Another exciting round of football in TPIL Lawyers QAFL Round 17 as the regular season nears its end, but the finals race is wide open with upsets and thrilling finishes resulting in first and third on the ladder suffering narrow defeats.
BROADBEACH stunned ladder leaders PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN at Stalagmite Oval in a heart stopping finish by three points 13.9.(87) to 12.12.(84).
The Cats have been a different side in the second half of the season securing their sixth win since round 11 and now find themselves in the eight with teams above them very wary.
Despite a positive start by PBC to lead by 14 points at half-time, Broadbeach turned on the pressure in the premiership third quarter kicking six goals to three and headed into the last change with a three-point lead.
A clever volley goal from the top of the square by Charlie Corke saw the visitors stretch that margin early in the final term. However, home supporters were given hope at the 16-minute mark when Harrison Gray received a pass from Jack Stringer and ran into an open goal. That would be the last scoring play of the game as the final quarter became an arm wrestle with the Lions unable to break the Cats defensive mould.
Some match saving tackles and intercept marks denied PBC the chance to regain the lead and the Broadbeach players celebrated like it was a grand final win after the final siren.
Joel Fillipone was damaging up forward with three goals and four players kicking two apiece. Liam Nelson gathered 27 possessions and had 10 clearances with support from Beau Bailey, Ryan Gilmore and Jye Lockett. Aiden Hare led the way with eight tackles as the Cats counted 61 in total and even more pleasing was they clinched the victory without key ruckman Riley Bowman who was on Southport Sharks duty in the VFL.
Lions spearhead Levi Casboult was restricted to only two goals amongst his 24 disposals as he helped Dylan Adkins in the ruck as the pair dominated the hit outs with a total of 95! At least Casboult’s teammates were able to share the goals around to keep them in the game with 10 individual goal scorers.
The midfield was still prominent with Harry Benson and AJ Dawson collecting 25 disposals each and Rhys King (22), while Thomas Thynne recovered from last week’s contest against Surfers Paradise to also have 22 possessions and eight clearances.
Palm Beach Currumbin has a bye next round to stew over the last two weeks and risk losing their top spot to Redland Victoria Point.
In the commentary match, ASPLEY did reverse their recent form against MORNINGSIDE to turn the tables on the defending premiers at Jack Esplen Oval in another thriller – 10.12.72 to 10.7.(67).
The Hornets applied the heat early with five goals in the opening term and then maintained an advantage at half-time despite only scoring one goal while the Panthers added two straight.
The margin should have been more than 17 points as the visitors misfired with seven behinds in that second quarter including a run of five in seven minutes just before the main break. In fact, they kicked 3.9 in the middle two quarters as a more accurate the Panthers stayed in the contest with 4.2 in the same period.
The scene was set for an exciting last term as Morningside tried to step up their attack. However, two goals each in the early part of the quarter seemed to have the Hornets holding the desperate Panthers.
The margin was still 17 points entering time-on, but quick goals to Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds and Shaquille McLeod’s second for the term and the match gave Morningside some hope of stealing the win.
The siren sounded soon after and the victory saw the Hornets keep their top four hopes alive and a mouth-watering clash with the team in fourth place and on the same points (40) - Surfers Paradise at Graham Road next week.
Leading goalkicker Connor Stackelberg grabbed three for the match with brother Cody who kicked their first two goals of the match. Daine Macdonald collected 24 disposals, Coen Harker (23) with Will Wolbers controlling the ruck with 38 hit outs and eight contested possessions. While Liam Dawson started up front then was moved down back and became virtually impassable with his intercept marking power as the Hornets had +30 differential in Uncontested marks.
Jack Rolls was the Panthers best amassing 32 disposals and eight clearances, Bertoli-Simmonds (22 and seven tackles) and Wyatt Greenaway (23) including one for the season highlight reels leaping high for a spectacular mark at the start of the final term.
It was a match of attrition though with both teams suffering injuries including Aspley coach Adrian Pilgrim, who did not even make it to the game through illness. It was left to assistant coach Marc Seen to help steer the Hornets home. They also lost Jesse-Patrick Doherty and Joel Leahy during the match while the Panthers finished the game without Ryan Dadds and Kelly Castle.
Despite missing several stars including key ruckman Zac Smith, midfielders Hugh Greenwood and Lawrence King, SURFERS PARADISE maintained that fourth position by thrashing NOOSA on the Sunshine Coast 22.18.(150) to 10.9.(69).
Following the big win over PBC it was important for the Demons to keep up that momentum and they did in brilliant fashion by killing the game with eight goals in the first quarter. It was 12 goals in the first half followed by another 10 in the second as the visitors never gave the home supporters much to cheer about.
Lucas Snowball continued his great late season form with six goals among his 21 disposals with forward Oscar Wood (three goals). The midfield ran riot with Benjamin Woodburn and Matt Doran combining for 69 possessions and it was a welcome return to the side for Cam Ellis-Yolmen picking up two goals, and 33 disposals (17 contested).
Noosa had welcomed back Matthew Gaul (14 disposals) and with players such as Daniel Rich (21 and 14 contested possessions) Sam Willoughby (27 and 14), the Tigers were looking to capitalise on the ‘outs’ for their opposition but it never eventuated. Jono Freeman was the Tigers leading goalkicker with three.
At one stage Noosa were in fifth place with such a positive start to the season but now find themselves outside the eight (ninth) and an inferior percentage to the late bloomers Broadbeach. Next week becomes a must win away at Sherwood.
It has been a horror run for the Sunshine Coast teams with neighbours Maroochydore on a losing streak and sitting out the bye before their crucial clash away to Wilston Grange in round 18.
LABRADOR fended off SHERWOOD by twenty points at Cooke-Murphy Oval to maintain their precarious sixth place in the eight. The Tigers were largely in control in the 13.9.(87) to 9.13.(67) scoreline which like Aspley set up the victory with a five-goal first term.
To their credit, the Magpies kept pace with the home side albeit with more accuracy and may have edged closer kicking 7.10 to 8.4 over the next three quarters.
In an entertaining final term, Labrador repeated their first quarter effort with five goals to establish a safe 33-point lead before Sherwood scored a couple of late consolation majors to bring the margin back at the final siren.
The Tigers had ten individual goalkickers with Aiden Fyfe, Zak Marshall and Rhys Nicholls with two each and Charlie Rowe back from the Southport Sharks hitting form collecting 27 possessions, Luke Coombes (25) and skipper Rhys Nicholls (24 with seven clearances and tackles).
Ethan Duke’s five goals a highlight for the Magpies, Jonathan Giles 31 disposals, Owen Collins also back from Southport duties (29) and Will Fletcher (25 and 10 clearances).
The Tigers are now 10 points behind both fourth and fifth, but after the weekends results there is only one win between sixth and tenth. A recent draw and a low percentage may prove costly and now Labrador must sit out a bye next weekend.
The final match of the round saw WILSTON GRANGE have a comfortable 67-point victory over MT GRAVATT at Southside Toyota Oval (Dittmer Park). The solid victory keeps the Gorillas finals hopes alive in tenth spot and another vital fixture at home with Maroochydore next week.
Aside from the Roos, Coorparoo had the weekend off as did second-placed Redland Victoria Point who would have been preparing for their pre-finals clash with Morningside at home next week.
In the Ray Hughson Medal with three regular season games remaining, Aspley’s Connor Stackleberg on 73 goals still leads from PBC’s Levi Casboult (71) and RVP’s Matt Hammelmann (65) looking to get back amongst the goals next weekend.
