Morningside marked their entry to the Bond University QAFLW with a tough 19-point victory over fellow newcomers Moreton Bay in Round 1 at Red Rooster Park.
In hot and humid conditions at Burpengary, Morningside began the match at a higher intensity than their long-time rivals from the QFAW, took the lead in the first minute, and were able to lock the ball inside their forward 50 for much of the match.
Midfielder Laura Roy made 18 effective disposals for the visitors, mostly from collecting clearing kicks (5 intercept marks) and either releasing running teammates with clever handballs or thumping the ball to advantage over the defence.
Tahlia Smith (20 effective disposals) was superb at halfback in her debut for Moreton Bay since moving from Cairns and was the most effective Lions defender at connecting with her midfield.
The Panthers’ first state league goal came after 38 seconds when Emma McNaughton gathered a loose ball in front of goal, fended away her opponent and snapped through an empty goal square.
Their lead was doubled six minutes later when Laura Roy marked in the right pocket from a McNaughton miskick and put the set shot through the sticks.
Moreton Bay had looked slightly off the play to that point but found their resolve soon after, largely through the efforts of talismanic captain Jess Davy from midfield (16 effective disposals).
At the quarter-hour mark, Emmerson Brady won a free kick when her forward pressure caused a throw from her opponent, then had it advanced fifty metres when defenders ran through the protected area. Brady’s easy set shot made her Moreton Bay’s first goalscorer in the Bond University QAFLW.
The second quarter was dominated territorially by Morningside as they repeatedly rushed the Moreton Bay defenders into ineffective clearing kicks. Key defender Lucy McCormick (5 tackles, 2 intercept marks) in her first senior game for her junior club made a series of telling contributions to ensure that the Lions finished the quarter without an effective shot on goal.
New captain Courtney McDonnell added her first goal for Morningside to her 59 for Yeronga when her speculative shot from 25 metres landed well to the left of goal before turning like a Charli Knott off-break.
The Lions showed in the third term that they could match the pace and intensity of their more experienced opponents, but weren’t able to convert territory into shots until the 16th minute.
After conceding two behinds, Grace Pearson-Smith was awarded a free kick for being held in the goal square. Her set shot goal temporarily reduced the margin to 11 points before Lucy Bellinger restored the lead for the Panthers two minutes later.
Emmerson Brady gave the Lions hope early in the final term when she pounced on a loose ball and ran into an open goal. However, as players began cramping in the high humidity, Morningside maintained their on-field organisation to keep control of the match and secure the victory with a goal to Gracie Roy four minutes from full-time.
Fullback Chantelle Page impressed for Moreton Bay with several intercept marks and spoils, while Tiana Anderson on the wing showed impressive composure for a teenager on debut.
The Panthers had their own teenage debut sensation in midfielder Issy Levine (16 effective disposals at 84%, 6 clearances) who barely missed a target all day, likewise former Coorparoo grand finalist Kylie Lawrence whose seamless transition from midfield to halfback (13 effective disposals at 87%) felt like she’d never been away.
Both sides face competition heavyweights in Round 2: the Panthers play their first home game in the state league against Aspley; while Moreton Bay travel to the Canal to face the Bull Sharks.
In other Round 1 matches:
• Southport’s win over Yeronga set new state league records for highest team score and greatest winning margin, while Megan Hunt became the ninth player to reach 100 career goals in the competition
• Kloe McElhinney, formerly of Wodonga, scored twice as Coorparoo defeated Maroochydore by 49 points
• Bond University won its fifth straight U-Clash with a 45-point win over University of Queensland
• and Wilston Grange defeated Aspley for the first time since August 2020 holding off a late Hornets charge to win by four points.
Saturday 5 April 2025, 4:00pm at Red Rooster Park, Burpengary
MORETON BAY 1.0 (6) 1.0 (6) 2.0 (12) 3.0 (18)
MORNINGSIDE 2.2 (14) 3.3 (21) 4.5 (29) 5.7 (37)
Replay and match statistics
Moreton Bay
Goals: Emmerson Brady 2, Grace Pearson-Smith
Best: Chantelle Page, Tahlia Smith, Ebony Otto, Eloise O’Connor, Emmerson Brady, Tiana Anderson
Morningside
Goals: Emma McNaughton, Laura Roy, Courtney McDonnell, Lucy Bellinger, Gracie Roy
Best: Lucy McCormick, Laura Roy, Kylie Lawrence, Issy Levine, Gracie Roy, Greta Liell-Cock
Saturday 5 April 2025, 2:00pm at Leyshon Park No. 2, Yeronga
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0)
SOUTHPORT 10.3 (63) 18.10 (118) 22.16 (148) 32.27 (219)
Replay and match statistics
Yeronga South Brisbane
Goals: nil
Best: Goldie Poultney, Lekaiya Rabbitt, Clancey Sutton, Melody McHugh, Kiarra-Lee Rowe, Emily Frampton
Southport
Goals: Maddy Baldwin 5, Kierra Zerafa 5, Alannah Welsh 3, Maighan Fogas 2, Alicia Gordon 2, Megan Hunt 2, Maddy Watt 2, Steph O’Brien 2, Leigh Alder 2, Lily McDonald 2, Olivia Robinson, Rhianna Ingram, Bindi Crabtree, Tearnie Brown, Emma Suckling
Best: Steph O'Brien, Georja Davies, Sunny Lappin, Tyla Crabtree, Kierra Zerafa, Maddy Baldwin
Saturday 5 April 2025, 4:45pm at Giffin Park, Coorparoo
COORPAROO 2.1 (13) 5.4 (34) 6.5 (41) 7.10 (52)
MAROOCHYDORE 0.0 (0) 0.1 (1) 0.3 (3) 0.3 (3)
Replay and match statistics
Coorparoo
Goals: Kloe McElhinney 2, Kaitlyn Zelinski, Tilayna Nissen, Mia Teubler, Tiara Steel, Chelsea Chesterfield
Best: Renee Teys, Mia Teubler, Charlotte Millen, Chelsea Chesterfield, Grace Roberts-White, Ajla Fetahagić
Maroochydore
Goals: nil
Best: Roxy Beuzeville, Demi McCarthy, Hayley Edgar, Lucy Massie, Shae Partington, Abbey Tognazzini
Saturday 5 April 2025, 4:45pm at Bond University Oval, Robina
BOND UNIVERSITY 2.2 (14) 2.3 (15) 5.6 (36) 7.10 (52)
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND 0.0 (0) 1.0 (6) 1.1 (7) 1.1 (7)
Replay and match statistics
Bond University
Goals: Kendra Blattman 2, Maisy Evans 2, Bella Iverach, Ella Calleja, Bronte Parker
Best: Bronte Parker, Charlie Adamson, Skye White, Kendra Blattman, Jasmyn Davidson, Annabelle Foat
University of Queensland
Goals: Farradai Hopkins
Best: Erin Gilbert, Samantha Snowden, Elka Barnett, Farradai Hopkins, Harriet Knijff, Jessi Henning
Saturday 5 April 2025, 4:45pm at Automall Aspley Oval, Carseldine
ASPLEY 1.1 (7) 1.4 (10) 3.5 (23) 6.6 (42)
WILSTON GRANGE 2.0 (12) 4.1 (25) 6.3 (39) 7.4 (46)
Replay and match statistics
Aspley
Goals: Jaci Plumpton, Holly O’Flaherty, Jasmine Kawa, Lilu Hung, Jess Stallard, Georgia Smith
Best: Jasmine Kawa, Kaetsi French, Lucy Pengelly, Gabby Roberts, Holly O’Flaherty, Georgia Smith
Wilston Grange
Goals: Makeisha Muller, Mackenzie Findlay, Uma Brennan, Summer Hamilton, Tshinta Kendall, Naomi Celebre, Tia Magarry
Best: Grace Osborne, Gemma Donataccio, Annie Wallace, Summer Hamilton, Jasmin Rivers, Ella Smith
Table: Southport 4, Coorparoo 4, Bond University 4, Morningside 4, Wilston Grange 4, Aspley 0, Moreton Bay 0, University of Queensland 0, Maroochydore 0, Yeronga South Brisbane 0.
Find all your information about the Bond University QAFLW at the Competition Hub.