Image by Highflyer Photography
The welcome dry weather on the weekend helped produce some outstanding football in Round 10 and there was none better than at Stalagmite (Salk) Oval on the Gold Coast where PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN hosted SURFERS PARADISE and played out one of the games of the season.
It was first and third on the ladder and following an even first half, the game went up a notch after the break. PBC holding on to win a pulsating contest over a gallant Surfers outfit 18.12.(120) to 17.9.(111)
The Demons went into half-time leading by eight points but could have been more as in the latter part of the second quarter they kicked four behinds while the Lions kept in touch with 2.2.
The match opened up in the third term with 13 goals kicked between the two sides and the much-publicised midfield battle started to warm up. PBC flew out of the blocks with three quick goals (two to Rhys King) before Surfers hit back with two of their own to still hold a slender lead halfway through the quarter.
The Lions then gained the ascendancy with six of the next eight goals over the next 20 minutes with dynamic forward Corey Beaman stealing the limelight. He took a spectacular mark which led to a goal then proceeded to kick three of the next four majors. It should have been all four but unselfishly gave one away to Sam Cilmi from close range and then closed out the entertaining 37-minute term to give his team a handy 24-point lead heading into the final quarter.
PBC still led by about that margin at the 17-minute mark, but Surfers were not going down without a fight. In the space of five minutes, goals to power midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Mitch Patten and dominant ruckman Zac Smith brought the visitors within eight points.
Then with only minutes remaining the ball was booted long into the Lions forward line. It was the moment for former Carlton and Gold Coast Suns forward Levi Casboult who pulled down a huge pack mark – his tenth for the match (six contested). An off the ball incident brought him to point blank range and his fifth goal of the match sealed the Lions victory to retain top spot on the ladder.
As mentioned, the battle of the midfield was a highlight with PBC’s Harry Benson leading the way with 27 disposals and six clearances, Tom Simpson (21 and seven respectively) plus seven tackles and three goals, Rhys King aside from his two goals had a treble of 22, six and seven respectively as well.
For Surfers Paradise along with Smith in the ruck, Ben Woodburn was dominant with 28 disposals, nine clearances and eight tackles. Mitch Patten led the goalkickers for the Demons with three.
There were three other enthralling contests. In the commentary game at Hickey Park, WILSTON GRANGE stuck with MORNINGSIDE until the dying stages of the match when the defending premiers slammed on three quick goals to clinch the four points. Darcy Cameron-Reeves booted his fifth, dominant playmaker Tristan Hobley with 36 disposals kicked his first following a 50-metre penalty, then Preston Cockatoo-Collins after hitting the post earlier, kicked his third for the quarter and for the match to get the visitors home by 15 points 17.12.(114) to 15.9.(99).
The home team began well to lead by 17 points at quarter-time - including a run of four unanswered goals - before Morningside clawed their way back into the contest and trailed by only three points at the final break.
Jacquin Mifsud led the way for the Gorillas with 25 disposals and four goals while Noah Cameron and Jackson Mills kicked three apiece.
Following two consecutive losses ASPLEY were desperate to return to winning form and the top four when they played host to the improving MAROOCHYDORE at Graham Road.
A tight first half had the home team with their noses in front, but not for the first time this season, the Hornets and the competition’s leading goalkicker Connor Stackelberg could not be contained with an outstanding eight-goal performance.
He helped establish what appeared to be a match winning 29-point lead at three-quarter time after Aspley kicked four goals while restricting the visitors to a single.
However, Maroochydore launched a spirited challenge outscoring the home team seven goals to five in the final term. In fact, when Josh Wagner kicked the Roos third of three quick goals, they had pegged the margin back to 17 points. Stackelberg then steadied the ship with two majors and the Hornets were home by 18 points 15.12.(102) to 13.6 (84).
The return of playmaker Ryan Banks-Smith, 27 disposals with great assistance from Will Wolbers in the ruck (41 hit outs) was a big factor in the victory.
Aaron Wilson kicked three for the Roos and the better players listed were Joshua Govan, Benjamin Thomas and Bailey Hahn.
Meanwhile on the Sunshine Coast in the battle of the Tigers, LABRADOR reversed the result from earlier in the season to prevail over NOOSA by 12 points at Rococo Oval 16.12.(108) to 15.6.(96).
This was despite a goal feast for the Noosa Tiger’s Angus Byrne with seven and Kaine Coates five. A high scoring first term saw 11 goals between the two sides, then Labrador took control of the game over the next two quarters kicking seven goals to four to establish a match winning 32-point lead at the final change.
For the victors, Aiden Fyfe kicked five goals and Zak Marshall three as Labrador have now won four on the trot and sit seventh on the ladder. A big test awaits next week as they host REDLAND VICTORIA POINT at Cooke-Murphy Oval.
Speaking of which, a dominant 12-goal second half performance by the Sharks at home saw them account for COORPAROO by 63 points at Totally Workwear Park.
Eight goals from power forward Matt Hammelmann matched Aspley’s Connor Stackelberg round 10 effort in the race for the Ray Hughson goalkicking medal.
The Hornets player sits on 42 and still leads by ten over Hammelmann with PBC’s Levi Casboult third on 28.
After a couple of tough weeks, SHERWOOD returned to the winners list with a thumping 117-point victory over a disappointing MT. GRAVATT at Dittmer Park.
James Creighton was terrific also kicking eight goals for the round, enjoying his day out as the Magpies had over ten individual goalkickers.
BROADBEACH sat out the weekend but are gearing up for a big local rivalry away to Surfers Paradise next week.