Photo: Brooke Sleep Media
By Chris ‘Yeendy’ Yeend
PALM Beach Currumbin takes on Broadbeach for a place in this year’s 2023 Colts Grand Final.
The pair met in the 2022 Grand Final where it was Palm Beach Currumbin who was too strong in the 51-point win.
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN v BROADBEACH
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
Key ins – Oliver Allingham
Key outs – Darcy Freeman
Oliver Allingham comes back into the team for the first time since the Round 20 clash with Sherwood. He has played 13 games for the Colts team this year after crossing from Coolangatta earlier in the year.
BROADBEACH
Key ins – Cooper Hynes
Key outs – Maverick Wells
Gold Coast Suns Academy produce Cooper Hynes makes his return. He played for the Reserves team last week to help guide them into a Grand Final after playing in the Elimination Final win the previous week against Aspley. He is another quality product of the Broadbeach development system.
Those that played in the 22 Grand Final and this week’s Preliminary Final
PBC – 9/22
Broadbeach – 5/22
MEETINGS THIS YEAR
Round 6 – PBC
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN 13.13.91 defeated BROADBEACH 3.3.21
After a solid first term, the Lions kicked away from the Cats in the first half with six goals to two and take a 28-point lead into half-time. The Lions kicked 4.4 to nothing in the third term and 3.3 to 1.1 in the final term to seal a 70-point win.
PBC captain Luke Cahill kicked four goals for the winners while Lachlan Gulbin and Charlie Corke impressed for the Cats.
ROUND 13 – Broadbeach
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN 7.11.53 defeated BROADBEACH 6.7.43
In a much closer game, the Lions led the Cats by two points at quarter-time before kicking away with 3.4 to 0.2 in the second term and take a 22-point lead into the main break. This was the difference in the game as the Cats kicked 4.4 to 2.4 in the second half before going down by 10-points in a mighty battle.
Charles Elliott kicked two goals for the winners with mitch Day impressing, while the three Cooper’s – Gwynne, Hynes and Wilkinson all impressed for the Cats.
Finals run so far
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN – It was the Semi Final for the ages with the top two teams locked in a genuine arm-wrestle across four quarters as Maroochydore prevailed by three-points. The Roos led by eight-points at quarter-time, two at half-time, trailed by four at three-quarter-time before saluting with three goals to two in the final term. Despite the loss, the Lions were outstanding with Jack Stringer kicking two goals ant Tom Grimster outstanding.
BROADBEACH – It made a statement in the opening quarter of its Elimination final clash with Aspley kicking 3.5.23 to nothing enroute to a 68-point win. It finished off the game with 5.3 to 0.4 (+52 across the first and last quarters). Corke, Cooper and Wells each kicked three goals.
After going without a goal in the opening term against Wilston Grange; it kicked 4.9 to 2.3 in the middle quarters to turn a 15-point deficit into a three-point lead. It kicked five goals in the final term to seal a 21-point win. Addinsall and Jovanovic each kicked two.
SUMMARY
Palm Beach Currumbin tasted defeat just once during the home and away season at the hands of Aspley back in Round 3 before taking down all opposition before it.
Despite losing a close contest last week, the Lions have enjoyed a solid title defence on the back of a 51-point win in the decider last year.
That premiership team included Ethan Read (best ruckman in the 2023 draft class this year for the AFL) and Finn Hay who played VFL this season, not to mention Jed Walter also played finals in the Reserves, and Will Bella who won the Rising Star award and is now playing VFL in Melbourne.
The above highlights the tremendous growth and talent that has been evident for quite some time and it is flowing through this group of players.
Broadbeach unearthed Taine Dawson in that Grand Final team and has gone on to become a household name in the VFL and the Senior team.
The recent meeting between the pair was close and expect a similar margin here. The Lions will likely be too strong and that’s a testament to what this group has continued to develop over recent seasons.
