By Andrew Wiles – @andrewjwiles
Alpha Sports Pre-season Cup Wrap, week one
POOL A
Labrador 16.13.109 defeated Surfers Paradise 5.7.37
In extremely blustery conditions, it was Labrador who carried their strong form from last year into 2015. On top in the contested football stats all day, the Tigers finished strongly to run out 72-point winners.
Coaches thoughts
Surfers Paradise Coach Peter Young
“I thought today was a good hit out. We played some kids and had about 12 players missing so it was a different looking lineup. Some of what we have trained for worked and some didn’t. Labrador were very good and very well drilled. They smashed us in contested footy, but I thought it was a good contest for three quarters.
“We played a lot of boys that have done the hard yards over summer so it was good to reward them. We also found out that some boys weren’t working hard enough.
Labrador Coach Steve Daniel
“We got out of it what we wanted to. We played a lot of kids as well as the new players. We have been working on a number of structures over summer, so we tried a lot of new things. Sometimes they came off, sometimes it didn’t, but that’s pre-season football.
“Next week we will welcome back 12 players so it’ll be good to have another hit out.”
Broadbeach 10.14.74 defeated Palm Beach Currumbin 8.8.56
While only a pre-season game, the Cats and Lions are both expected to be strong again in 2015. First points for the year go to the Cats, who got over the line in a scrappy contest.
Coaches thoughts
Broadbeach Coach Wayne Petterd
“It was what I predicted, we were all a bit rusty and the game was a bit of a scrap. We had 13 new players into group from last year, which was already a pretty competitive group, so when you throw that many into it you can’t expect miracles. Worked hard all day, overused the ball a little bit, but that that happens trying to get to know everyone’s game.”
Palm Beach Coach Chad Owens
“We are pretty happy about it. It was out first hit for the year obviously but it was good. There are a couple of things we are still working on, but overall, we happy with how most of it went, and it was good to give the new guys the opportunity to play together.”
Morningside 10.7.71 defeated Wilston Grange 8.5.53
Morningside have picked up where they left off last year. Despite a spirited run home in the final quarter by Wilston Grange, Morningside were in control for the majority of the day. It provided a nice little preview into round two when they meet again.
Coaches Thoughts
Morningside Coach David Lake
“It was probably more about how we played today than the result. Regardless of the outcome we played how we have been training and how we wanted to play, it was about the process over outcome, and that process creates result, so it was good. That was the most pleasing, that we played how we have trained.”
Wilston Grange Coach Matt Trewhella
“For us it was about how we were going, we have a game plan we wanted to execute and we have started to do that. It was a good hit out.”
Western Magpies 13.5.83 defeated Mt Gravatt 9.11.65
The run of the Magpies in the first half set up their win over the Vultures. They linked up well across halfback by hand, and moved the ball quickly. The Vultures managed to claw their way back into the match in the second half when they started to get some flow to their forward 50 entries.
Coaches thoughts
Western Magpies coach Glenn Humphrey
“Happy with the way the boys went through the processes today. We put together what we have worked on all on summer and did it well. I thought we used ball reasonably well considering it was the first match of the year.
“There’s still improvement back there, but we had some good signs from good young kids and played reasonably well.
“We did get a little stuck at times, which is a decision making thing on when to pull the trigger and when not to. Sometimes you just have to pull the trigger instead of looking for the perfect hit.”
Mt Gravatt Coach Brad Pollock
“It was pretty typical practice match. The boys did probably play two or three quarters of average footy but we had a lot of new guys and plenty missing as well so we weren’t expecting miracles. As it progressed I thought we finished the game well. We started to play the style of footy we want and we have been training for.
“We have a few boys coming back in the next few weeks, so overall I think today was pretty positive.
“The thing I love about practice matches is you make a lot of mistakes, and that gives you lots of ammunition to work on.”
POOL B
University of Queensland 12.4.76 defeated Burleigh 5.4.34
UQ coach Darren Pfeiffer’s thoughts
“We are pretty happy, it is a little hard to gauge, but structurally we set up well. We did have a lapse in concentration in third quarter because we threw a few positions around and tried some new things, but we were good defensively and then we put the score on board after a while.”
Mayne 14.13.97 defeated Springwood 6.9.45
Robina 11.10.76 defeated Kenmore 9.10.64
Maroochydore 12.10.82 defeated Sandgate 7.7.49
Sandgate Coach Graham Adams’ thoughts
“We went okay, the skills fell away a bit at the end. When we got it right we were good, but when we didn’t we weren’t so there’s things to work on. It was good to have a run though.”
POOL C
Yeronga 7.6.48 defeated Coorparoo 5.9.39
Caloundra 17.3.106 defeated Nambour/Hinterland 3.5.23
Coolangatta Tweed 19.9.123 defeated Alexandra Hills 8.5.53
Aspley 19.12.126 defeated Moreton Bay 10.5.65
POOL D
Bond University 15.12.102 defeated Coomera 9.5.59
Ipswich 9.8.62 defeated Griffith Moorooka 6.5.41
Redcliffe 8.4.52 defeated Woodsmen 5.2.32
