By Daniel Viles
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v SOUTHPORT
Saturday 15 April 2023, 3:00pm
Brighton Homes Arena, Springfield
Watch on YouTube
Head-to-head: Played 3; University of Queensland won 3.
A Grand Final replay at the best new Aussie Rules ground in Australia – what’s not to love?
Southport lost all three matches it played against UQ in 2022 but, thanks to a crazy transfer season, the Sharks enter the season opener as favourites.
Best on Ground in the decider, Steph O’Brien, has not only switched sides but also positions. O’Brien will line up in front of goal where her direct battle with Team of the Year fullback Jessi Henning would be worth the price of admission if there was one.
Matisse Hunter and Sarah Ingram from Northern Territory premiers, PINT, will debut in the forwards for Southport while UQ will release a wave of Lions Academy talent in almost every line. Returning to the Red Lionesses is Lucy Hicks (nee Benjamin) who played a key role in the Students’ run to the 2021 Premiership.
^ denotes QAFLW debut; † denotes QAFLW club debut
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
FB | 21 Jessi Henning | 24 Laura Roy^
HB | 14 Erin Gilbert^ | 19 Jasmine Dekker | 12 Charlotte Andrews
C | 7 Madi Crowley-Long (c) | 9 Lara Mason | 3 Hannah Sas
HF | 41 Harriet Knijff^ | 56 Lucy Hicks | 35 Elka Barnett^
FF | 4 Kadie Fletcher | 1 Gracie Champion^
FOL | 25 Caitlin Laycock^ | 6 Lauren Middleton | 16 Ava Seton
IC | 22 Julia Dawson | 34 Ashleigh Moyle^ | 57 Ella Reddaway^ | 44 Madison Wells^
EMG | 18 Rieley Bloor | 23 Samantha Logovik | 45 Sofia Harwood | 58 Indiya de Jonge
Coach: Ross Clayfield
SOUTHPORT
FB | 25 Casey Wynne | 12 Tamsin Perry | 36 Maggie O’Connell
HB | 5 Jess Malouf (c) | 18 Lily McDonald
C | 47 Georgia Breward | 2 Rianna Schipp | 8 Abbie Pluples
HF | 57 Ruby Mitchell^ | 21 Selina Priest | 35 Jess Maher†
FF | 19 Sarah Ingram^ | 7 Steph O’Brien†
FOL | 29 Lilly Pearce | 22 Poppy Boltz | 10 Carly Remmos^
IC | 14 Maddy Watt | 30 Matisse Hunter^ | 32 Tayla Gregory | 34 Meghan Sullivan | 43 Darcie Davies
EMG | 6 Avalon Pearce | 11 Leigh Alder | 20 Faith Alchin | 61 Kialla-Skye Bailey
Coach: Peter Doherty
BOND UNIVERSITY v MAROOCHYDORE
Saturday 15 April 2023, 3:30pm
Bond University Oval, Robina
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Head-to-head: Played 9; Bond University won 8, drawn 1.
Head-to-head at Bond University Oval: Played 2; Bond University won 2.
The Bond University and Maroochydore sides that played out a fiery encounter in 2022’s Pride Round bear little resemblance to those taking the field at The Canal in Round 1.
For the Bull Sharks, the losses of halfback Caity Thorne and winger Annie Muir have been directly offset by the acquisition of Yeronga pair Grace Moodie and Charlotte Taylor. Mikayla Pauga is the only current Brisbane Lion in the side although the return of Leah Kaslar to the Bond University QAFLW brings delight to long-time followers of the league.
The Kelsee Sills Era begins for the Roos with most of the recruits lining up in the corridor. Former Coorparoo ruck Renee Teys is named at fullback, Dakota Hooper and Kate Fowles will play on the ball, and former UQ defender Naomi Fitzpatrick gets first chance to impress at centre half-forward.
^ denotes QAFLW debut; † denotes QAFLW club debut
BOND UNIVERSITY
FB | 36 Leah Kaslar† | 52 Piper Phelan
HB | 20 Paris Lightfoot (c) | 49 Kiara Bischa | 10 Grace Moodie†
C | 40 Charlotte Taylor† | 8 Ella Calleja | 11 Georgia Hutton
HF | 14 Gabby Deller | 32 Havana Harris^ | 26 Nyalli Milne^
FF | 3 Shannon Nolan | 56 Lily Tarlinton
FOL | 50 Jasmyn Davidson | 24 Mackenzie Farmer^ | 18 Mikayla Pauga
IC | 2 Georgia Johnson | 4 Tara Harrington^ | 9 Bella Iverach | 27 Sienna McMullen | 53 Mia Salisbury^
EMG | 19 Evy Reeves^ | 37 Paige Dunstone^ | 55 Lexi Samuels
Coach: Andy Lovell
MAROOCHYDORE
FB | 39 Imagen David | 48 Renee Teys† | 52 Kiara Hillier
HB | 25 Sara-Jane O’Grady | 2 Kelsee Sills (c)
C | 13 Jya Epstein | 15 Dakota Hooper^ | 23 Ebony Otto
HF | 7 Demi Norton | 9 Naomi Fitzpatrick† | 59 Amber Swan
FF | 58 Indi Williams | 30 Chelsea Gillard^
FOL | 57 Lilly Baker^ | 1 Jessee Sills | 5 Kate Fowles^
IC | 21 Anneka Williams^ | 31 Chloe Turner^ | 32 Alyssa Armstrong | 49 Kaiya Hides^ | 55 Kiah Thompson^
EMG | 28 Zara Hurley | 33 Holly Hurley | Kasey Stone | Madalyn Hennessy
Coaches: Dave Hume and Hetti Malone
COORPAROO v ASPLEY
Saturday 15 April 2023, 4:45pm
Giffin Park, Coorparoo
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Head-to-head: Played 8; Coorparoo won 6, Aspley won 2
Head-to-head at Giffin Park: Played 4; Coorparoo won 2; Aspley won 2
For the fourth time in five years, the Kings and Hornets face off in Round 1 of the Bond University QAFLW. The first of those was Aspley’s very first game in the competition when they blasted the eventual premiers by 60 points. In fact, all Round 1 encounters between Coorparoo and Aspley have been won by the away team.
Three local juniors will debut in the Kings forward line: Binta Lamin and Coco Garton making the short trip from Morningside; and Gaunt progressing through the ranks at Giffin Park. Jess Watts returns to the QAFLW after captaining Surfers Paradise to QFAW Premiership glory in 2022.
The Glacken era at Aspley begins with nine players making their debut for the club. For long-term Aspley fans, however, the feelgood story is the return from injury of Lucia Liessi who plays her first game in the Bond University QAFLW since June 2021.
^ denotes QAFLW debut; † denotes QAFLW club debut
COORPAROO
FB | 6 Ari Reilly | 36 Ayla Fraser
HB | 47 Laura Blue | 45 Bonnie Farrell^ | 30 Taya Oliver
C | 18 Lucy Schneider^ | 4 Jess Watts† | 42 Grace Roberts-White^
HF | 21 Chelsea Winn | 54 Chloe Gaunt^ | 3 Sally Young (c)
FF | 22 Binta Lamin^ | 59 Coco Garton^
FOL | 25 Stacey Francis^ | 24 Hannah McLaughlin | 39 Jacinta Baldwick^
IC | 8 Mel Sweeney | 15 Ayla Fetahagic | 27 Megan Evans | 28 Kelsie Crosbie | 29 Kaitlyn Zelinski^
EMG | 1 Bridget Taylor | 32 Emily Robinson | 55 Courtney Alder
Coach: Rebecca Randazzo
ASPLEY
FB | 16 Anna van de Wiel | 13 Lucy Thompson
HB | 20 Emma Pittman† | 5 Lucy Pengelly | 17 Ella Smith
C | 22 Holly O’Flaherty† | 34 Charlie Mullins | 15 Jaimie Bryant†
HF | 37 Rania Crozier | 24 Lilu Hung (vc) | 9 Louise Tyson†
FF | 40 Rachael Vetter | 25 Jess Stallard†
FOL | 54 Emma Lendrum | 4 Courtney Daniec (c) | 12 Lucia Liessi
IC | 1 Ari Williams^ | 11 Tarryn Meyer† | 30 Mikayla Martin† | 48 Izzy Kotatis | Silvana Goldbach-Eggert†
EMG | 31 Jaida Tabb† | 38 Finn Davies
Coach: Luke Glacken
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE v WILSTON GRANGE
Saturday 15 April 2023, 4:45pm
Leyshon Park, Yeronga
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Head-to-head: Played 21; Yeronga SB won 18, Wilston Grange won 3
Head-to-head at Leyshon Park: Played 9; Yeronga SB won 7; Wilston Grange won 2
Lisa Milne and Brenton Meddings each become the fifth coach in six years for their respective clubs, but both have good reasons to be encouraged by their short-term prospects even during their rebuilds.
For the Devils, captain Lucy Bellinger progresses from halfback to half-forward to accommodate the experienced Emily Rogers who has crossed the river from UQ. The Under 17 trio of Stephanie Rosenthal, Farradai Hopkins and Sophie Dunne begin their senior careers having impressed in pre-season trials against strong opponents.
Ruck Ella Smith (not that Ella Smith, the other one) makes her debut in the Bond University QAFLW after spending several years in Reserves at Coorparoo. Zimra Hussain returns to her junior club after playing 2022 with University of Queensland. Also watch for Naomi Celebre who makes her QAFLW debut after success in both Victoria and Northern Territory.
^ denotes QAFLW debut; † denotes QAFLW club debut
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE
FB | 16 Clancey Sutton | 49 Laura Wagner | 1 Stephanie Rosenthal^
HB | 12 Abigail Lunson^ | 28 Emily Rogers†
C | 35 Sophie Wheeler | 40 Farradai Hopkins^ | 55 Jamie Howell (vc)
HF | 8 Lucy Bellinger (c) | 21 Sophie Dunne^ | 2 Georgia Hewett
FF | 6 Courtney McDonnell | 38 Emily Bleney^
FOL | 30 Peppa Poultney | 47 Taylah Welch | 14 Madison Goodwin
IC | 4 Camilla Burnett | 5 Jess Matthews | 9 Ebony Milne | 18 Madie Satyasiv | 45 Tamika Smith^
Coach: Lisa Milne
WILSTON GRANGE
FB | 51 Gemma Donataccio | 4 Megan Boscoe†
HB 38 Emma Gibson† | 7 Chloe Litherland (c) | 19 Zimra Hussain†
C | 5 Keyshia Matenga | 2 Abbey Brokken† | 26 Uma Brennan
HF | 35 Charlize Anderson† | 48 Emma MacNeill
FF | 18 Siobhan Senior^ | 15 Daisy Carter | 8 Kalista-Jayne Shiner†
FOL | 33 Ella Smith^ | 1 Mackenzie Findlay | 44 Merissa Millett
IC | 14 Annabel Pettigrew | 20 Maddy Wilson | 27 Naomi Celebre^ | 29 Caitlyn Rawding† | 40 Jayme Winter
EMG | 3 Eloise Ayre | 10 Ashley Moloney† | 25 Maegan Dick^
Coach: Brenton Meddings
You can watch all matches in the Bond University QAFLW by visiting AFL Queensland on YouTube.
