MATCH OF THE ROUND
Western Magpies vs. Broadbeach
Saturday April 23, 2:00pm, Chelmer
Live blog from 1:45pm at www.aflq-new.fspdev.com
It’s the return to the nest.
For the first time this year, the Magpies return to Chelmer, and fittingly, it’s a blockbuster.
Both have shown what they are capable of this year… in patches.
Last week, Broadbeach took it right to the red-hot Mt Gravatt for all but 10 minutes in the last quarter, whereas the Magpies crawled their way out of a dogfight with Sandgate.
Clear, empty land will be harder to find on Chelmer than in Beijing tomorrow, it will be locked in tight.
Carseldine, Mitchell and Allen vs. Darcy Dienjes, Dillon and Ryan Pantic will be intriguing; ice baths will be required after the game that’s for sure.
It’s only round four, but this could be the first eight-point game of the season, these two teams will be very close on the ladder when push comes to shove I think.
If the Cats can get the ball moving forward, they win. If it’s slow, they loose.
The first 10-minutes will be red hot, and will really set the tone.
Where it will be won: the stoppages
Morningside vs. UQ
Saturday April 23, 2:00pm, Jack Esplen Oval
There is a bit of David vs. Goliath about this one.
Morningside last week hushed everyone who believed they would slide in 2016 by knocking off the reigning premier, a team they couldn’t beat in three attempts in 2015.
For UQ, it’s been a tough start to the year.
Coach John Tootell must have walked under a ladder while kicking a black cat on his arrival to Field 9, because the injuries have been savage.
But never count out an underdog, stranger things have happened.
The key to Morningside’s win last week was their work around the contest. They were hard at the footy and they ran for each other. They had buy in from all 22 players.
Kinch drove them off a half-back flank, Russ rode shotgun in the centre of the ground, and Nash was the bloke in the back playing the music. It just worked.
They need that again this week; they are a lethal trio.
The Red Lions have nothing to lose. Lovett and Powyer will steady them down back, but blokes like Hannaford and Macanawai need to get off the chain early.
If they throw caution to the wind, they will lift as a unit.
Where it will be won: the outside players
Mt Gravatt vs. Palm Beach Currumbin
Saturday April 23, 2:00pm, Dittmer Park
They aren’t that tall, they aren’t that big, but wow both of these teams can play footy.
If you’re looking for an attractive, high scoring, fast game of footy, look no further.
There is one KPI Mt Gravatt need to tick off this week; kicking straight.
They have been in a position where it didn’t hurt them in the last two weeks, but that won’t be the case tomorrow.
If they miss the getable ones, Palm Beach will put them to the sword.
Having said that, being inaccurate and still winning games of footy isn’t a bad spot to be in, they have hardly put a foot wrong this year.
If the co-captains, Murphy and Hamill get going, the ball will spend a lot of time in the Vultures’ forward 50.
The Lions get Croad back this week, and Stubbs showed no signs of a slow start in his first week. Watching them in action together will be great for footy.
You’ll get a good look at the heels of both teams this week; they will be running the ball.
Toss of the coin this one, who knows, could be a grand final preview.
Where it will be won: the spread
Surfers Paradise vs. Labrador
Sunday April 24, 2:00pm, Sir Bruce Small Oval
Neither of these teams had 1-2 in their season calculations at the end of round 3. You can bet your bottom dollar they don’t want to be 1-3.
Both teams need to fix opposite ends of the game to win this week.
For Labrador, they need to start well. They have been giving teams too many goals early, and chasing their tails for the rest of the afternoon.
For Surfers, they have to finish well. Their first halves have been as good as anyone; it’s during the next hour of play that they shoot themselves in the foot.
It will be a shootout at either end between Danny Green and Bryce Retzlaff this week. A couple of big bags could be on the talking point agenda next week.
Where it will be won: The engine room. Control that, control the game.
Sandgate vs. Wilston Grange
Sunday April 24, 5:30pm, Lemke Road
This one is more than just a game of footy.
In their annual ANZAC Day event, Sandgate host Wilston Grange for a game under lights.
They didn’t get the chocolates last week, but Sandgate started to get the wheels in motion.
Their disposal was better, they worked off each other better, and they were in the contest for every minute.
They need to finish off their good work this week, it’s the polish, the spit and shine, that will be the difference between grabbing four points or not.
Wilston Grange bounced back in the most emphatic way possible last week… they love night footy.
Nixon-Smith will be very important out on the wing, and if Trewhella goes to Aden Rutledge, there is your match up to watch.
Their strength is definitely around the ball; don’t expect the focus to be any different this week.
Where this will be won: contested footy
Milestones:
Sam Brown: 150 games at Morningside
Sean Atkinson: 100 games for Surfers Paradise
150 year fact – Palm Beach Currumbin Football Club
by Queensland Football Forensics
The Gold Coast Australian Football League was formed on 17th May 1961. The
Southport club was formed several days later, with Palm Beach-Currumbin following in June.
In their first year, the Lions were known as ‘Centrals’. Although the small number of teams prevented a premiership competition being held, the two teams played each other several times during the season, both victorious on different occasions. In August a Gold Coast team, featuring players from the two clubs played a Navy team at Salk Oval.
The Gold Coast won the game by five points. Then a team from Ipswich joined the two coast teams for a triangular inter-district competition in August and September. This was won by Southport.
The Gold Coast League held its first senior football premiership in 1964, with Southport the inaugural premiers. Fittingly, the League’s other 1961 team, Palm Beach-Currumbin, took the title in 1965 with a twenty-point victory over Surfers Paradise in the Grand Final at Salk Oval. Here’s part of the story of the game from the South Coast Bulletin.
By Andrew Wiles
Follow @andrewjwiles
