Terrible weather in SE Queensland made conditions very difficult for all clubs over the weekend. The game between Surfers Paradise and Springwood was postponed to a date to be fixed.
Mayne forced their way into the five with a hard fought 10.5.65 to 5.7.37 win over Maroochydore at Fisherman’s rd on Saturday. The first half was an even contest with the Roos holding a slender lead at quarter time but the Tigers fought back to lead by 5 points at the main break.
The second half was a real struggle, “Our defense was magnificent all day,” said Mayne coach Mitch Ferguson. “They didn’t allow the Roos to kick a goal in the second half setting up a good win for us,” he said.
Star Tiger forward Luke Faulkner (pictured) was outstanding kicking 4 goals, fellow ex Tasmanian Adam Stevenson also relished the conditions as did Chris Paterson.
Roos Coach Roger Delaney was disappointed with the number of missed chances, “We have a very young side and we failed to take full advantage of a number of scoring opportunities we had, especially in the 3rd quarter.” he said.
Best for the Roos were Kane Tyson, Sam Panoho and Jarryd Hill.
The clash between the two heavy weights Western Magpies and Wilston Grange was turned into a real struggle for both sides because of the atrocious weather conditions. In the final wash up the Gorillas came out on top 15.6.96 to the Magpies 9.11.65.
Wilston Grange coach David Martin said he thought the conditions work in their favor, “the contest was there to be won and we were really hard at the ball, we needed a tough hit out and we certainly got that.”
By half time the Gorillas had opened up a 35 point margin and we able to maintain the lead for the 2nd half.
“We missed a number of easy shots for goal and the wet ball nullified the height advantage we appeared to have,” said Magpies coach Peter McClennan. “We can’t complain we, were beaten fair and square by a side that turned up ready to play” he added.
The conditions suited Gorillas small forward Kristen Higgs who bagged 5 goals while for the Magpies Chris Mihalopoulos played a real Captains Game.
IT ranked up there with the bleakest of Saturdays for Gold Coast Aussie rules clubs when Coolangatta and Burleigh turned in shockers on the road on Saturday.
On an afternoon when Surfers Paradise’s home match against Springwood was washed out, Coolangatta and Burleigh limped home from inglorious displays Coolangatta against Noosa on the Sunshine Coast and Burleigh against Sandgate at Lemke Road Oval in Brisbane.
Coolangatta managed just one behind to Noosa’s 19.12 (126), leading long-time club stalwart Grant McKenzie almost speechless.
The Blues have such a mountainous list of injuries and unavailables that they forfeited reserve grade.
So McKenzie, a past player, captain, coach and now administrator was asked if Saturday’s result was the worst in the club’s history.
“It probably was, by a mile,” McKenzie said.
“I’m hoping it was just one of those weeks, but I’ve never seen us get that big a hiding.”
Coolangatta’s sole score came in the second quarter. “But it was a good point,” quipped McKenzie.
Coach Neil McKay said the effort was there by the Blues, but Noosa’s bigger bodies and talent, plus 10 goals from spearhead Danny Brewster, proved much too good for the visitors.
Cooly’s best were Sandy Kirk, Mark Greeney and Papua New Guinean Stanis Susuve.
Burleigh fell 3.3 (21) to 10.15 (75) at Sandgate, where old hands Tim McKay, Marcus Powell and Matt O’Brien tried valiantly against the odds.
The Bombers are in much the same boat as Coolangatta, having lost many key players but unable to recruit strongly because of the deflated Gold Coast economy.
