University of Queensland produced the biggest surprise of the 2025 Bond University QAFLW defeating Bond University by 22 points in a tense and high-quality encounter at Base Architecture Meadows.
In the driest conditions of the season, UQ shocked last year’s Grand Finalists by scoring the first three goals of the match and increasing their lead to 28 points midway through the third quarter.
The Bull Sharks responded with four goals in 13 minutes either side of the final break before the Red Lionesses recovered to score the final three majors.
In a match full of outstanding performances, UQ rover Erin Gilbert was named Best on Ground partly for her game-high eight tackles and five inside-50s, but more for her constant pressure around the contest and ‘one percent’ plays.
Gilbert broke the match open in the first thirty seconds when she intercepted a handball and busted a tackle in the one motion before shooting low to score.
Ruck Coco Garton (26 hit outs, three intercept marks) struck two minutes later with a curving kick from 35 metres, with captain Charlotte Andrews making it three in nine minutes when she finished a counter-attack from defence that began with Freya Ross on debut shaking off a tackle.
A goal to Bull Sharks winger Charlotte Taylor in the 11th minute shifted the momentum of the quarter, with tall forwards Kendra Blattman and Abbey Bevan also on the scoreboard before the first break.
Only a goal against the run of play to Farradai Hopkins (13 effective disposals, eight clearances), in which she gathered a boundary throw-in at her bootlaces and then kicked off step from 30 metres, prevented the Red Lionesses from squandering their early advantage.
Andrews scored the only goal of a much tighter second quarter when she ran onto Jessi Henning’s long clearance and then put a wobbly miss-kick through for six points.
The contest began looking slightly one-sided in the third term as UQ’s rapid ball movement created a goal for Monique Piunti after barely a minute and another to Edie McCabe from a 50-metre penalty in the tenth minute.
The match changed when Bond fullback Jemma Blair began a counter-attack from the left back pocket that ended with Maisy Evans snapping home from the right forward pocket.
Within four minutes, Brianna Moyes had scored twice, firstly after being set up with a handball from impressive debutante Millar Brosnan-Ball, and secondly with a tap-in after a long clearance from Evans.
Blattman (14 hit-outs, five tackles), probably Bond’s best alongside midfielder Shannon Nolan (16 effective disposals, six clearances), was also the beneficiary of a skilful kick from Evans when she marked on the lead early in the final term and then converted a tricky set shot on a narrow angle.
The match’s final momentum shift was initiated by Henning when she curtailed Bond’s long period of forward dominance with a long clearance and, after her teammates lost possession, a strong intercept mark.
Shortly afterwards, Jules Martin, the third of an impressive trio of players on debut in this match, pumped the ball into space behind Bond’s defence and watched Piunti fly through the forward 50 to gain possession and secure the lead.
A trademark snap from Emily Rogers just inside the arc and a second goal to McCabe after the siren confirmed UQ’s first win over the Bull Sharks since the 2022 finals series.
The win leaves the Red Lionesses four points outside the top six with an opportunity to build momentum across their next three matches, all played at home.
Bond is now two wins behind the unbeaten Southport and Morningside but has an immediate chance to reduce that gap when they host the Panthers next Saturday.
Elsewhere in a captivating Round 8:
• Morningside produced a dominant first half to gain a tricky away win at Wilston Grange
• Twelve players kicked goals for Southport in their 166-point defeat of Moreton Bay
• Aspley ground out a solid result over Maroochydore thanks to two goals from Lucy Thompson
• Debutante Edie Fraser became the first player to kick seven goals in a Bond University QAFLW match since Jesse Wardlaw in 2019, while Renee Teys broke the competition record for hit-outs in a match with 66, as Coorparoo triumphed over Yeronga.
Saturday 7 June 2025, 12pm at Base Architecture Meadows, St Lucia
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND 4.0 (24) 5.2 (32) 7.4 (46) 10.5 (65)
BOND UNIVERSITY 3.0 (18) 3.0 (18) 6.0 (36) 7.1 (43)
Replay and match statistics
University of Queensland
Goals: Charlotte Andrews 2, Monique Piunti 2, Edie McCabe 2, Erin Gilbert, Coco Garton, Farradai Hopkins, Emily Rogers
Best: Erin Gilbert, Charlotte Andrews, Coco Garton, Monique Piunti, Eva Sartor, Sammy Snowden
Bond University
Goals: Brianna Moyes 2, Kendra Blattman 2, Charlotte Taylor, Maisy Evans
Best: Kendra Blattman, Millar Brosnan-Ball, Shannon Nolan, Lexi Samuels, Skye White, Grace Moodie
Saturday 7 June 2025, 11:15am at Hickey Park, Stafford
WILSTON GRANGE 0.0 (0) 0.1 (1) 3.3 (21) 4.3 (27)
MORNINGSIDE 2.2 (14) 4.3 (27) 6.3 (39) 9.4 (58)
Replay and match statistics
Wilston Grange
Goals: Mia Geere 2, Naomi Celebre, Tshinta Kendall
Best: Mia Geere, Summer Hamilton, Keyshia Matenga, Mackenzie Findlay, Siobhan Senior, Uma Brennan
Morningside
Goals: Lucy Bellinger 2, Courtney McDonnell 2, Emma McNaughton 2, Annabel Peacock 2, Laura Roy
Best: Laura Roy, Georgia Lwin, Lucy Bellinger, Annabel Peacock, Emma McNaughton, Neva Bell
Saturday 7 June 2025, 3pm at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport
SOUTHPORT 5.5 (35) 13.8 (86) 18.18 (126) 24.22 (166)
MORETON BAY 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0)
Replay and match statistics
Southport
Goals: Tayla Gregory 4, Tyla Crabtree 3, Olivia Meagher 3, Caitlin Miller 3, Scarlett Featherstone 2, Rianna Schipp 2, Kierra Zerafa 2, Tearnie Brown, Maighan Fogas, Alicia Gordon, Steph O’Brien, Maddy Watt
Best: Tayla Gregory, Tyla Crabtree, Maddy Watt, Steph O'Brien, Olivia Meagher, Rianna Schipp
Moreton Bay
Goals: nil
Best: Grace Pearson-Smith, Bri Cason, Tahlia Smith, Kim Armstrong, Emmerson Brady, Ebony Otto
Saturday 7 June 2025, 4:45pm at Automall Aspley Oval, Carseldine
ASPLEY 2.0 (12) 2.3 (15) 4.5 (29) 4.8 (32)
MAROOCHYDORE 0.0 (0) 0.1 (1) 1.2 (8) 1.3 (9)
Replay and match statistics
Aspley
Goals: Lucy Thompson 2, Katie Day, Jesse McMillan
Best: Anna van de Wiel, Gabby Roberts, Emma Pittman, Katie Day, Rachael Vetter, Emma MacDonald
Maroochydore
Goals: Jaspar Jordan
Best: Molly Ferguson, Axel Oswald, Lily Gilliland, Abbie Solomon, Hayley Edgar, Lucy Massie
Saturday 7 June 2025, 4:45pm at Leyshon Park, Yeronga
YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) 0.0 (0) 0.2 (2)
COORPAROO 9.2 (56) 16.6 (102) 21.9 (135) 25.14 (164)
Replay and match statistics
Yeronga South Brisbane
Goals: nil
Best: Mel McHugh, Sienna Wilson, Bella Turner, Charlie Hellier, Deanna Iovenitti, Lily Clutton
Coorparoo
Goals: Edie Fraser 7, Tilayna Nissen 4, Indiana Scheffler 4, Chelsea Chesterfield 3, Chloe Haines 3, Chelsea Winn 2, Carly Hess, Lucy Schneider
Best: Edie Fraser, Emily Harding, Grace Roberts-White, Chelsea Winn, Carly Hess, Indiana Scheffler
Table: Southport 32, Morningside 32, Bond University 24, Coorparoo 20, Wilston Grange 16, Aspley 16, University of Queensland 12, Maroochydore 4, Moreton Bay 4, Yeronga South Brisbane 0.
Find all your information about the Bond University QAFLW at the Competition Hub.