Following last Saturday’s deluge, clubs are hoping for better weather this week to help their grounds recover for another busy weekend of football. However, how will the ‘wet’ form of the previous round translate into this week as the season reaches the halfway mark and teams jostle for those top eight positions.
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN (1ST) V SURFERS PRADISE (3RD) Stalagmite/Salk Oval
These long time Gold Coast rivals are again battling for QAFL supremacy and this clash should be no different. The Lions returned from their bye last week to quash Aspley at Graham Road. This season they have beaten their fellow coast teams Labrador and Broadbeach and are out to complete the trifecta on Saturday.
Palm Beach Currumbin’s only loss this year coming at Redland Victoria Point, but they have turned things around since Round 4 to be sitting on top the ladder.
The Lions midfield has taken all before them in recent weeks with Harry Benson leading the way taking in another 34 disposals, 10 tackles and seven clearances last week. He has been ably supported by Tom Simpson, Zac Harrison Rhys King etc and with a target up forward such as Levi Casboult - who leads the competition with 33 marks in forward 50 and third on the goalkicking with 23 - the Demons have their work cut out.
Surfers Paradise disposed of the young Sherwood Magpies last weekend and they had their own midfield hero with Ben Woodburn amassing 44 disposals, eight tackles and nine clearances! Other Demons to watch include Matt Doran, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen and of course the tall timber of Zac Smith in the ruck directing the hit outs. Laurence King leads their goalkicking tally with 17.
One point to note that Surfers had their bye in round one and do not receive their second until round 15 and are playing their third game out of their last four away. Meanwhile PBC should still be relatively fresh and are always hard to beat at home.
NOOSA (6TH) V LABRADOR (8TH) Noosa/Rococo Oval
The clash of the Tigers on the Sunshine Coast with both these teams carrying the same moniker and a matter of which tiger will roar loudest on Saturday!
Noosa will be glad to be back home after sloshing around in the Esplen Oval mud in the loss to Morningside. They typically go up another level at home, whilst the trip north can be a challenge for visitors.
The two teams met in round two at Labrador when Matt Gaul put on a show with 30 disposals and nine clearances supported by five goals to Angus Byrne and four to Kaine Cates in the 25-point away win. Unfortuantely Gaul won't feature in this match, out due to injury.
Labrador’s last loss was back down the Sunshine Coast motorway at Maroochydore, but with three consecutive wins since under their belts - including the big upset win in round eight over Aspley – the Gold Coast Tigers are out for revenge and will roll into Noosa with plenty of confidence.
Now that both teams are in the eight despite four losses apiece, they will be fighting hard to stay there.
ASPLEY (5TH) V MAROOCHYDORE (7TH) Graham Road
Following a second consecutive loss, Aspley will be desperate to return to the winners list and climb back into the top four. They are another team that will be hoping their home ground has recovered weather wise to take full advantage against an opponent who already have inflicted a surprise defeat upon the Hornets this season.
Maroochydore accounted for Aspley in Round 1 by a comfortable 41 points at Meridan Plains. The Roos restricted the Hornets to six goals that day and leading goalkicker Connor Stackelberg with only two.
A similar effort will be required at Graham Road and the visitors are keen that last week’s big finish over Broadbeach will continue that momentum and add further pain to a highly ranked team.
The Hornets have stumbled since toppling Redland Victoria Point a couple of weeks ago and no doubt the loss of Ryan Banks-Smith is hurting. There is still plenty of firepower on paper and recent wounds would help to heal with a crucial home win.
In other matches to complete TPIL LAWYERS QAFL ROUND 10, WILSTON GRANGE (9TH) host the return clash against MORNINGSIDE (4TH) at Hickey Park.
The teams met previously in round four resulting in an easy win to Morningside and the Panthers will go in as favourites here having beaten sides that are around or below them in recent weeks.
The Gorillas claimed their third win of year last week after completing the double over Coorparoo. A chance to host the defending premiers at home should provide a stern test.
A welcome return to the winners list beckons for SHERWOOD (10th) who have copped some football lessons in recent weeks against teams well above them on the ladder. The Magpies travel to Dittmer Park to take on MT GRAVATT (13TH), but a match not to be taken lightly as the Vultures were right in the hunt at half-time against Surfers Paradise and will take some heart from that effort.
The task for COORPAROO (11TH) does not get any easier as a visit to second-placed REDLAND VICTORIA POINT awaits on Saturday. Another factor will be the Sharks are coming off a bye and are keen to return to action at Totally Workwear Park. Forward powerhouse Matt Hammelmann is also rested after booting bag of seven goals before the break and sits second on the Ray Hughson Medal list with 24.
BROADBEACH has the bye after a disruptive first half of the season with only one win. It is a timely break to take stock and this proud club should have a say in shaping the ladder in the run home.