Photo by Stephen Archer
QFA DIVISION 2 NORTH ALPHA SPORT PREMIERSHIP:
QUALIFYING FINAL: REDCLIFFE (1ST) vs KEDRON (2ND)
Redcliffe are the form team of the competition, having been undefeated throughout the regular season. Their dominant season has been led by Daniel Bowles, who has kicked an incredible 67 goals for the season, including back-to-back 10 goal plus performances in Round 13 and 14.
Meanwhile, Kedron’s only two losses for the season are against their opponent tomorrow. The winner will book their place in the Grand Final.
SEMI FINAL: JINDALEE (3RD) vs KENMORE (4TH)
After last week’s impressive comeback, Kenmore will be looking to repeat their form against a strong Jindalee team. The final quarter against Gympie was a fairytale event, 10 goals in 14 minutes to turn a 20-point deficit into a 34-point victory, and they must build on that momentum if they want to have a chance against a Jindalee side that is comfortably the third best team in this competition.
QFA DIVISION 3 NORTH BRISBANE
QUALIFYING FINAL: COOPAROO (1ST) vs KEDRON (2ND)
Coorparoo have impressive this season, 14 wins, zero losses and a percentage differential of 472.19 per cent.
Kedron have also enjoyed a very strong season, ending with an 11-3 record and comfortably cementing themselves at second on the ladder.
SEMI FINAL: ASPLEY (3RD) vs UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND (4TH)
It's happened, its time, the draw streak between Aspley and UQ will end this Friday, short of any exceptional circumstance one of these two teams must finally best the other.
To give some context to the unlikelihood of teams drawing twice in a row in this level of competition, in AFL/VFL games throughout history there have been 173 drawn games out of 17036 total matches, showing a 1.02% of a drawn game, the odds of this happening twice in a row is then 0.01%.
Aspley, courtesy of their third place in the regular season will have the home field advantage, and on other results and metrics do seem to be the favoured team heading in to this clash. They ended the season with 40 points to UQ's 32, and outperformed UQ on percentage differential 183.24% to 143.91%.
QFA DIV 2 SOUTH
QUALIFYING FINAL: BOND UNIVERSITY (2nd) vs COOLANGATTA (3rd)
This matchup between Bond Uni and Coolangatta shapes up to be a difficult trip for the visitors.
Bond University enter this finals series with a 14-1-1 record to cement their spot in 2nd on the ladder, with an 18-point gap down to Coolangatta who sit in 3rd. Bond have been the only team to take down ladder toppers Burleigh this season, who they knocked over 10.8 (68) - 7.2 (44) all the way back in Round 4, ticking off all the boxes to suggest they will be a strong opponent throughout these upcoming Finals weeks.
ELIMINATION FINAL: CARRARA (4th) vs TWEED COAST(5th)
Carrara host Tweed Heads for the third time in just six weeks in this Elimination Final matchup, hoping to bounce back after a tough loss to Bond Uni to close out the regular season.
Carrara were in the box seat to make it into the Qualification Final just a week ago before a demoralising 19.16 (130) - 6.5 (41) sent them down into the Eliminator, but they will now need to steady the ship against Tweed who have broken their five-game losing streak with a dominant 19.11 (125) - 10.7 (67) victory against Pacific Pines (7th).
QFA DIVISION 3 BRISBANE SOUTH
ELIMINATION FINAL: IPSWICH(4th) vs UQ BULLDOGS(5th)
The Ipswich Cats come into this match fresh off of a 144-point win over Yeronga to give themselves five wins in their past six games, enough to secure a home Elimination Final against a UQ side that has been their near perfect equal this season.
UQ have had a similar end to the season with a final round 19.16 (130) - 3.5 (23) boilover victory against Alexandra Hills to bring their season to a close with eight wins and six losses, just one win behind Ipswich on the ladder.
These two teams have fought twice so far this season each trading one win a piece, with Ipswich prevailing 5.3 (33) - 3.11 (29) in Round 2, and UQ taking the reverse fixture 6.8 (44) - 6.6 (42) in Round 6. Both teams were able to win their home fixtures in this matchup, which suggests that Ipswich may just about have the legs to push themselves through into the Semi Final this Friday.
ELIMINATION FINAL: BEENLEIGH(3rd) vs MT GRAVATT(6th)
Beenleigh’s 11 game winning streak may have come to a close but they still loom as one of the in-form teams of the competition. The Buffaloes had found themselves stuck in purgatory on the ladder entering the final week of the season, with a 12 point buffer to 4th on the ladder.
Mt Gravatt enter the finals with a turnaround in fortunes of their own, albeit on a much shorter timeframe. Two goals in the last four minutes against Jimboomba dragged them over the line in a topsy turvy 12.5 (77) - 11.7 (73) win to guarantee their entry into the finals.
The two teams have played each other once this season, with Beenleigh scraping by 8.12 (60) - 9.4 (58) in what was nearly Mt Gravatt’s best win of the season. The Buffaloes will be hoping to win this one in a more comfortable manner, while Mt Gravatt will need to have a strong shooting night if they want to remain competitive.
QFA DIVISON 3 SUNSHINE COAST
ELIMINATION FINAL: CALOUNDRA (3rd) vs NORTH SHORE (4th)
North Shore take on Caloundra for the fourth time this season hoping for a rewriting of their regular season history, having lost on all three occasions so far.
On recent form North Shore do look on the surface to be the stronger team, having won both of their last two games while Caloundra have fallen short in recent weeks, going down in back-to-back losses to fall out of the top two positions on the ladder.
QUALIFICATION FINAL: MAROOCHYDORE(1st) vs KAWANA PARK(2nd)
A two week break and a spot in the Grand Final will be on offer for the winner in this Qualification Final. Maroochydore loom as the overwhelming favourites of the division having only lost one game for the entire season, coming all the way back in Round 6 against Kawana Park. That game was a tough 8.16 (64) - 3.3 (21) loss for the ladder leaders, a blip in their otherwise imperious record for the season.
Kawana Park have had themselves a fine season as well, they boast an 11-3 record, recording two losses against Maroochydore, as well as losing to Caloundra 8.6 (54) - 7.9 (51) in Round 4. Commanding wins against the teams below them on the ladder make up the vast majority of their results, showing them to be fully deserving on a place in the top two.