Round 8 of the Bond University QAFLW has the look and feel of a Rivalry Round with two classic match-ups and two more with the potential to reach that status.
The featured commentated match will be the 19th U-Clash at Base Architecture Meadows between the competition’s two university-based clubs. It wasn’t that long ago that UQ v Bond was the battle for supremacy in the state league; their meeting in the 2021 Grand Final a contender for the highest quality contest ever seen in the Bond University QAFLW.
The Bull Sharks haven’t lost to anyone except Southport since May last year and can maintain pressure on the top two with a win at St Lucia. The Red Lionesses have lost their last four but their contested style matches up well against their varsity rivals and they’ll relish the chance to play on home turf early in the day before celebrating their club’s Ladies Day.
Also enjoying an early start to accommodate Ladies Day festivities is Wilston Grange who host Morningside. The Gorillas see their loss to the Panthers back in Round 3 as one that got away, having ten scoring shots to seven but their inaccuracy in the wet costing them victory. Conversely, Morningside see that match as evidence of their ability to find a way to win in any circumstances, not for the only time in 2025.
Southport faces Moreton Bay for the first time since their QFAW days in 2021. With ten players selected in the Queensland squad plus a few more who feel unlucky to have missed out, the Sharks are unlikely to be in a merciful mood against the ninth-placed Lions. However, Moreton Bay asked some testing questions of Wilston Grange and Aspley in their last two starts and should enjoy the chance to pit themselves against the league leaders.
Every Bond University QAFLW finals series since 2019 has featured one of Aspley or Maroochydore, but never together. As a result, most matches between the sides have been one-sided one way or the other. Aspley has begun to find its rhythm after an indifferent beginning to the year while Maroochydore put up good fights in the last fortnight against the two undefeated teams. The extra spice in this clash, however, is generated by three players beginning the season as Roos and then moving to the Hornets. Never underestimate the role that emotions play in seemingly benign encounters.
Historically, the greatest rivalry of them all in the Bond University QAFLW has been that between Coorparoo and Yeronga. From when that the Kings broke the Devils’ 27-win streak in the 2013 Grand Final, through to the classic 2017 decider, even to a high-quality, AFLW-stacked Elimination Final in 2020, this has been QAFLW’s El Clasico. Eleven months ago, despite their disparate ladder positions, Coorparoo led by merely a point at three-quarter time before pulling away late. This is one clash where ladder positions are often irrelevant.
WILSTON GRANGE v MORNINGSIDE
Saturday 7 June 2025, 11:15am at Hickey Park, Stafford
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-head: Played 1 - Morningside won 1
Head-to-head at Hickey Park: first meeting
Last time they met: 26 Apr 2025 (Round 3) - Morningside 3.4 (22) d Wilston Grange 1.9 (15) at Jack Esplen Oval.
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND v BOND UNIVERSITY
Saturday 7 June 2025, 12pm at Base Architecture Meadows, St Lucia
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-head: Played 18 - Bond University won 11; University of Queensland won 6; drawn 1
Head-to-head at Base Architecture Meadows: Played 6 - Bond University won 4; University of Queensland won 1; drawn 1
Last time they met: 5 Apr 2025 (Round 1) - Bond University 7.9 (51) d University of Queensland 1.1 (7) at Bond University Oval.
SOUTHPORT v MORETON BAY
Saturday 7 June 2025, 3pm at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-head: first meeting
ASPLEY v MAROOCHYDORE
Saturday 7 June 2025, 4:45pm at Automall Aspley Oval, Carseldine
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-head: Played 13 - Maroochydore won 7; Aspley won 6
Head-to-head at Automall Aspley Oval: Played 6 - Aspley won 3; Maroochydore won 3
Last time they met: 3 May 2025 (Round 4) - Aspley 11.4 (70) d Maroochydore 1.4 (10) at Neil Upton Oval.
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE v COORPAROO
Saturday 7 June 2025, 4:45pm at Leyshon Park, Yeronga
Live stream on YouTube
Head-to-head: Played 37 - Coorparoo won 21; Yeronga won 16
Head-to-head at Leyshon Park: Played 18 - Coorparoo won 11; Yeronga won 7
Last time they met: 6 Jul 2024 - Coorparoo 7.4 (46) d Yeronga 4.0 (24) at Leyshon Park.
You can watch all matches in the Bond University QAFLW by visiting the Official AFLQ YouTube channel.