By Abby Collins
In a thrilling Gold Coast derby at Neptune Homes Oval on Sunday afternoon, the Surfers Paradise Demons pulled off a stunning 44-point victory over their local rivals, the Broadbeach Cats.
The Demons’ support squad was in full force, cheering their boys on to a well-deserved win, while the Cats’ home crowd laid on the car horns in blaring encouragement for the home side.
Broadbeach joined the fray missing many key personnel due to injuries and VFL commitments, while Surfers Paradise welcomed a talented line-up to take on the local rivals.
With more than just their opponents to contend with, each team took on the elements, as the wind favoured neither team’s goal posts.
Despite the best kicking skills, many missed opportunities resulted due to the hearty wind blowing across the field.
The Demons fought hard defeating the Cats 14.13 (97) to 8.5 (53).
Mitchell Patten set the tone early, terrorizing the goal posts and helping Surfers establish a stranglehold on the contest from the outset.
Kicking his first of three goals within the first few minutes of play, Patten’s early onslaught and a magnificent goal from Samuel Jewell that quickly followed, left the Cats reeling.
The Demons’ precise structure and swarming numbers saw them with dominant possession and control of play from the start.
Broadbeach struggled to get the ball away from their defensive 50, despite their best attempts, as the Surfers reigned with relentless pressure and a united front.
A key contest of the game was the battle for supremacy in the ruck between Zac Smith and Riley Bowman.
These two giants clashing in the midfield proved to be one of the game’s highlights, with neither giving an inch in their quest for aerial dominance.
Surfers ripped in and created their lead in the second quarter. The 10-point margin that they started play with widened to 46 when the siren called for half time, leaving the cats trailing behind for the rest of the game.
Broadbeach returned from the break with renewed vigour, their ball movement and cohesion improving as key players like Justin Bishop and Brayden Taylor stepped up their efforts.
Play started off with Myles Jewell, a dominant player for the Demons, leaving the field clutching his ribs after a crunching tackle. The umpire’s little book was slipped out of their pocket as they saved this incident to be reviewed later.
The local rivals went goal for goal, with both teams working overtime to try earn the Round 5 win.
Patten continued his goal-scoring for the Demons, adding a third to his growing tally, but the Cats Captain Blake Erickson’s goal followed closely giving the Cats a glimmer of hope.
Joel Filippone kicked his way onto the score board twice in the third quarter, trying to lower the point margin and bring the Cats back with a fighting chance. The midfield star launched the ball as the siren rung out across the Oval to end the third quarter. The ball finding its home between the goal posts just in time.
A positional switch from Broadbeach moved Jye Lockett into defence, bolstered the height in the Cats’ backpack, as they tried to claw their way back into the contest for the final quarter.
Despite Broadbeach’s fightback, the Demons held firm, with the duo of Axel Moore and Harrison Ireland proving instrumental for the Demons midfield.
Their seamless combination, honed during their years playing together for Bond University, caused headaches for the Cats’ defence.
Taine Dawson worked furiously as the final line of defence for the Cats, but it wasn’t enough to deny the rampant Demons a legendary victory in this heated local derby.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Demons’ fans erupted in celebration, savouring a hard-fought win over their fierce rivals.
For Broadbeach, it was a bitter pill to swallow, but they can take solace in the fact that they never gave up, fighting until the very end in front of their loyal supporters.
With hands glued to knees, players keeled over fighting for air in the last 10 minutes of play. This Gold Coast derby was clearly a hard fought match for both teams.
Broadbeach 2.2 2.4 7.4 8.5 (53)
Surfers Paradise 3.5 9.8 13.10 14.13 (97)
Goals
Broadbeach Filippone 2, Erickson, Harrington, Hitchcock, Jellyman-Turner, ONeill, Taylor
Surfers Paradise Corbett 3, Patten 3, Ireland 2, S Jewell 2, M Jewell, Jones, Leonard, Selvey
Best Player
Broadbeach Justin Bishop, Joel Filippone, Jye Lockett, Lucas Jellyman-Turner, Jake Wood, Riley Bowman
Surfers Paradise Zac Smith, Michael Luxton, Benjamin Woodburn, Matt Doran, Axel Moore, Samuel Jewell
Other Games
Aspley v Wilston Grange
Aspley 1.8 5.9 8.12 15.15 (105)
Wilston Grange 1.2 5.3 7.6 10.8 (68)
Goals
Aspley Didge 7, Batchelor, Coombes, Hill, Mahon, Peppin, Stackelberg, Templeton, Watson
Wilston Grange Fidler 2, Gordon 2, Rhook 2, McGinness, Mifsud, Pearce, Roderick
Best Players
Aspley Nicholas Dodge, Josh Coombes, Daniel Henderson, Cody Stackelberg, Luke Saunders, Jasper Craven
Wilston Grange Rhys Mathieson, Bailey Gordon, Jacquin Mifsud, Hugo Thew, Daniel Weetra, Ben McGinness
Maroochydore v Palm Beach Currumbin
Maroochydore 2.4 3.6 6.8 6.8 (44)
Palm Beach Currumbin 3.1 5.4 8.5 11.6 (72)
Goals
Maroochydore Faulkner, Laing, Matheson, Robinson, Scholard, WIlson
Palm Beach Currumbin Cilmi 4, Croad 3, Hollier 2, Dawson, Jolley
Best Players
Maroochydore Joshua Govan, Jack Lang, Sam Mckenzie, Lochie Laing, Mitchel Scholard, Lachlan Robinson
Palm Beach Currumbin Ethan Sekac, Brad Stafford, Tom Hickey, Jonathan Croad, Harrison Day, Ted O’Brien
Morningside v Redland Victoria Point
Morningside 2.3 6.4 9.5 14.6 (90)
Redland Victoria Point 1.2 4.4 5.4 8.8 (56)
Goals
Morningside Downie 4, Bertoli-Simmonds 3, Pearce 2, Swann 2, Horne, Lloyd, Purslow
Redland Victoria Point Brown 3, Hammelmann 2, Cameron, Finch, Lemana-Pakau
Best Players
Morningside Tommy Horne, Zac Straker, Kai Purslow, Keegan Downie, Nakia Cockatoo, Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds
Redland Victoria Point Jake Chapman, Matthew Thomson, Bailey Reeves, Brock Aston, Thomas Matthews, Joshua Brown
Noosa v Mt Gravatt
Noosa 8.8 12.9 19.12 25.15 (165)
Mt Gravatt 1.2 2.2 3.2 5.4 (34)
Goals
Noosa Free 7, Freeman 5. Fitzpatrick 3, Rich 3, Airey-Bamback, Caspers, Conn, McCarthy, Rogers, Tarling, Tuohey
Mt Gravatt Corrigan, Hurst, McClennan, Tinsley
Best players
Noosa Curtis McCarthy, Mitchell Conn, Jai Fitzpatrick, Rhys Free, Jonathan Freeman, Harry Caspers
Mt Gravatt Jarryd Karo, Cameron Tinsley, Thomas Hurst, Fletcher Clare, Richard Jenkie, Alex Watkins
Labrador v Sherwood
Labrador 10.1 12.4 17.6 19.9 (123)
Sherwood 3.1 5.2 6.3 10.4 (64)
Goals
Labrador Derrington 5, Krok 4, Deegan 2, Fyfe 2, Anderson, Goldmsith, Morgan, Pearce, Simpson, Young
Sherwood James 3, Hude 2, Nelson 2, J Harrison, L Harrison
Best Players
Labrador Aiden Fyfe, Jay Foon, Darcy McEldrew, Bailey Brown, William Derrington, Jesh Morgan
Sherwood Will Cruice, Oliver Cruice, Will Fletcher, Ethan Harris, Dylan Nelson, Ashley Davidson
