By Terry Wilson
Cats open the door and the Panthers pounce
Broadbeach’s habit of leaving the door open for opposition sides finally brought them unstuck when Morningside powered to an impressive win at Jack Esplen Oval on Saturday.
Down by four goals late in the opening quarter, the Panthers stormed back to take the four points by 17.11 (113) to 9.9 (63) for the club’s third win of the season under new coach Clint Watts.
It was the way the Panthers went about things after what Watts described as a pedestrian opening that was the most encouraging thing.
The Cats led 38-31 just before the first break, but that was when the rot set in.
The visitors had a total of nine goals for the match and six of them were in the opening stanza.
Three majors after that was poor, reflected by the third quarter when Morningside kicked a match-breaking 8.1 to 2.0.
That was when the door was left ajar and the Panthers accepted the invitation.
Broadbeach coach Beau Zorko said the Cats had done the same thing in matches against Mt Gravatt and the Western Magpies but they got away with it with wins.
“It’s all about leaving the door open and not putting a team away,” said Zorko.
“We were fortunate enough to get away with those two but this time we left the door open for a really good opposition and they pounced.
“We started the game terrifically and did everything we wanted to do.
“But there was a patch in red time when we just lapsed. We made some poor mistakes and let them in for some easy shots at goal.
“We kicked one goal five in the second quarter and from then on we got outworked and outrun.
“Unfortunately for our boys it was a nice lesson on having to play four quarters of football.”
Prime movers like former St Kilda player Brad Howard in the middle, ruckman Peter Mollison and half-forward Luke Rogerson lifted the Cats after their slack start.
“It was probably Brad’s best effort of the season so far,” said Watts of his Redland NEAFL recruit.
“He’s enjoying his footy down a level and he still has a real desire to compete.
“We were pedestrian early, getting outrun both ways, but we worked our way back into the game, we ground away, then got on top of them.
“We had worked so hard during the week trying to refine and patch up bits and pieces, so I was happy with the outcome of the things we worked on.
“Still, it’s far from the finished product yet.”
For Broadbeach Jayden Rymer was excellent in the midfield, Nick Burton put in as an onballer, Jai Lyons did well on a wing and big Jason Cloke kicked two goals from limited opportunities.
Next weekend Broadbech host Wilston Grange on Saturday while Morningside have a big Brisbane derby away to the Western Magpies on Sunday.
Morningside 3.4, 7.7, 15.8, 17.11 (113)
Broadbeach 6.2, 7.7, 9.7, 9.9 (63)
GOALS, Morningside: P. Mollison 4, E. Mallan 2, H. Joyce 2, D. Cameron-Reeves 2, R. Dadds 1, S. Godfrey 1, L. Russ 1, J. Rayner 1, T. Hausfeld 1, B. Howard 1, I. Edwards 1.
Broadbeach: J. Cloke 2, J. Hinds 2, J. Lyons 1, X. McMahon 1, B. Chadwick 1, B. Erickson 1, B. Neal 1.
BEST, Morningside: L. Rogerson, B. Howard, P. Mollison, H. Joyce, J. Kennealy, M. Serrurier. Broadbeach: J. Rymer, J. Cloke, J. Lyons, B. Erickson, N. Burton, J. Searl.
Big Jack Anthony hurt as the Lions limp home
The QAFL’s most feared forward Jack Anthony is likely to miss at least one match, possibly more, after copping a bad ankle injury in Palm Beach Currumbin’s win over the Western Magpies on Saturday.
Anthony, with 6.2 to his name, limped off Salk Oval late in the third term before the Lions eventually won by 16.14 (110) to 10.7 (67).
Early indications were that the competition’s leading goalkicker could miss up to a month, although the Lions have Labrador next weekend before their bye.
The former Collingwood and Fremantle AFL player had four goals on the board by quarter-time when the Lions held a 23-point lead and looked likely to run all over the understrength Magpies.
But despite the final 43-point margin, it was nowhere near as one-sided as the score might suggest.
Even PBC coach Jess Sinclair conceded the Magpies controlled the game most of the time but just could not apply scoreboard pressure.
In a frank assessment Sinclair said it was the first time this season his side had been ‘beaten up around the football’.
“We had some nice ball movement at times but I think they controlled the game most of the day and the scoreline probably flattered us a little bit,” said Sinclair.
“They’re a good inside team and were coached really well today in getting numbers back.
“They showed us up around the footy and we were quite fortunate, really, with a few of our goals.
“Their ball use wasn’t as clean as ours and that was probably the difference in the end because in stoppages and clearances they were clearly on top.”
The Lions now await on the extent of injuries to Anthony, skipper Steve Thynne (back), Alex Dawson (ankle), Jackson Emblem (hand) and Tom Frazer (hamstring) as they prepare to host Labrador next weekend.
Missing a host of quality midfielders including Claye Beams, Ryan Harwood and Doug Lawrence, the Magpies certainly did outmuscle the Lions with their bigger bodies.
One of the bright lights for the visitors was 17-year-old Cade Scott, a solidly built teenager who mixed it willingly with his PBC rivals.
Another shining light was towering teenage ruckman Samson Ryan, who made a starring debut and certainly looks one for the future.
Ryan did some nice things around the ground with his good marking, his willingness to contest and his skills.
Coach Brydan Morgan hit the nail on the head when he said last year’s Joe Grant Medallist Anthony means so much to PBC.
“Take out Anthony’s six goals and I thought we did pretty well,” he said.
“I thought our effort was really good considering who we had out.”
Ryan, defender Luca Winton, who was put on Anthony after his early fireworks, stand-in captain Jack Goodall and forward Jack Austin were others to stand out in a well-drilled and plucky Magpies outfit.
Palm Beach Currumbin 7.1, 9.8, 14.11, 16.14 (110)
Western Magpies 3.2, 4.2, 7.4, 10.7 (67)
GOALS, Palm Beach Currumbin: J. Anthony 6, J. Derrick 2, J. Burge 2, A. Dawson 1, B. Askey 1, A. Munro 1, S. Thynne 1, T. Thynne 1, G. Screech 1. Western Magpies: J. Austin 3, B. Lumber 3, D. Edwards 1, K. Reed 1, A. Highlands 1, M. Lonergan 1.
BEST, Palm Beach Currumbin: J. Anthony, T. Thynne, G. Screech, A. McKenzie, Z. Harrison, J. Derrick. Western Magpies: S. Ryan, L. Winton, J. Goodall, J. Austin, D. Mitchell.
Tigers roar back as the Gorillas flounder
A few weeks ago new Wilston Grange coach Barry O’Brien spoke about the need for the Gorillas not to resurrect some of the bad habits that had plagued the club for too long.
Unfortunately for the Grange faithful that certainly looked the case on Saturday when the Gorillas blew a five-goal lead in the first quarter before losing to Labrador by 12.11 (83) to 7.14 (56) at Hickey Park.
As the Tigers produced what coach Liam Burke said was probably their best football of the season in the second quarter, their comeback was quite stunning after the home side kicked the first five goals of the clash.
Was the end result a return to the bad old days, as O’Brien said early this season?
Saturday’s numbers did nothing to suggest otherwise because, after quarter-time, the Gorillas were outscored by 11.9 to 2.12.
A bit of argy-bargy just before quarter-time had a role in the Gorillas getting off the track, according to O’Brien.
“I think that put us off our game,” said O’Brien. “We got sucked in and started giving away some silly free kicks.
“We started relying on others instead of ourselves and that took away the momentum we had set up.
“So I guess we did get back to some bad habits – we made mistakes and let Labrador back into the game.”
One huge positive as far as O’Brien was concerned was the debut of strong teenager Will Martyn, son of former Windsor-Zillmere hardman Andrew Martyn.
“Will had a great game in the midfield on debut,” said O’Brien.
“He was our best by a mile.
“He’s in the Allies under-18 squad and if the (Brisbane) Lions don’t chase him they’ll end up kicking themselves.”
Labrador came up with a winner when they posted star centre half-back Wayde Mills to full-forward to help out skipper Bryce Retzlaff as a second tall forward.
“We haven’t been able to kick goals and that was an issue for us,” said Burke.
“We had to give Bryce some help up there so we tried something different.”
With midfield ball magnet Alex McKay well held by Nick Dickson, the Tigers found some great contributors in Sam Walker and Jaicob Kenny in defence and Ben Fagan on the ball.
Martyn, Dickson, Jonah Farry and Harry Milford served the Grange cause well.
Labrador’s win moved them alongside three other clubs – the Grange, Western Magpies and Mt Gravatt – on two wins for the season.
Next weekend Labrador are away to premiers Palm Beach Currumbin and Mt Gravatt await Wilston Grange at Dittmer Park.
Labrador 1.2, 6.5, 9.9, 12.11 (83)
Wilston Grange 5.2, 5.4, 6.8, 7.14 (56)
GOALS, Labrador: B. Retzlaff 4, W. Mills 3, R. Clements 2, M. Lakeman 1, J. Baxter 1, E. Baru 1. Wilston Grange: H. Milford 3, J. Tomkinson 1, J. Coulter 1, D. Reid 1, W. Martyn 1.
BEST, Labrador: S. Walker, J. Kenny, B. Fagan, W. Mills, B. Retzlaff, B. Grant. Wilston Grange: W. Martyn, N. Dickson, J. Farry, H. Milford, I. Corvo, J. Coulter.
Surfers forced to work hard to overcome Sandgate
Surfers Paradise held on to second spot on the QAFL ladder by beating plucky Sandgate by 34 points at Lemke Road Oval on Saturday.
The Demons went back home on the back of a 15.18 (108) to 12.2 (74) victory but it was far from plain sailing for the Gold Coast club after jumping to what proved to be a match-winning lead in the opening quarter.
That was when the Demons put on four goals to two. It was a 22-point margin they managed to hold on to as the young home side upped the ante and forced their way back into the game.
“I thought our first quarter and a half was really good and we were tracking for a top performance,” said Surfers coach Brad Moore.
“But Sandgate kept coming at us, which you expect because they’re young and they’re enthusiastic, which is a credit to them.
“We were forced to work hard, which was good in some ways, but we didn’t take our chances in front of goal.
“Some of that came as a result of their pressure.
“Today we had a good start, were ordinary through the middle, then we were good at the finish.”
Moore was disappointed at the ordinary finishing of the Dees, although bulky full-0foreward Dan Green’s five goals straight belied that statistic and proved to be the difference in the end.
West Coburg recruit Jack Yelland continues to be a driving force for Surfers in the middle.
“He has been fantastic for us,” commented Moore.
Young ruckman Harris Newton also played strongly. Moore says the slimly-built tall plays well above his size against bigger opponents.
“And I thought Matt Green, through the middle and a bit in the ruck, was good for us.”
Sandgate obviously hurt their chances with their slow start although coach Jarad Marsh was pleased with the comeback effort that had them, at three-quarter time, in with a sniff of victory.
“Our first quarter was disappointing when we took time to react to things – but we didn’t drop the bundle,” he said.
“I thought my boys were pretty good. The effort was there and the response from the previous week (when the Hawks were smashed by Morningside) was a massive positive.”
Best for the Hawks were Loki Haines in defence, Jordan Maynard in the midfield and up forward, Jordan Harding and Mitch Crawley.
Next weekend Surfers have the bye while Sandgate travel across town to play Mt Gravatt.
Surfers Paradise 4.5, 9.7, 11.11, 15.18 (108)
Sandgate 2.0, 7.0, 9.1, 12.2 (74)
GOALS, Surfers Paradise: D. Green 5, D. Stubbs 3, J. Foster 2, S. Hilton-Joyce 2, N. O’Hare 1, D. Van De Werken 1, H. Newton 1. Sandgate: A. Fabian 4, J. O’Halloran 2, T. Abberley 2, J. Taglieri 1, J. Harding 1, G. Greenoff 1, J. Maynard 1.
BEST, Surfers Paradise: J. Yelland, H. Newton, M. Green, B. Haberfield, D. Green, K. Ford. Sandgate: L. Haines, J. Maynard, J. Harding, M. Crawley, A. Fabian, J. Larkins.
