SOUTHPORT V MORNINGSIDE SUNDAY 2.30PM BRIGHTON HOMES ARENA
There is no doubt Southport have been the standout team for the year and are now on the verge of defending last year’s title. The Sharks justified their favouritism for another premiership with a scintillating performance in the Qualifying Final a fortnight ago when they simply overpowered Morningside by 79 points.
The Panthers to their credit put that disappointment behind them to bounce back to win last week’s Preliminary Final and rightly deserve a shot at the title.
In the meeting a fortnight ago, the Sharks grabbed the early ascendancy kicking three goals to one in the first term The quarter scores were the same ratio in the second and third so by the final change Southport were already safe as they led by 43 points.
The minor premiers then put the icing on the cake in the final term to score 5.6 while keeping their opposition scoreless. Their forwards devoured just about everything that came near them with young star Dekota Baron booting four goals and Caitlin Miller roamed everywhere for three. Tall forward Hannah Davies pulled down some big marks while Tearnie Brown was another scoring option but the standout was Georja Davies in the ruck. She produced one of the better ruck displays seen in the women’s competition with an outstanding performance including 30 hit outs, 26 disposals (18 contested) and eight clearances.
Southport have so many stars and Queensland state reps across their lines it is hard to not name them all, but skipper Rianna Schipp, Kierra Zerafa, Maddy Watt, Maighan Fogas and Sunny Lappin are all influential. On the forward line Miller, Maddy Baldwin and Olivia Meagher have kicked over 80 goals between them for the season. Meagher missed the Qualifying Final but is expected to be selected for Sunday.
The defence is led by 150-gamer Megan Hunt and Lily McDonald while Mikayla Nurse and Rhianna Ingram provide plenty of run out of defence. The only downside from two weeks ago was an ankle injury to star playmaker Steph O’Brien. It will be a race against time but every opportunity will be given for her to be fit by Sunday.
Southport’s only hiccup occurred a few weeks ago when beaten on a wet and stormy night at Coorparoo to halt a winning sequence of 26. Whether that defeat close to finals was part of that often-used cliché ‘the loss they had to have’ remains to be seen.
Coach Matty Lappin quickly straightened his side up and the Sharks responded when they easily accounted for the Panthers in their only meeting during the regular season by 53 points. Lappin will have his Sharks trained to the minute for Sunday’s finale.
It is Morningside’s debut season in the BOND UNIVERSITY QAFLW and a huge achievement by coach Damien Richards, club staff and the players to reach Sunday’s Grand Final. However, the club will not be satisfied with that feat and despite going in as underdogs will be aiming for a reversal of recent results against their rivals from the Gold Coast.
Morningside responded so well after the loss to Southport and no doubt inclusions of Teresa Dixon who dominated the hit outs (with Ella Gibson), key playmaker Gracie Roy was back in the side which allowed sister Laura more freedom picking up a game-high 30 disposals. Dixon and Gibson will need to work hard to curtail the height of the Sharks especially both Georja Davies and Hannah Davies (not related). Another tall Georgia Lwin was injured last week and await any selection news with her availability.
Midfielder Issy Levine returned to form as did Lucy Bellinger, Greta Liell-Cock and Courtney McDonnell back from injury would have benefited from the run. While the defence led by Lucy McCormick and Kylie Lawrence received a significant learning curve at Fankhauser Reserve, but the switch of Mackenzie Sleep to the backline has proved valuable. There is also the young emerging talent of forward Zoe Petrides, the run and dash of Annabel Peacock and defender Stella Scott.
Also, from the Qualifying Final a remarkable effort from Sienna Graham who battled hard to kick all of Morningside’s three goals to repeat the effort of teammate Harlee McIlwain who kicked their only two goals when these sides met in round 16. That is one aspect the Panthers coaching staff would have been working on is more scoring avenues up forward and better cohesion between the two arcs.
Another factor is Southport have only played one match in a month (since August 9) while Morningside should be hard and fit after playing a couple of successive matches.
The stage is set for a fitting finale to another BOND UNIVERSITY QAFLW season.
