With QwAFL teams in the home stretch of the season, we thought it’s time to take a look at where they have been, and what is ahead of them in 2015. Check it out, club by club, below.
Coolangatta Tweed
The past
9-1 is a pretty handy position to be in this time of year, especially when you have a percentage of over 450. They started the year like a house of fire with an impressive win over Coorparoo in round 1. Yeronga got within 11-points in round 4, but they were taking every other challenge in their stride. Round 9 saw an absolute thriller played out with Coorparoo away from home. When the final siren rang, Coolangatta-Tweed were two-points down; their first and only loss of 2015. They couldn’t have bounced back in better fashion, recording massive wins over Wilston Grange and UQ in the last two weeks. They will take some beating this year.
The future
They have got a couple of big games either side of the bye. In round 13, they play Yeronga, which was close last time, and then after the bye it’s the big one, Coorparoo. The bye in the final round after their third game this season will ensure they are cherry ripe for the finals.
Jordan Membrey has been a noted goal kicked this year, as has the consistent Maddy Roberts.
Coorparoo
The past
Just the one loss as well for Coorparoo in 2015, which came at the hands of Coolangatta-Tweed in round 1. Since then, it’s been all positive. They took care of Yeronga in round 5, and apart from the two-point game with Coolangatta-Tweed in round 9, every win has been pretty comfortable.
The future
The game everyone will be looking forward to is when they square off with Coolangatta Tweed again in round 15. It will go a long way in determining who wins the minor premiership. Their last two games against Griffith Moorooka and UQ will be a good opportunity to make sure everyone is fresh and ready to go for their finals campaign.
Zielke has kicked 12 goals from her six games this year, and Rachel Crack has been named in the best five times already in 2015.
Yeronga South Brisbane
The past
After a bye in week one, Yeronga were champing at the bit to get out there and play footy by round 2, and it showed in their performance. They had a huge 94-point win over Zillmere, which signaled their intentions for the year. They went down to the top two teams in the next two weeks, but bounced back strongly with five wins on the trot. Last weekend, they came up against Coorparoo, but couldn’t get any closer than five goals. They are there abouts in 2015, just need to bridge that gap to the top two.
The future
That opportunity to take a scalp comes this weekend when they face Coolangatta-Tweed at home. They got within 11-points the first time they met, so would consider themselves a big chance this time round. Apart from their third game against Coolangatta-Tweed in round 18, they will start favorites in all other games. If they play to their ability, third spot at least looks destined to be theirs.
Despite playing seven games this year, Emily Bates has been named in the best five times already, and Hayley Newberry has kicked a couple of big bags to take her tally to 31 goals for the year.
Wilston Grange
The past
Sitting at 5-5, 2015 has been a success so far for Wilston Grange. The year started off on the right foot with a win over UQ in round 1. They were no match for Coorparoo in round 2, but rebounded well against Griffith Moorooka the next week. By far, their most important win of the year was against Zillmere in round 6, a team they are battling it out for a finals spot with.
The future
Wilston Grange will have their work cut out for them to get the four-points when they come up against Coorparoo this weekend, and Coolangatta-Tweed in round 16, but should square the ledger back up with games against UQ and Griffith Moorooka. Their round 19 game against Zillmere is already shaping up as a beauty, it could come down to whoever wins plays finals the next week.
Courtney Daniec has been ultra consistent this year, as has President Elect Brie Weatherstone is leading the goal kicking with 11 to date.
Zillmere
The past
After making the grand final last year, it’s been a challenging year for the Eagles. They are sitting at 3-7, but the season isn’t on ice just yet. Their start to the year was ideal, comfortably taking care of Griffith Moorooka in round 1, before struggling against Yeronga the following week. They have beaten UQ and Girffith Moorooka, but were unable to get over the line against the top three teams in the last three weeks.
The future
If they want to play finals, they will have to cause a couple of upsets in the run home. They should get the four points against UQ this weekend, and against Griffith Moorooka in round 15, but will need to beat either Yeronga or Coolangatta-Tweed in the weeks in-between to keep their season alive. That last game against Wilston Grange could be huge if they do.
Goals have been a little hard to come by this year, but Meg Pullinger has chipped in with nine so far, and Ally Anderson has been very good through the middle.
UQ
The past
Just the two wins for the Red Lionesses this year over Griffith Moorooka both times, but they are very much on the improve. They got within 14 of Wilston Grange in round 1, and haven’t been disgraced this year by any means.
The future
UQ have got a huge game against Zilmere this week, where they will rightly consider themselves a big show. They should win the following week against Griffith Moorooka, but it’s a tough last month facing the top four teams in four weeks.
Breanna Koenen has huge for UQ this year, she is a barometer of the team.
Griffith Moorooka
The past
It’s been a difficult year for Griffith Moorooka, but this year was never going to be about wins and losses, but rather development. They are yet to win a game in 2015, but there last couple of weeks has been better. They won a lot more of the footy against UQ and Wilston Grange, so the improvement is there to see. With a few younger players coming down each week from the Sunshine Coast and the Darling Downs, they are only going to get better as each week passes.
The future
Their game against UQ in round 14 will be their biggest opportunity to grab that first win. It will be a tough last three weeks though, coming up against Wilston Grange, Coorparoo and Yeronga South Brisbane, but you just never know what can happen.
Tahlia Randall and Jenna Vandyk have been the two standouts in 2015. They use the ball very well.
By Andrew Wiles – @andrewjwiles
