MAROOCHYDORE
FB | 44 Madalyn Hennessy | 58 Indiana Williams
HB | 39 Imagen David | 25 Sara-Jane O’Grady (c) | 22 Lily Logan
C | 13 Jya Epstein | 7 Demi Norton | 59 Amber Swan
HF | 49 Kaiya Hides | 48 Renee Teys | 28 Zara Hurley
FF | 47 Hayley Edgar | 1 Jessee Sills
FOL | 57 Lilly Baker | 21 Anneka Williams | 53 Sophie Peters
IC | 3 Brydie Eva | 15 Dakota Hooper | 23 Ebony Otto | 30 Chelsea Gillard | 50 Tarah Muir
EMG | nil
Coaches: Dave Hume and Hetti Malone
IN: Brydie Eva; Chelsea Gillard; Madalyn Hennessy; Amber Swan
OUT: Lataya De Pauw; Naomi Fitzpatrick; Kiah Thompson; Poppy Tindal
SOUTHPORT
FB | 35 Jess Maher | 12 Tamsin Perry
HB | 1 Kristi Harvey | 24 Alessia Smythe | 11 Leigh Alder
C | 8 Abbie Pluples | 14 Maddy Watt | 4 Hannah Davies
HF | 45 Maddie Gault | 36 Maggie O’Connell | 38 Caitlin Wendland^
FF | 5 Jess Malouf (c) | 27 Georja Davies
FOL | 29 Lilly Pearce | 2 Rianna Schipp (vc) | 47 Georgia Breward
IC | 7 Steph O’Brien | 21 Selina Priest (vc) | 32 Tayla Gregory | 57 Ruby Mitchell | 58 Peyton Mackie
EMG | 6 Avalon Pearce | 16 Tori Winstanley | 17 Serina Balanda | 30 Matisse Hunter
Coach: Peter Doherty
IN: Tayla Gregory; Peyton Mackie; Caitlin Wendland
OUT: Maddy Baldwin; Avalon Pearce; Carly Remmos
^ denotes QAFLW debut; † denotes QAFLW club debut
You can watch all matches in the Bond University QAFLW by visiting AFL Queensland on YouTube.
