By Ant Wingard
Coorparoo revives season to post biggest score of 2019
Coorparoo has re-emerged from their dormant early season slumber to reignite their 2019 premiership hopes with a definitive win over Aspley at Southpine Sports Complex.
The Kings had won just one game in their opening five to kick off the new season – a year in which many had pencilled the team for a run deep into the postseason – but reclaimed footing in the QAFLW standing with the 19.10 (124) to 0.2 (2) win.
With a near full strength squad back on the park against the Hornets, the Kings returned to their roots as competition heavyweights and flexed their way to the QAFLW’s highest score so far this season.
Having missed a number of their AFL Women’s and Under 18 state talent throughout the opening five weeks, Round 6 was perhaps the first time we’ve caught a glimpse of their true potency in the contest.
Seven goals from Kings sharpshooter Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw was the standout in front of goal for the Kings in the 122-point win.
The teenage Brisbane Lions forward rose to the occasion and didn’t take long to assert herself in the game, booting the match’s first within five minutes.
Interestingly, it was the Kings’ AFLW contingent who paved the ways for victory – the same group the Kings had been missing throughout stages of their early season slump.
Jess Wuetschner added her name to the goal kickers shortly after before Gold Coast SUN Ellie Hampson booted her first goal on debut in the shadows of quarter time.
The Kings’ domination continued, and the goals soon came thick and fast.
Following their five goals in the opening term, Coorparoo added five in the second, four in the third and another five in the final to run away convincing winners.
The addition of Tahlia Hickie to the Kings’ ruck rotation provided the midfield with another avenue at ground level as the away side dominated clearances and essentially ensured the game was played largely in their attacking half.
Hickie worked in tandem with Emma Mackenzie in the ruck and impressed in her first game in over a year while other Kings to star included Jenae Govan, who reassumed her place inside the forward 50 and Jade Ellenger in midfield.
Coorparoo 5.4, 10.7, 14.8, 19.10 (124)
Aspley Hornets 0.0, 0.0, 0.2, 0.2 (2)
GOALS, Coorparoo: J. Tawhiao-Wardlaw 7, T. Groves-Little 3, J. Wuetschner 2, P. Parker 1, E. Zielke 1, E. Hampson 1, S. Young 1, J. Govan 1, S. Sayle 1, K. Geddes 1. Aspley Hornets: N/A.
BEST, Coorparoo: J. Wuetschner, A. Perry, J. Govan, C. Edmunds, C. Rousseau Forwood, J. Ellenger. Aspley Hornets: N/A.
Inspired Maroochydore quell Yeronga attack
Maroochydore has climbed into the top two of the QAFLW ladder for the first time ever after a stout defensive effort lifted the Roos to a 25-point win over Yeronga at Maroochydore Multisport Complex.
After winning just one game in their 2018 campaign, the Roos are the real deal this year and it’s the perfect mix of experienced leadership and youthful talent that is helping them reach new heights in 2019, just as it did against the Devils.
Maroochydore had never previously beaten Yeronga in their three seasons in the top flight of women’s football in Queensland, but it didn’t take too long for the side to rewrite the history books.
Led by the experience of Shannon Campbell, who is the perfect on-field coach for the Roos, and Tahlia Randall, who provides excellent leadership and intercept ability across half-back, paved the way for the win.
The victory has ensured Maroochydore leapfrog both Yeronga and Coolangatta into second place as they trail just Bond University in the overall standings.
A tense opening quarter where neither side could find the scoreboard was exemplified by a goal-saving mark from the Roos right on the quarter time siren.
The Roos extended their lead early in the second with three majors including a 40m set shot from Campbell.
A high-tackle free kick at the top of the goal square allowed Yeronga to boot their first of the game through Jade Ransfield, who was a shining light for the Devils’ forward setup with her side’s only two goals of the game.
Along with Randall and Campbell who served the Roos well at either end of the game, Kate Surman and Lily Postelthwaite were also among Maroochydore’s best players in the win.
For Yeronga, Madison Goodwin and Jordan Zanchetta were among the Devils best.
Maroochydore 1.1, 4.2, 5.7, 5.10 (40)
Yeronga South Brisbane 0.1, 1.1, 2.2, 2.3 (15)
GOALS, Maroochydore: S. Campbell 1, K. Surman 1, R. McDowell 1, C. Gregory 1, K. Hehir 1. Yeronga South Brisbane: J. Ransfield 2.
BEST, Maroochydore: T. Randall, S. Campbell, B. Smith, T. Dale, L. Postlethwaite, K. Surman. Yeronga South Brisbane: N. Thomas, E. Bates, M. Goodwin, J. Zanchetta, M. Walsh, J. Ransfield.
An opening round loss has been rewritten by University of Queensland who climbed into the finals bracket with a 21-point win over Wilston Grange at Hickey Park.
Just over a month ago, it was the Gorillas who won out in the contest between the two sides, but it was the Red Lions who claimed the four points.
The win signalled the first time all season the Red Lions had won consecutive games after a perplexing stretch in the opening portions of the season in which they coupled dominant wins over Yeronga and Aspley with losses to Coolangatta and Bond University.
Now, University of Queensland find themselves and their best football – as they showed against the Gorillas – is perhaps good enough to mix it against most teams in the QALFW.
Nat Exon was superb for the Red Lions with a game-high three goals in the win but her potency on the scoreboard was largely via the spread and long-range penetration from the midfielders further up field.
Nat Grider and Bree Koenen in the midfield led the way for the Red Lions as they ran away in a dominant second term.
UQ booted four unanswered goals and extended their lead to 32-points at the main break before asserting their scoreboard dominance once again in the third with four more.
Wilston Grange cut the sizeable margin to win the last quarter with four goals to one but the damage was already too great for the home side to claw their way back.
The Gorillas’ midfield, having dominated in their unlikely win a week ago, couldn’t match it with the Red Lions, who appeared more likely to spread quickly from the contest – a facet that only increased as the margin between the two sides widened.
The loss for the Gorillas means the side are still yet to win on home soil so far this season with their only two wins coming on the road against the Red Lions in Round 1 and against Coolangatta last week.
University of Queensland 2.3, 6.4, 10.4, 11.4 (70)
Wilston Grange 1.2, 1.2, 2.2, 6.3 (39)
GOALS, University of Queensland: N. Exon 3, G. Bodey 2, R. Vetter 2, M. Hunt 2, B. Koenen 1, D. Davidson 1. Wilston Grange: J. McMullin Matthews 2, S. Wheeler 1, S. Fuller 1, M. Peeters 1, S. Peeters 1
BEST, University of Queensland: B. Koenen, J. Stone, M. Hunt, N. Exon, N. Grider, M. McGorm. Wilston Grange: S. Fuller, M. Peeters, C. Svarc, K. Tyquin, L. Unwin, K. Day.
Bullsharks extend their run atop the QAFLW
Bond University will enter the second mid-season bye with the best record in the competition after a Gold Coast derby win over Coolangatta.
The Bullsharks sit atop the ladder with five wins to their name – a figure better than any other side in the competition and one more than second placed Maroochydore.
The win against the Bluebirds marked five wins in a row for the Bullsharks who are undoubtably the most formidable QAFLW side at this stage of the season.
Against a Coolangatta side already coming off one defeat at the hands of Wilston Grange a week ago, Bond University burst out of the gates with three opening quarter goals to establish a fine buffer at the quarter time break.
Their potency, not just in the opening term but throughout the entire game, was marred only by inconsistency on the scoreboard as they booted seven behinds in the opening term and 16 for the contest.
In fact, the Bullsharks’ shot accuracy of 36% was the second lowest of all sides across Round 6 trailing only Maroochydore who scored a goal on 33.3% of their scores in the game.
But what separated Bond University and the Roos were the ten more scoring shots the Bullsharks were afforded in the win against Coolangatta.
Regardless, Bond University’s’ dominance in the contest couldn’t be understated.
Rebuffed from their win last week with a number of key personnel additions, the Bullsharks’ kick-mark game plan meant Coolangatta struggled to get their hands on the ball.
Georgia Brehmer starred again for the Bullsharks in the midfield while Kalidna Howarth again proved her worth at the goal face with a game-high three majors.
For Coolangatta, Alex Hamlyn toiled tirelessly in the defensive half while Holly Mirfield was commendable in the ruck for a midfield group without Maddy Roberts and Jordan Membrey.
Bond University 3.7, 4.10, 7.15, 9.16 (70)
Coolangatta Tweed 0.0, 3.0, 4.1, 5.2 (32)
GOALS, Bond University: K. Howarth 3, K. Reynolds 2, E. Sundstrom 1, H. Martin 1, G. Brehmer 1, K. Farrar 1, S. Danckert 1. Coolangatta Tweed: S. Carter 1, J. Gomes 1, L. Doyle 1, L. Stephenson 1, L. James 1.
BEST, Bond University: G. Brehmer, K. Farrar, L. Attard, K. Howarth, M. Ritson, T. Smith. Coolangatta Tweed: I. Sleeth, A. Hamlyn, M. Crossman, H. Mirfield, M. Smith, L. Alder.
