Chris ‘Yeendy’ Yeend
Seven players will march out onto grounds across the QAFL competition in Round 17 for the first time at Senior level. This is the single most number of debutants in a round since across the season since the opening round. Palm Beach Currumbin will field three debutants, the most of any club in a round since Sherwood earlier in the season.
The round of debutants joins the clash between Broadbeach and Redland Victoria Point as the headline acts for this round. The Cats come into the round on the back of an impressive win against the Hornets but will go in without hero Riley Bowman, while the Sharks were sensational in the win over the Vultures.
Wilston Grange and Maroochydore is a must-see on the back of a storied rivalry that has been in place since the Roos joined the competition in recent seasons. The pair put on instant classics each time they take to the field, and this has lots at stake with the Roos playing to keep their season alive.
The Lions and the Southern Tigers are playing for a place in the top six in a game that is expected to go down to the wire; the Vultures and Panthers will also be playing to keep the finals dream alive; Noosa made seven changes from the team that lost to Morningside last week in a bid to upset Aspley who will miss Brandon Batchelor; while Sherwood hope to put in another spirited performance as it takes on Surfers Paradise.
BROADBEACH v REDLAND VICTORIA POINT
Broadbeach
KEY INS – Ben Major, Jye Lockett, Joshua Zanker-Close
KEY OUTS – Brandon Chadwick, Riley Bowman, Adam Hull
Last week’s hero Riley Bowman comes out of the team that now provides an opportunity for Academy and Gold Coast VFL product Taine Dawson (who made his VFL debut before his Senior QAFL debut) as the main ruckman. Losing Chadwick and Hull hurts but the return of Jye Lockett will add a key option up forward in place of Hull.
Redland Victoria Point
KEY INS – Matt Thomson, Tyler Hausfeld
KEY OUTS – Peter Yagmoor, Will Johnson
The team loses some run and dash with Johnson and Yagmoor coming out but gain some strength and durability through Thomson and Hausfield.
Prediction
This is one of the must-see matches ahead of the run to the finals. The Cats come in off a red-hot win over the Hornets last week and the Sharks can’t put a foot wrong as it looks to lock itself inside the top two; a place that they won’t lose this year.
RVP continues to be one of the most imposing line-ups week-in week-out across the competition and will always take some beating. Broadbeach has three major outs which will hurt and as promising as the ins will be, Riley Bowman is a goal-kicking, clearance-winning, hit-out dominating machine that was the backbone of the team’s win last week with Hull and Chadwick both playing key support roles.
Sharks on the road at home will be too strong, but don’t discount the Cats who play with tremendous spirit and heart that can be the key to victory.
ASPLEY v NOOSA
Aspley
KEY INS – Lleyton Brown, Tom Watson,
KEY OUTS – Brandon Batchelor, Daniel Joseph
Losing Brandon Batchelor hurts, and Dan Joseph is a big miss, but the Hornets regain pace through the addition of Brown while Watson will aim to be a big-game performer on his return.
Noosa
KEY INS – Billy Bowes, Zak Vernon, Jack Mills, Callum Crisp, Patrick Monk (debut), Liam Dawson, Cian Mallon
KEY OUTS – Oscar McKinley, Mason Gilfillan, Matt Field, Billy Arnold, Seb Rogers, Tait Niddrie, Tallis Buntain.
The club welcomes another debutant to the team with Patrick Monk lacing up the boots at Senior level for the first time. Monk has come through the Colts this year and on three occasions (including last week) has played both Colts and Reserves, showcasing his tremendous dedication to the club. Monk is one of seven additions to the team that lost to Morningside last week with Liam Dawson, Callum Crisp and Zak Vernon headlining the returns.
Prediction
The Hornets were rocked last week by the Cats, but perhaps in hindsight, it’s the loss that the team needed. There is every chance that this team won’t drop a game for the rest of the season, and maybe the flawless season requires a loss prior to Grand Final day. Losing Batchelor hurts but the ins are crucial.
Noosa has made seven changes to the line-up that lost to the super charged Panthers outfit last week. This group is highly competitive and will be expected to push Aspley for key parts of the game.
It doesn’t matter who Aspley faces this week. The opposition is always going to be in for a shock because the response from this group will be frightening.
WILSTON GRANGE v MAROOCHYDORE
Wilston Grange
KEY INS – Patrick Snell, Max Hewett, Nash Stevenson
KEY OUTS – Duncan McCabe, Bailey Gordon (VFL), Jack Manly (VFL)
The Gorillas have made three changes with Snell and Hewett to add some poise to the midfield and forward half while losing the likes of Gordon and Manly will hurt.
Maroochydore
KEY INS – Riley McMillan, Brad McDonald, Bailey Hahn
KEY OUTS – Mitch Habgood, Jesse Malthouse, Michael Palmer
The Roos welcome the return of young guns McMillan, McDonald and Hahn with the trio set to be future stars of the club for the next decade.
Prediction
In one of the best rivalries in recent seasons, these two will look to add another epic chapter in the growing book of these two incredible teams. They both match up very well and play an exciting, pulsating, end-to-end brand of football that almost cancel each other out. The two played off in arguably the game of the year in 2022 at this venue with one goal separating the pair in a shoot-out.
The Gorillas lose Gordon and Manly to the VFL but Snell and Hewett will add some quality speed and class around the forward line. The Roos will lean more on the future of the club to guide them to victory, one that it must absolutely secure to play finals this year.
This time last week, Wilston Grange was running the risk of maybe missing finals. That risk is cleared and now it can shut the door on Maroochydore who just have trouble beating teams inside the top six.
Expect this game to go the distance.
MT GRAVATT v MORNINGSIDE
Mt Gravatt
KEY INS – Matt Hollier, Dylan Bromilow (debut)
KEY OUTS – James Johnson, Zac Young
The Vultures welcome Dylan Bromilow into the team for his first Senior game. He previously played with Morningside and has played some inspiring football in the Reserves over the past two weeks where he was a noted goal kicker.
Morningside
KEY INS – Cedric Cox, Kai Purslow, Shaq McLeod
KEY OUTS – Wylie Buzza, Wilson Barry, Decklan Willie
Buzza and Barry return to the Brisbane Lions VFL team as expected while Willie will be a big loss in the back half of the ground. Cox, Purslow and McLeod will be handy returns.
Prediction
The winner of this game keeps its finals hopes alive, the loser will find it a long way back and need results to go their way to stay in the hunt.
Morningside is starting to get some key talent back into the mix and returning to form ahead of a mid-season slump. The return of Mitch Robinson makes such a massive difference and it won’t come as a surprise if this group attacks the back end of the season really hard and play its way into finals.
Don’t rule out Mt Gravatt, but last week hurt and it must find a way to respond.
SURFERS PARADISE v SHERWOOD
Surfers Paradise
KEY INS – Tom Rundle (debut), Max Pescud (VFL)
KEY OUTS – Billy Beardsell, Kain Ford
Tom Rundle makes his Senior debut with the club after crossing from West Adelaide in the SANFL in the off-season and impressing across two outings in the Reserves over recent weeks. Max Pescud makes his return to the team on the back of Southport having a bye in the VFL.
Sherwood
KEY INS – Darcy Prest, Lachlan Harvey (debut)
KEY OUTS – Jacob Aurisch, Bruce Reville (VFL)
Harvey makes his debut after coming through the Reserves and Colts over the past few seasons.
Prediction
Sherwood has shown a lot of pride in recent weeks and its efforts against Labrador at times were solid. Upsets can happen, but it would be hard to see if one can happen here based purely on the red-hot streak. Surfers Paradise is going to take some beating in the run for the finals, potentially being a smoky for the premiership outside the big three.
Both teams will have debutants lining up, but keep an eye on Max Pescud who spent most of the season on the sidelines with injury and returned last week via the VFL. He could make a major impact and set the scene for a run in the finals, especially if Southport doesn’t make the VFL finals. Pescud and Finch in the same forward line – that’s money.
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN v LABRADOR
Palm Beach Currumbin
KEY INS – Jack Granville, Tom Frazer, Dean Katsiris (debut), Tristan Evert, Luca Gisonda (debut), Charles Elliott (debut), Zach Nussey
KEY OUTS – Jack Stringer, Ky Molony, Josh Lyls, Cooper Portelli, Hugh Munro, Ti Cuffe, Harrison Day, Finn Hay
Dean Katsiris will make his debut for the Senior team after crossing from Bond University. He has kicked 13 goals from five games this season in the Reserves including three in his last outing against RVP. Tristan Evert plays his first Senior game for the club since 2018. Luca Gisonda makes his Senior debut for the club since crossing from Wangaratta in 2022. Charles Elliott also makes his Senior debut after coming through the Gold Coast Adademy program this year. He has kicked 17 goals from 10 games in the Colts team this year including five against Noosa.
Labrador
KEY INS – Matt Cecchin, Jay Foon, Joshua Young
KEY OUTS – Darcy McEldrew, Harry Sullivan, Campbell Lake (VFL)
Three changes to the Southern Tigers with some major quality coming in with Cecchin, Foon and Young returning while McEldrew and Lake will be key misses from the ruck and midfield. Young gun Sullivan comes out after making his debut last week against the Pies.
Prediction
Expect a major slog between the two teams and the contest coming down to the last five minutes of the game. It’s hard to pick a winner here although the Lions do have a bit more inexperience with a lot of youth in their team.
Labrador will miss McEldrew in the ruck but with the three inclusions, it’s going to take some beating and it will salvage something out of the fire and sneak into the top six before the weekend is out.
