Broadbeach 19.9.123 defeated UQ 12.8.80
They had their backs up against the wall this week, but yesterday, as he sat on the hill, Broadbeach did it for Pedro.
They outworked the Red Lions, who just lacked that little bit of polish when they had the ball in hand.
It was UQ who were on top early.
Curtis kicked the opener for the Red Lions, before Rolfe and Hayley responded for the Cats.
A late one to the classy D’Roza gave the Red Lions a six-point lead at quarter time.
Broadbeach’s big men came out to play in the second quarter.
Hayley kicked the three of the first four goals, with Hancock proving an absolute handful for the UQ’s defense as well.
Their contested ball stats were well and truly in the green, and they were capitalising on the scoreboard.
The Cats were up by 13-points when they headed into the sheds.
The game opened up in the third.
Hancock and Brennan were up and about early, before Harry Milford, who was immense all day for UQ, kicked a settler to bring them back within 17.
It was all Broadbeach for the rest of the quarter, heading into the final change 38-points in the clear.
The last quarter went goal for goal, with neither team being able to string two together.
That was more than enough to hand Broadbeach the four-points, and their second win of the year.
Broadbeach have kicked off their time under new coach Brett Andrews in the best possible way and it might be the kick-start their season needed.
Coach’s thoughts
Brett Andrews – Broadbeach
“We were happy with the work-rate, we weren’t lazy, but we were just doing what we needed to do in the first half.
“The second half was better, but I was very happy with our physical presence, we had a go.
“Our skill level was good, we probably overused it a little bit but they were pretty pumped up. We had Pedro on the wing, so it was good to have him there, looking like he was enjoying footy.
“Our forward line pressure was good, and we just played that little bit smarter.”
Darren Pfeiffer – UQ
“I thought our tackling pressure and intensity was excellent, taking nothing away from Broadbeach, I think it’s coming down to us losing the game as much as the opposition are winning the game.
“It’s all in our court, and our skills are letting us down. We have got the bye this weekend so we will have a really big week on the track, look at the skills and fitness and go from there.”
Labrador 18.19.127 defeated Wilston Grange 7.9.51
They certainly didn’t have it all their way early, but Labrador ensured they stayed top of the table with a big win over Wilston Grange yesterday.
Without Trewhella and Brittain going head to head with an elite Tigers’ midfield, it was always going to be difficult for the Gorillas.
They took it to them early though.
The Tigers kicked the first three, showing no signs of struggling without Perry-Bolt, Fraser and Lappin up forward.
The Gorillas fought back well though. Eaton and Proud hit the scoreboard, and Molan chipped in for a couple of sausage rolls, meaning Wilston Grange were up by a point at the first change.
Josh Baxter and Matt Daniel stood up in the forward line for the Tigers, proving they are no second string players.
They kicked two each in the second, but Labrador couldn’t shake a gallant Gorilla outfit
At the main break, Labrador was 18-points up.
The second half was when the Tigers flexed their muscles.
Daniel kicked another two, and Davey was proving a handful through the middle.
Their half back line was propelling them forward at a rate of knots, and the forwards weren’t letting them down.
At the last change, Labrador had extended their lead to 33.
It was Tiger time in the final 30-minutes.
They kicked five unanswered goals, included three to Josh Baxter, to storm home 76-point winners, and tick another box off in 2015.
Coach’s thoughts
Steve Daniel – Labrador
“The boys were good, the changes worked for us.
“Our forward line was the one that we lost the majority of players from, but Matt Daniel and Josh Baxter stood up.
“Wilston Grange were quite good, they threw some really good challenges at us, and this is what we speak about now, every week is different, we change our structure around, but they were really good.
“In the second quarter we tried to break it open a little bit and we really couldn’t, it wasn’t until the second half we started to run it away with it a bit”
Matt Trewhella – Wilston Grange
“After half time we were poor, our effort level was poor and we didn’t play well as a team.
“They spread really well from the midfield, used their forward line well and kicked a lot of goals out of a lot of scoring shots.
“They are definitely a good side, I just think out forwards weren’t working up the ground to support.”
Morningside 17.10.112 defeated Palm Beach Currumbin 11.11.77
It’s hard to keep a champion team down.
That’s what Palm Beach found out yesterday, as they went down to the Panthers by 35-points.
Morningside jumped out of the blocks early, kicking the first three of the game in relatively quick time.
What wasn’t planned was the loss of their skipper Sam Brown, who pulled up tight in the hamstring in the first five minutes.
Not wanting to risk him, Lake put him on ice for the rest of the afternoon, leaving them a running rotation down.
Hewat kicked two in a row for the Lions to open their account, but a couple of late ones to Kinch and Hackett saw the Panthers 22-points up at quarter time.
It was a pretty even second quarter; with both teams kicking three goals apiece. It meant that the margin remained at 22 at the main break.
Palm beach came out firing to start the third. For the first third of the quarter, they found the run and carry they had been looking for all day, but couldn’t put it on the scoreboard.
They kicked 1.4 before Morningside put them to the sword.
The Panthers kicked the next five goals of the quarter, as their link up work from the half backline came to the fore.
It was off the back of blokes like Hackett and Mazoletti that they were able to extend their lead to 48-points at the last break.
Palm Beach won the last quarter, but by then it was too late.
They are now one win into what they hope will be another successful streak.
Coach’s thoughts
David Lake – Morningside
“They had a crack, and they played like they wanted to beat you.
“When we were good we were good, and when we were bad we were bad.
“Our intent and willingness to play our roles was more important, that may lead to scoreboard pressure that may not.
“When we get going, we have multiple goal kickers. We have waves of goal kickers, but in amongst all that a bloke like Hackett still kicks five.
“When we are good we are great, when our skills are up and about our linkage is hard to stop.”
Chad Owens – Palm Beach
“We were in it, but it’s the same old story when you don’t take your chances. Bad kicking is bad footy.
“They were just too smart and too good.
“At the stoppages they got a hold of us, and their run from their half backs really hurt us.
“We won the last quarter, maybe the boys thought we can’t win it and the pressure was off and they started playing the footy we asked them too all game.“
Surfers Paradise 17.17.119 defeated Sandgate 10.7.67
Surfers had a massive opportunity going into yesterday. The task was simple. Win, and they go into the five.
Win they did. They shut down the inside game of Sandgate, getting it long and deep quickly, and letting their forwards do the rest.
It was shootout early, with both teams making their most of their forward 50 entries.
Trent McIntyre proved too big and strong late in the first, kicking two in red time to give the Demons a 19-point quarter time lead.
Ben Beaven, who battled hard all day, kicked the first of the second for the Hawks.
But when Cassidy Haberfield and Green kicked one each, Surfers snuck out to a 27-point advantage.
Sandgate kicked the first two of the second half, but from there it was all Surfers.
They opened up the game, linking up well from half back, and using their pace outside through runners like Van De Werken.
They kicked the last five of the game, to run out 52-point winners, and put themselves in the top half of the competition for the first time this year.
Coach’s thoughts
Peter Young – Surfers Paradise
“It was a great day for the club.
“Our spread from the back half, our run and our switch of play was really good.
“We need to keep improving our foot skills, but we moved the ball quick and got it in there and put them under the pump.
“I thought we did really well on the inside. We got on top there and fought it out.
“It’s good reward for what they have done over the last month but the season is long and you want to be in the five at the end not in the middle part.”
Graham Adams – Sandgate
“Full credit to Surfers, they played better than us today and they deserved to win. Their skills were good, and they were better across the board.
“They were just a little bit sharper than us across the board and used the ball better than us.
“They took their chances when we didn’t take ours.”
Western Magpies 27.17.179 defeated Mt Gravatt 6.9.45
If anyone was still wondering just how far the Western Magpies had come over the last month, they got their answer yesterday.
They were nothing short of comprehensive in the first half, showing the QAFL footy world it might not just be a two horse race in 2015.
Their attack on the ball was brutal, putting a huge focus on the contested element of the game, but when the ball got out wide, their spread, run and carry was breathtaking.
Luke Scott kick started it all with four big goals in the first quarter. The Vultures just simply didn’t have anyone who could go with the star.
The Magpies booted eight in total, giving them a 34-point lead at half time.
The second quarter was when they hit their straps. They held Mt Gravatt scoreless for the entire quarter, while kicking nine goals themselves.
They found the perfect mix of defending well, while scoring on the rebound, something Ross Lyon would be proud of in 2015.
A 90-point half-time margin meant the game was over at the main break, and Mt Gravatt was now playing for pride.
They were better in the second half, they showed some fight, and didn’t throw in the towel, but the Magpies were just too strong.
By three quarter time, the lead was in triple digits.
No one would have been surprised to see the Magpies put the cue in the rack in the last, the hard work was done, but Glenn Humphrey’s men went out and won the last quarter.
When the siren rang, the Western Magpies were 134-points up.
They have showed some very good signs lately, while still flying under the radar a little bit this year.
Not anymore.
Coach’s thoughts
Glenn Humphrey – Western Magpies
“It’s the best first half the club have put in, in the time I’ve been here, it’s the best half of football I have seen them play.
“We simply dismantled the opposition really well.
“We really dominated with the use of the football, we played Luke Scott up forward, and he kicked four, they had no one to match up on him so it was good for us and it really tore them apart.
“Once we had the scoreboard pressure on them, the sting went out of the game but we still won each quarter.
“They are a young side, they are undermanned, they stuck with it and that’s some of the stuff we went through last year.”
Brad Pollock – Mt Gravatt
“We just got comprehensively smashed. The first half was a credit to the Magpies, they are up and about and they made us pay.
“There’s not much I can say, there ability around the stoppages and their run and carry was as good as anything in the competition.
“Unfortunately we were unaccountable and turned it over a lot, and as it happens with young blokes when they are getting smashed they go into self preservation mode.
“To their credit in the second half they knuckled down and made it a bit of a contest, so there’s something to work on there.”
By Andrew Wiles – @andrewjwiles
