By Chris ‘Yeendy’ Yeend
Broadbeach secured its place in the 2021 Colts Grand Final to take on Labrador this week at Southport after a convincing 46-point win over Morningside at Labrador on Saturday.
After leading by 29-points at the opening change, the Cats put the foot down with six goals to two after quarter-time, sealing a commanding win.
Victory for the Cats also provides a shot at redemption in this year’s Colts decider after going down to Palm Beach Currumbin in one of the most famous turn-around performances in any game in recent memory when they led at three-quarter time by 30-points before losing by 20-points.
Morningside went into the game against Broadbeach as the favourites. With a superior record across the home and away season and a 4-3 record against top six teams, as opposed to 2-4 from its opponents; and winning more quarters than any team in the competition all season, Morningside struggled to contain the class and hard running from the Broadbeach midfield that saw it fail to score and concede a 29-point lead.
Cooper Parkes was one of the stars for Broadbeach heading into the game and he did not disappoint in the opening term with two scintillating goals to start and end the first term. Harrison Tonks and Kye Reynoldson showed some impressive form in the opening term while Jared Eckersley was unstoppable at centre-half back.
Morningside needed to respond early in the second term and it did when half-forward Sam Gorman created an opportunity, kicked truly and cut the margin back to 22-points.
Despite the effort from the Panthers, one player was proving too much of a handful, and that was Parkes who found himself on hand to kick his third goal and push the margin back out to 28-points.
When Robson kicked the opening goal of the third term, the lead pushed to a game-high 33-points, that extended to 38-points when Reynoldson slotted through a major goal.
Morningside were not without its chances in the third term, kicking four points as the margin sat at six-goals heading into the final stanza.
With the wind, at times proving the catalyst for some strong momentum swings, Morningside went into the final term with the belief that it could come home like a steam train. A few narrow misses saw goals go begging, and when Robson slotted through his second for Broadbeach, the lead blew out to a game-high 42-points and the game was all but over.
When Hamilton Howard kicked a goal from the wing, the margin surged to more than 50-points as the Cats celebrated an incredible win.
Sam Gorman kicked both goals for Morningside in a testing day for the group that delivered so much across the season.
Broadbeach 4.5, 5.5, 7.7, 10.9 (69) defeated Morningside 0.0, 1.2, 1.6, 2.11 (13)
Goals: (Broadbeach) C. Parkes 4, H. Howard 2, C. Robson 2, J. Denny, H. Tonks 1.
Best: (Broadbeach): J. Eckersley, J. Semmler, C. Parkes, E. Stortenbeker, K. Reynoldson, J. Denny.
Picture by Brooke Sleep Photography
