By Rebecca Palma
QAFA B (SOUTH)
LISMORE v BALLINA
Bond University Football Field was the venue for full final fever on the weekend with four teams playing it out for the chance to progress in the pursuit of the 2014 premiership flag.
Ballina have been battered in the last few weeks and will need some time to lick their wounds after Saturday’s do-or-die clash against Lismore.
It was the Swans who came out on top with a 4. 6 (30) – 1. 7 (13) victory, serving as an accurate reflection of the Swans’ success as of late.
Slippery conditions defined the low scoring game with the Swans opening almost every quarter with a goal but unable to put much more on the board after that, with goals from Angus Legoe, Wes Seewald, Tim Whalan and Zac Cottam.
It was a tough game out in the midfield but the Swans had the upper hand from the beginning and with Ballina knocked out, will play that card through to the Preliminary Final.
BOND UNIVERSITY v TWEED COAST
Confident after a 86-point win against Tweed Coast in the week prior, Bond University bought it home once again on the weekend with yet another success against the surly Tweed team.
The two clubs have met four times in 2014, with Bond coming out on top in every match up with an average winning margin of 58-points.
With Bond’s Captain Jack Fox coming off in the first quarter after a collarbone injury and the team’s leading goal scorer Charlie Hawkins coming off in the second, it wasn’t enough to sink the ship with the Bullsharks only using this as ignition to secure a 9. 9 (63) – 6. 9 (45) win.
The tigers fought hard in the rain but cats don’t take to water as well as sharks do, despite the best efforts by Anthony Jones and Joshua Bone to push the ball forward.
It was an honest display of football by both of the teams with Sam Makin taking best player.
The Tigers can now look forward to meeting Lismore in the Preliminary Final this weekend while the Bullsharks take a well-earned break in preparation for the Grand Final.
QAFA (B) NORTH
BRIBIE ISLAND v GYMPIE
Maroochydore was host to the Northern region’s final showdowns with Bribie Island and Jimboomba battling it out for a chance at a Preliminary Final with the possibility they can make Grand Final dreams come true.
Bribie Island was given the second chance and Gympie left to finish their season after a 15. 5 (95) – 6. 1 (37) upset on Friday night.
The Cats couldn’t catch the Bulldogs who’ve peaked at a perfect time in the season, coming into the finals confident after winning four of their last five games.
Goals by the Cats were shared evenly but Brad Bird came in to kick five to reinforce the devastating blow to the Bulldogs.
MAROOCHYDORE v POMONA
With a home ground to their advantage Maroochydore used it and came out 10. 10 (70) – 3. 4 (22) on top of Pomona.
The Roos bounced into the game strong and were able to hold off the Demons for the first quarter of the game.
The Demons’ Michael Knight came in shining armour and booted a goal early in the second quarter that would lead a campaign to see the Demon’s trailing by only 11 points at half time.
The Demons couldn’t harness their momentum and the Roos regained control in the second half to beat the Demons and walk straight through to the Grand Final.
Pomona will have another chance to taste the premiership pie when they face Bribie Island this weekend.
QAFA (B) CENTRAL
SANDGATE v JIMBOOMBA
A wet Leyshon Park was the deck for two extremely unpredictable clashes on Friday night.
Sandgate took on Jimboomba to determine who would earn the Preliminary Final berth and the odds fell in the Hawks’ favour with a 10. 12 (72) – 4. 11 (35) defeat.
Goal after goal after goal the Hawks’ Aaron Widt led the first quarter and was able to assist the Hawks to put them 21 points in front.
The lead was maintained even when the Redbacks let the cat out of the bag late going into half time.
It was too far past the point of redemption for the Redbacks when Liam Barry from the Hawks cemented the scoreboard kicking the final two goals of the game.
WOODSMEN v WYNNUM
This is exactly the game we like to see in finals footy, a tight match from start to finish with only two goals to between the final score.
As minor-premiers, Woodsmen delivered as the favourite for the match, taking an 11. 9 (75) – 9. 6 (60) win against Wynnum.
Both were strong contenders but Woodsmen stole the game in the second quarter and though the Vikings trailed close behind they were unable to take it back with Woodsmen’s Reid Dobson dominating on the ball.
Woodmen’s best for the day were Reid Dobson, Chris Mihalopoulos, Matty Prior, Greg Matthews, Darcy Mcewen and Jay Baker.
Woodsmen are now looking straight into the eye of the 2014 Premiership and Wynnum will have to go back and try again when they play Sandgate this weekend.
