Image: TJ Yelds
Morningside have toppled Coorparoo, Broadbeach recorded back-to-back victories in their debut season and Bond University are the new ladder leaders after Round Six of Bond University QAFLW to kick off week one of Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
At Jack Esplen Oval, Morningside ensured Coorparoo's stay at the top was brief, scraping home in a low scoring but exciting contest by seven points 2.2.(14) to 1.1.(7).
The Panthers scored the only goal in the first term through Courtney McDonnell then Coorparoo’s key forward Chelsea Chesterfield replied in kind in the second to level the scores at half-time.
Staying true to form, it was Morningside's turn to kick the only goal in the third quarter thanks to key playmaker Laura Roy and the Panthers had edged to a seven point margin at the last change.
But that is when the scoreboard attendant's duties stopped with neither of the sides adding any further scores as these two quality teams battled hard and defences held firm in the final quarter despite the Kings having 54 more disposals and plus ten inside 50's for the match.
On an historic day at Neptune Homes Oval where the men's team had just won a nail-biting clash in front of past players celebrating a 30-year-premiership reunion, the Broadbeach women's team celebrated their second successive victory, but first at home in QAFLW. The Cats defeated Maroochydore 4.10.(34) to 1.4.(10) after there was only a five-point difference at half-time. Despite inaccuracy, Broadbeach set up the victory by slotting home three goals after the break, while restricting the visitors to only two behinds.
Alice Minahan backing up her three-goal effort from last week with another three, Jasmine Single, Halle Cunningham, Alicia Withers, Makayla Sekac, Chelsea Lee (10 tackles) and Isla Ratilainen (33 hit outs) listed among their best.
Maroochydore matched their hosts in the first quarter and with some of the chances they had possibly could have been in front, but Gabi Simpson finally found the big sticks to score the Roos only goal for the match and ended up with 22 disposals as did Sophie Schulze with Britney Murray, Sarah Humm and Nikita Clarey prominent contributors.
Bond University have quietly slipped into the top spot on the ladder following their 26-point victory at home on the Gold Coast over University of Queensland 4.8.(32) to 1.0.(6).
Like the scenario at Broadbeach, the Bull Sharks were matched early by UQ with a goal apiece in the opening term. Thereafter, the home team pulled away with goals in the next two quarters while the visitors disappointingly could not add to the scoreboard.
Annabel Lynch kicked two, Billie Cook and Kendra Blattman adding to her season's tally with one each for Bond University, while for the Red Lionesses Luka Yoshida-Martin, Jules Martin and Eva Sartor were leading the stats.
The other two fixtures went the way as expected with huge wins to Southport and Wilston Grange. The Sharks took their frustration of last week's loss at Coorparoo out on poor Aspley to the tune of 76 points. In fact, it could have been a greater margin at Automall Aspley Oval with the visitors having 34 scoring shots but kicking only ten goals including a misfiring 1.10 in the second quarter. Forwards Maddy Baldwin and Tayla Christensen each kicked 3.3.
Lucia Liessi and Kaetsi French were both standouts for the Hornets with 38 and 22 disposals respectively.
Meanwhile at Hickey Park, Wilston Grange completely overwhelmed the young Moreton Bay Lions by over 100 points. Jasmine Ware with six goals took over the leading goalkicker mantle from the usual Zimmorlei Farquharson (three) with Tshinta Kendall and Summer Hamilton each with two.
Please note next week there is a bye for the Bond University QAFLW competition so after six rounds there are three equal leaders on 20 points separated by percentage – Bond University, Coorparoo and Wilston Grange. Then one win further back are last year's grand finalists Southport and Morningside both on 16 points.
Round Seven will resume on Saturday May 30 with the highlights being a rematch of the 2025 Grand Final between Morningside and Southport (Panthers having already defeated the Sharks earlier this season in round two) and Bond University hosting Wilston Grange. The other thing to look forward to will be the eagerly awaited return of the Academy ‘talent’ to bolster and further excite the competition.