Photo: Awesome Sports Images
1. Maroochydore are the real deal
All eyes were on Maroochydore as Noah Cumberland returned to his junior club and he sure did deliver. A 55-point win on the home deck against a very solid Tigers outfit that they played in an elimination final last year and proved that this season they are out for revenge. Cumberland had a very nice return game, kicking three goals and being a pest up forward for the Roos. Speaking of their attack, Aaron Wilson and Koby Young combined for seven goals and are settling into the season quite nicely. Willam O’Dwyer delivered a great performance in the midfield, with 27 touches and five inside 50’s, alongside a 23 disposal game from Hunter Moore and a team high eight clearances from Benjamin Thomas. In defence, Zack Shelton went berserk, getting 22 touches but more importantly grabbing a game high seven intercept marks. He controlled the air and helped set up their rebounding game nicely.
2. Wilston Grange have turned their season around
This is not the same Wilston Grange team that started the season. They have now won three in a row and are tied in points for a top eight position. Defeating Aspley in a 15 point thriller just shows what this team is made of. Going into the fourth quarter, they were down by 11 points and looking like they wouldn’t come back. Enter the Gorillas defence. They held the Hornets to just one goal and six behinds in the final term with Lachlan Zakaras inflicting a team high 5 spoils controlling the air, Grady Turner setting up plays off halfback with 90% disposal efficiency and Jack Manly controlling the ground with a huge 16 contested possessions. But it was Darby Breeden who really starred in the final term, kicking two of his team’s four goals in the fourth to propel the Gorillas to a really important win.
3. Tom Simpson is just ridiculous
Tom Simpson. Where to begin. Maybe his 40 touches in the 64-point win over Broadbeach away from Salk Oval. The next best player was Rhys King with 31. Or maybe his 11 clearances. And 10 inside 50’s. Or maybe the fact that his two goals and two behinds put him equal second with the most scoring shots for this game. But he wasn’t playing up forward. He was doing this from the midfield. This man is playing incredibly right now, leading an already stacked Lions team to a great victory over the Cats. His season started off great and it’s only going to get better from here, with Simpson currently leading coaches MVP votes. Oh…and Liam Jones was pretty good too!
4. Morningside are right where they need to be
Morningside just keep ticking along in the 2026 season. They took care of business in a convincing win over Mt Gravatt this weekend and continue to push for a home qualifying final. Jake Howson led the way in attack with six goals, and was backed up by Shaquille McLeod, Blake Coleman and Brock Ashton, with them combining for eight goals. Speaking of Ashton, he has stepped up in the three games he has now played this season, averaging 35.7 disposals. He continued his form this weekend having arguably his best game, racking up 44 against the Vultures. Partner in crime Tristan Hobley continued his stellar campaign having eight clearances alongside his 32 disposals. Down back, Liam Dawson had his way, leading the Panthers with a huge 10 intercept marks alongside a nice 19 touches and helped hold the Vultures to 37 points.
5. Coorparoo have potential
Jack Wratten, Ben Morison, Lachlan Taylor, Oscar Barry, Rhys Doman and Callum Ferguson. These six all stood out this game and prove to the competition why they should be in the top eight. After being down by seven points at the end of the first half, Coorparoo had a stellar third quarter and kicked six goals to Noosa’s one to propel themselves to a great victory. Wratten was the main culprit in the third quarter kicking three of his five goals to put the Kings up by 23 at three quarter time. Alongside Wratten’s five goal performance, Morison kicked three and applied great pressure all game. The midfield was great for the Kings as well with Taylor having 30 touches, with six clearances and eight tackles and Barry having 24 touches and six inside 50’s. Down back Doman and Ferguson stepped up when needed, with a few clutch spoils from Ferguson and a team high five intercept marks from Doman.
6. Surfers ex-AFL talent came to play, but don’t sleep on the others
It’s crazy to see so much ex-AFL talent in one side at the QAFL level and shows how much this league has grown in recent years. Obviously, ex-SUN David Swallow stood out with a ridiculous 36 touches and three goal performance alongside ex-Lion and Crow Cam Ellis-Yolmen with 32 touches and one goal. Ex-SUN and Cat Zac Smith continued his dominance in the ruck, with 31 hitouts and ex-SUN/Roo/Crow Hugh Greenwood got dirt under the fingernails with 10 tackles and 18 touches. However, it wasn’t just the ex-AFL talent that got it done, and that’s what makes this team so exciting because their talent is scary. Alby Jones had another great game finishing off with 33 touches going at a cheeky 87.9% disposal efficiency, as well as seven inside 50’s. Joshua Minogue had his way up forward, kicking five goals and two behinds. Laurence King also kicked five and had 27 touches to go with it. And Kane Gordon had four inside 50’s and hit a target each time; that’s damaging football. Matt Doran, Harrison Fraser, Josh Nieass, William Woodburn, and Joe Kennedy, the list goes on. This team seriously looks like a premiership list.