by Daniel Viles
WILSTON GRANGE v MAROOCHYDORE
Saturday 22 July 2023, 4:45pm at iiNergy Oval, Stafford
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 13 – Maroochydore won 8; Wilston Grange won 5
Head-to-Head at iiNergy Oval: Played 6 – Maroochydore won 4; Wilston Grange won 2
Last time they met: 20 May 2023 – Wilston Grange 3.9 (27) d Maroochydore 2.8 (20) at Domino’s Oval
This Saturday evening’s Bond University QAFLW Match of the Round provides both Wilston Grange and Maroochydore with a final opportunity in 2023 to measure themselves against a team of similar standing.
Both teams finish their season against top four sides next week but have largely tracked each other throughout 2023 and are separated on the points table solely by Grange’s win on the Sunshine Coast in Sir Douglas Nicholls Round.
The hosts are still without midfielders Uma Brennan and Caitlyn Rawding and lose forward Daisy Carter for the first time this year but regain their two least predictable runners in Zimra Hussain and Naomi Celebre. Coach Brenton Meddings has named the returning Kalista-Jayne Shiner in a key forward role and may be able to leave her there now that Em Keehn and co. are managing the ball-up responsibilities.
The ruck question may become irrelevant if Lilly Baker, arguably the best ruck on the field in Queensland U18’s loss at Adelaide Oval last Saturday, can give state teammate Sophie Peters and the ever-improving Brydie Eva first use of the ball. The Roos’ outside runners now include the speedy Alyssa Armstrong for the first time since Round 9.
A key to watching this match will be to ignore the inside-50 count as both defences can absorb attacking pressure for long periods. In Round 6, the Gorillas lost the inside-50s by eight but won the match by seven. Gemma Donataccio shows every week that she can dominate her defensive zone with clever positioning, pressure acts and spoils, and yet finishes with a stats sheet that looks like she took the day off. Similarly, Madalyn Hennessy has been given time to grow into the role vacated by the injured Kelsee Sills and rewarded her coaches Hume and Malone in Pride Round with her most assured QAFLW performance to date. There will be no free goals at iiNergy Oval this Saturday.
WILSTON GRANGE
FB | 51 Gemma Donataccio | 10 Ash Moloney
HB | 14 Annabel Pettigrew | 21 Jacinta Ens | 19 Zimra Hussain
C | 18 Siobhan Senior | 40 Jayme Winter | 5 Keyshia Matenga
HF | 17 Kylie Welsh | 8 Kalista-Jayne Shiner | 2 Abbey Brokken
FF | 27 Naomi Celebre | 35 Charlize Anderson
FOL | 13 Emily Keehn | 1 Mackenzie Findlay (vc) | 7 Chloe Litherland (c)
IC | 4 Megan Boscoe | 12 Lauren Shackleton | 25 Maegan Dick | 48 Emma MacNeill | 52 Grace O’Donnell
EMG | 11 Brooke Cordwell | 16 Tarin Moke | 47 Gemma Moore | 56 Madeleine Haeusler
Coach: Brenton Meddings
IN: Megan Boscoe; Naomi Celebre; Zimra Hussain; Kalista-Jayne Shiner
OUT: Daisy Carter; Mia Geere; Shania Jones; Kierra Zerafa
MAROOCHYDORE
FB | 44 Madalyn Hennessy | 17 Mieke Thorbecke | 25 Sara-Jane O’Grady (c)
HB | 32 Alyssa Armstrong | 39 Imagen David
C | 13 Jya Epstein | 21 Anneka Williams | 50 Tarah Muir
HF | 30 Chelsea Gillard | 7 Demi Norton
FF | 49 Kaiya Hides | 47 Hayley Edgar | 58 Indiana Williams
FOL | 57 Lilly Baker | 3 Brydie Eva | 53 Sophie Peters
IC | 1 Jessee Sills | 5 Lataya De Pauw | 23 Ebony Otto | 40 Ash Johnson-Moody
EMG | nil
Coaches: Dave Hume and Hetti Malone
IN: Alyssa Armstrong; Lilly Baker; Lataya De Pauw; Sophie Peters; Indiana Williams
OUT: Naomi Fitzpatrick; Zara Hurley; Lily Logan; Lucy McEachen; Renee Teys
SOUTHPORT v COORPAROO
Saturday 22 July 2023, 2pm at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 3 – Southport won 3
Head-to-Head at Fankhauser Reserve: Played 1 – Southport won 1
Last time they met: 20 May 2023 – Southport 5.10 (40) d Coorparoo 1.3 (9) at Giffin Park
Southport can secure its first Bond University QAFLW minor premiership with a win over newly confirmed finalists Coorparoo at Fankhauser Reserve on Saturday afternoon.
The self-belief of both sides deserves to be high after wins at the opposite ends of Pride Round that required them to dig deep and fight through positions they hadn’t encountered this year: Southport to stave off the biggest upset of the season against Wilston Grange; and Coorparoo to maintain their ruthlessness against Bond University until the final siren.
The May meeting between these sides was a highly physical encounter with the Kings having the majority of territory but unable to convert that into points. Since then, Chelsea Chesterfield has returned from injury to score 15 goals in six games, including 11 in her last three. Against that, the Sharks were without defensive lynchpin Selina Priest and fullback Jess Maher in Round 6 (Darcie Davies putting in a magnificent shift as a makeshift centre halfback) and forward-turned-defender Alessia Smythe was still injured.
At the other end of the field, Coorparoo’s armada of intercept markers dealt with most of Southport’s slow and steady inside 50 entries but were repeatedly out-manoeuvred when the Sharks launched their rapid counterattacks. The addition of Wendland and Remmos only strengthens how quickly Southport can transition from defence to attack.
Coorparoo has two ways of handling those transitions: be more organised in defence, which they certainly were against Bond last week; or kick goals so that the ball only comes back at them when the umpires are running it to the centre circle.
A possible addition to Southport’s attack is Kaitlin Mercer whose nine goals in Reserve Grade last week has seen her promoted to the first grade Emergency list.
SOUTHPORT
FB | 35 Jess Maher | 18 Tamsin Perry
HB | 20 Kristi Harvey | 21 Selina Priest (c) | 11 Leigh Alder
C | 3 Peyton Mackie | 2 Rianna Schipp (c) | 34 Caitlin Wendland
HF | 19 Sarah Ingram | 7 Steph O’Brien | 38 Ruby Mitchell
FF | 24 Alessia Smythe | 36 Maggie O’Connell
FOL | 40 Lilly Pearce | 10 Carly Remmos | 47 Georgia Breward
IC | 4 Hannah Davies | 8 Abbie Pluples | 14 Maddy Watt | 32 Tayla Gregory | 46 Maddy Baldwin
EMG | 5 Jess Malouf | 17 Serina Balanda | 37 Kaitlin Mercer | 45 Maddie Gault
Coach: Peter Doherty
IN: Sarah Ingram; Carly Remmos; Maddy Watt
OUT: Maddie Gault; Jess Malouf
COORPAROO
FB | 45 Bonnie Farrell | 47 Laura Blue
HB | 15 Ajla Fetahagic | 50 Sammy Nunn | 29 Kaitlyn Zelinski
C | 30 Taya Oliver | 3 Sally Young (c) | 12 Jo Miller
HF | 39 Jacinta Baldwick | 42 Grace Roberts-White | 13 Gabby Fares
FF | 26 Chelsea Chesterfield | 54 Chloe Gaunt
FOL | 34 Liz Hills | 24 Hannah McLaughlin | 4 Jess Watts
IC | 8 Mel Sweeney | 27 Megan Evans | 32 Emily Robinson | 36 Ayla Fraser | 56 Giuliana Simionato
EMG | 1 Bridget Taylor | 7 Amy “Ducky” Melino | 40 Rose Collins
Coach: Rebecca Randazzo
IN: Jacinta Baldwick; Bonnie Farrell; Sammy Nunn; Emily Robinson; Mel Sweeney
OUT: Charlotte Edmunds; Jasmine Fretwell; Kayla Geddes; Josii Hargreaves; Lucy Schneider
ASPLEY v UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Saturday 22 July 2023, 4:45pm at Zupps Aspley Oval, Carseldine
Head-to-Head: Played 9 – University of Queensland won 8; Aspley won 1
Head-to-Head at Zupps Aspley Oval: Played 4 – University of Queensland won 4
Last time they met: 20 May 2023 – Aspley 5.5 (35) d University of Queensland 3.3 (21) at Base Architecture Meadows
First-time finalists Aspley will keep their chances of a top-two finish in the Bond University QAFLW alive if they can negotiate a tricky home encounter with University of Queensland.
Aspley’s jailbreak victory over Yeronga in Pride Round followed by Bond Uni’s surprise loss to Coorparoo reduced the gap between second and third to two points. UQ plays each of them over the last two rounds and, while out of finals contention themselves, will have a big say in who gets the double-chance.
The Hornets have been outstanding in broken play this year with their pace out wide in all three lines repeatedly putting the ball on a platter for their physically strong corridor. Not only do they have two of the top five goalkickers in the QAFLW, Jess Stallard and Rachael Vetter, but Mikayla Martin is the league’s highest scoring midfielder. The teams that have stopped Aspley this year have been the ones who make sure that they don’t win the ball in the first place.
The good news for UQ is they have four of the QAFLW’s top ten contested possession winners in Ava Seton (first), Lara Mason (third), Lauren Middleton (eighth) and Meagan Cook (tenth). The problem for the Red Lionesses has been using it thereafter, but consecutive wins over the three teams ranked below them have given the side, especially the younger Red Lionesses (Roy, Moyle, Knijff, Sartor, McCormick, Barnett), the opportunity to build connections and confidence. The game where all of the elements unite cannot be far away.
ASPLEY
FB | 10 Morgan Lanigan | 13 Lucy Thompson
HB | 20 Emma Pittman | 23 Ange Lingard (c) | 5 Lucy Pengelly
C | 15 Jaimie Bryant | 8 Maddy Kawa | 16 Anna van de Wiel
HF | 9 Louise Tyson | 25 Jess Stallard | 37 Rania Crozier
FF | 40 Rachael Vetter | 59 Holly Mirfield
FOL | 28 Anais Kirvan | 4 Courtney Daniec (c) | 30 Mikayla Martin
IC | 12 Lucia Liessi | 19 Hanna Brennan | 29 Elysse McNiven | 35 Ella Desrettes | 54 Emma Lendrum
EMG | 32 Bree McKenzie | 42 Izzy Kotatis
Coach: Luke Glacken
IN: Rania Crozier; Lucia Liessi; Holly Mirfield; Emma Pittman
OUT: Hannah Giles; Izzy Kotatis; Jaida Tabb; Ari Williams
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
FB | 21 Jessi Henning | 12 Charlotte Andrews
HB | 5 Meagan Cook | 8 Lucy McCormick | 7 Madi Crowley-Long (c)
C | 2 Jane Childes | 34 Ashleigh Moyle | 9 Lara Mason
HF | 4 Kadie Fletcher | 1 Gracie Champion | 41 Harriet Knijff
FF | 35 Elka Barnett | 17 Brooke Sheridan
FOL | 18 Lucy Hicks (vc) | 16 Ava Seton (vc) | 24 Laura Roy
IC | 6 Lauren Middleton | 22 Julia Dawson | 38 Eva Sartor | 59 Edie McCabe | 60 Bridey Condren
EMG | 10 Jacinta Fisher | 39 Jackie Chan Tie | 55 Kate McKenna
Coach: Ross Clayfield
IN: Madi Crowley-Long; Lucy McCormick; Lauren Middleton; Ashleigh Moyle; Brooke Sheridan
OUT: Claudia Dargie; Jasmine Dekker; Jacinta Fisher; Kate McKenna; Charlotte Russell
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE v BOND UNIVERSITY
Saturday 22 July 2023, 4:45pm at Leyshon Park, Yeronga
Head-to-Head: Played 12 – Bond University won 7; Yeronga SB won 5
Head-to-Head at Leyshon Park: Played 5 – Bond University won 3; Yeronga SB won 2
Last time they met: 20 May 2023 – Bond University 11.13 (79) d Yeronga SB 1.5 (11) at Bond University Oval
Yeronga should start its final home match of the 2023 Bond University QAFLW believing they are good enough to bring down second-place Bond University.
A horror draw sees the winless Devils playing against third, second and first in their final three matches, but the almighty scare they gave third-place Aspley in Pride Round must convince them that beating the best isn’t impossible. At their peak, the tackling pressure of wingers Tiarnah Isua and Jamie Howell forces opponents to try going through the corridor, which means taking on the likes of Chelsea Winn and Lucy Bellinger.
Zimmorlei Farquharson has given Yeronga’s attack a focal point that increases the space available to forwards like Georgia Hewett and Courtney McDonnell, playing her 100th senior match for Yeronga this week.
The Bull Sharks, however, will be smarting after a difficult loss last week and looking forward to their final home-and-away game in which they have their Queensland Under-18 players available. Junior representative football has forced Bond over the last few weeks to bring nine players in, then take nine players out, then bring nine players in. This week, they’ve had to re-order their side because they are without both Jasmyn Davidson and Lily Tarlinton for the first time in three years (i.e. they’ve had to shake them all about).
The replacement height comes in the form of Skye White and Paige Price, while Leah Kaslar is available for the first time since Round 6 and has been named at centre half-forward. Kaslar has played 78 QAFLW matches, the other eight inclusions have played 49 matches combined.
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE
FB | 49 Laura Wagner | 5 Jess Matthews
HB | 55 Jamie Howell (vc) | 8 Lucy Bellinger (c) | 31 Holly Mills
C | 7 Tiarnah Isua | 21 Sophie Dunne | 4 Camilla Burnett
HF | 6 Courtney McDonnell | 39 Zimmorlei Farquharson | 9 Ebony Milne
FF | 14 Madison Goodwin | 29 Claire Fraser^
FOL | 30 Peppa Poultney | 40 Farradai Hopkins | 34 Chelsea Winn
IC | 1 Stephanie Rosenthal | 2 Georgia Hewett | 3 Georgia Carmody | 45 Tamika Smith | 47 Taylah Welch
EMG | 18 Madie Satyasiv | 32 Ila Streeter
Coach: Lisa Milne
IN: Claire Fraser; Ebony Milne; Taylah Welch
OUT: Abigail Lunson; Sophie Wheeler
BOND UNIVERSITY
FB | 29 Jemma Blair | 49 Kiara Bischa | 10 Grace Moodie
HB | 20 Paris Lightfoot (c) | 11 Georgia Hutton
C | 40 Charlotte Taylor | 17 Christy Landwehr | 12 Sally Evans
HF | 26 Nyalli Milne | 36 Leah Kaslar | 4 Tara Harrington
FF | 9 Bella Iverach | 62 Paige Price
FOL | 33 Skye White | 7 Courtney Sexton | 18 Ava Usher
IC | 2 Georgia Johnson | 14 Gabby Deller | 27 Sienna McMullen | 44 Sophie Balcombe | 53 Mia Salisbury
EMG | 3 Shannon Nolan | 25 Tshinta Kendall
Coach: Andy Lovell
IN: Kiara Bischa; Tara Harrington; Leah Kaslar; Sienna McMullen; Nyalli Milne; Paige Price; Mia Salisbury; Ava Usher; Skye White
OUT: Jasmyn Davidson; Mackenzie Farmer; Andria Heard; Sunny Hewett; Tshinta Kendall; Shannon Nolan; Piper Phelan; Jasmine Single; Lily Tarlinton
^ denotes QAFLW debut; † denotes QAFLW club debut
You can watch all matches in the Bond University QAFLW by visiting the Official AFLQ YouTube channel.
