YERONGA 14.13.97 DEFEATED UQ 3.3.21
The Devils needed a win to steady the ship after a pair of losses, and they delivered in spades Saturday afternoon, defeating UQ by 76-points in a stellar team performance.
There was no question that the Red Lionesses were always going to challenge Yeronga, but the Devils did well to weather the storm early, controlling the contest out of the middle.
The returning trio of Bates, Zanchetta and Thomas certainly added some beef to the Devils engine room and it was all one way traffic early.
Leading by 20-points at quarter time and looking well on top, the Devils looked likely to skip away to a big lead, but UQ had other ideas.
A goal each to Jess Wiggan and Annabel Shewring in the second term saw momentum swing UQ’s way and it was clear Yeronga had a fight on their hands.
Without their regular ruckman to lean on, Yeronga turned to on-baller Selina Puruntatameri to fill the void, and she didn’t disappoint, dominating the stoppages for most of the game.
Momentum swung back Yeronga’s way late in the second with a pair of goals to Jade Ransfield, and at the main break the Devils were looking the goods with a 28-point lead.
After half-time, Yeronga took the game by the throat, dominating the clearances and making every chance count in front of the uprights.
Hayley Newberry showed again why she is the competitions leading goal kicker, booting four for the game to make it a cool 38 for the season.
Amy McMenaman and Katherine Selhorst chipped in with some spirited work in the guts for Yeronga, but the star of the afternoon was Jade Ransfield, who continued her recent hot form with a bag of six.
Although the Devils dominated the second half on the scoreboard, UQ never looked out of their depth, fighting tooth and nail until the end.
Refusing to lie down on their sword, the Red Lionesses took the fight to Yeronga in the back half of the game, playing some great football in the process.
In the end, some cleaner ball usage and a few silkier players was the difference, but UQ have definitely proved they are a side to watch out for in the future.
Coach’s thoughts
Scott Stephens – Yeronga
“Three of the four quarters were really good tonight, the second quarter was a bit slack which isn’t great, but overall very positive.
“We got the jump on them tonight which is what we wanted to do, that was our goal going into the game – to have a good start.
“We had the game videoed tonight which I think the girls will benefit a lot from and will give us the opportunity to work on a few things.
“Overall I’m pretty happy, our fast start tonight gave us an idea of what we can do when we are switched on and I think the girls needed to see that to get that belief in themselves.”
Michael Swann – UQ
“Yeronga were switched on early and really jumped us in the first few minutes and we hardly touched it.
“We fought back into the contest over the second half of that term and then from my perspective got on top for most of the second quarter.
“Like good sides do, they came out and lifted in the second half, but it was pleasing to see that we kept working.
“There were patches in the second half where I thought we had control but just couldn’t convert that into scoreboard pressure, and Yeronga definitely made the most of their opportunities.”
GRIFFITH MOOROOKA 5.5.35 DEFEATED BY COOLANGATTA 10.15.75
It wasn’t a win according to the scoreboard, but it will sure feel like one for Griffith Moorooka.
Only three teams have kicked five or more goals in a game against the Bluebirds this season, and now amazingly, the bottom placed Reds are one of them.
When they played Coolangatta just six weeks ago, Griffith Moorooka were belted to the tune of 198-points, but on Saturday the Reds were beaten by just 40.
It is a nearly unbelievable turnaround for the Reds, and a huge achievement for a club that has seriously struggled in 2015.
Reds Captain, Sam Virgo, lead from the front on Saturday, fighting every inch with some of Coolangatta’s elite midfielders to make it a very even first term.
Leading by just 9-points at the first change, inaccuracy was costing the Bluebirds and it was clear that someone had to lift.
Enter Acacia Powell. A pair of second quarter goals to the lively forward steadied the ship for Coolangatta and gave them a shaky 23-point half-time lead to rest on.
It would have been easy for Griffith Moorooka to drift away in the second half, but to their credit the Reds kept fighting, throwing everything they had at a depleted Coolangatta outfit.
Tahlia Randall was again fantastic for Griffith Moorooka, fighting hard in the guts all day to help the Reds stay active in the contest.
Rebecca McInnes kicked four of the Reds five goals when all was said and done, playing a brilliant role up forward.
Griffith Moorooka continued to chip away in the second half, but some great goal kicking from Powell and work in the middle from Lauren James secured the win for Coolangatta.
Although it wasn’t their most clinical victory, four points is four points and the win ensures the Bluebirds hold onto top spot for another week.
Coach’s thoughts
Sam Virgo – Griffith Moorooka
“For the whole game we felt like everyone contributed, we had some great inclusions and our regulars and academy girls all played great games.
“We really had nothing to lose, and that’s how we played – we kicked back to back goals for the first time and played four quarters which was great.
“It certainly felt like a win after the game, we didn’t celebrate like a win, but everyone was on a high and we will be looking to take the feeling into next week and give UQ a real crack.
“Bec (McInnes) was great for us obviously, but I also thought Klarindah Hudson, Jess Watts and Sheridan Connor were exceptional.”
Aaron Russell – Coolangatta
“We’ve been trying to scrounge up a team since Thursday and it honestly went right down until Saturday morning to get there, we nearly didn’t field a team.
“People will look at the game I think and have their theories about us, but it was just one of those games where we had a lot out – we did well with what we had.
“Full credit to Moorooka though, they came out for four quarters and just really wanted it more at certain stages.
“I though the talk was a bit down and it was a tough game for us, but all in all the girls played really well.”
COORPAROO 18.15.123 DEFEATED WILSTON GRANGE 3.2.20
Another week, another huge win.
Coorparoo were always heavy favourites heading into this clash, but a second 100-point win on the trot has exceeded even their expectations.
It wasn’t the fast start that we have come to expect from the Navy Roos, with the undermanned Wilston Grange playing a gritty first term to be down by just 19-points at quarter time.
The switched flicked for Coorparoo in the second term however, with Zielke, Hunt and Sammut all kicking goals inside the first five minutes of the quarter.
Although heavily down on players this week and clearly a step behind the opposition, the Gorillas refused to stop fighting.
A positive final five minutes in the second term saw Wilston Grange rewarded with a goal via Kate Lutkins to reduce the margin to 46-points at the main break.
The third term saw Coorparoo’s big guns stand up and subsequently the quarter totally belonged to the Navy Roos.
Hannah Sexton was again electric off the wing, while Mackenzie Arnold continued her goal kicking onslaught, bagging five for the game.
The five goal to one third quarter all but secured the points for Coorparoo, and there was nothing the Gorillas could do.
On a positive note for Wilston Grange, sisters, Madolyn, Kaitlyn and Tianna Peters became the first sibling trio in the clubs history to don the Gorillas colours in the same game.
Although Grange fought hard to the bitter end, they were helpless against a Coorparoo outfit firing on all cylinders, who ran out comfortable 103-point winners.
That’s ten in a row now for Coorparoo and they don’t look like slowing down any time soon.
Coach’s thoughts
Bernie Cantrell – Coorparoo
“We were really not happy with the first quarter, took the girls a while to switch on and start playing our normal brand of footy.
“We just came out flat, our warm up wasn’t good and that transitioned over to the first quarter.
“I had a talk to the girls at quarter time, and after that we started getting our hands on the footy first and went back to playing our positive man on man footy.
“Overall I’m happy with the progression, but I’m a little bit skeptical that we let teams back in a bit more than I’d like – there is still lots of improvement to come.”
Ron Kemp – Wilston Grange
“I think we did pretty well, we started the quarters well, fought it out and not once did the girls lift their heads and give up chase.
“We only had 20 players so we were down on rotations so the girls got a little tired, but we managed to get it down in our forward half a bit which was positive.
“We put lots of pressure on but they just had little bursts where they kicked two or three that helped them get away from us.
“If you look at what the girls are going with what we have, imagine what we could do with a full side on the park that have the right focus and attitude – I think we could challenge the top sides.”
By Grant Hitzman – @granthitzman
