There is something very special about cross-town rivalries in the AFL. It’s not ‘just another game’, as is often said by those involved to downplay things .. it’s much more than that.
It’s personal. It’s about bragging rights and respect. It’s about walking into the local shops and feeling good about yourself. And the people who live the rivalry most are the players.
This weekend is QClash #29 at People First Stadium on Saturday afternoon and it’s that and more … the biggest and most important meeting between the two Queensland sides in history.
The ‘Pineapple Grapple’, as southerners have tagged it, is the second instalment of a rivalry extravaganza across the country, following Sydney Derby #31 at the Sydney Showgrounds on Friday night, and followed on Saturday by the Western Derby # #61 in Perth late afternoon, and the Showdown #58 at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
Historically, it’s 21-7 to the Lions over the Suns in south-east Queensland, 20-10 to the Swans over the Giants in Sydney, 33-27 to the Eagles over the Dockers in Perth, and 29-28 to the Crows over the Power in Adelaide.
This weekend It’s Brisbane (2nd) v Gold Coast (6th), Sydney (10th) v GWS (6th), West Coast (18th) v Fremantle (7th) and Adelaide (3rd) against Port Adelaide (11th).
Only 16 players across the four rivalries have played 25 or more times in their respective ‘state title’ heavyweight bout.
Ex-Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko is the QClash games record-holder at 25, while injured ex-GWS captain Callan Ward holds the Sydney derby games record at 27 from ex-Sydney captain Luke Parker and GWS veteran Lachie Whitfield at 25. Only Whitfield of this trio will play this week.
Ex-Fremantle superstar Matthew Pavlich has the WA derby record at 34 games from ex-teammate David Mundy (27), ex-West Coast captain Shannon Hurn (28), West Coast ruckman turned Sydney coach Dean Cox (27), Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands (26) and ex-West Coast pair Jack Darling (now at North) and Andrew Gaff (26).
And in the Showdown Travis Boak holds the record at 32 – and will play his 33rd and probably last this week. Ex-Port teammate Kane Cornes and Adelaide megastar Andrew McLeod (27) and next on the Showdown games list from and Adelaide’s Scott Thompson and Port’s Justin Westhoff (25).
But how many members of this combined rivalry royalty have played 25 games, had 500 possessions and kicked 20 goals in their cross-town games?
Pavlich, with 543 possessions and 61 goals, is the overall ‘king’ of the WA Derby, while Boak, with 734 possessions and 21 goals, and McLeod, with 539 possessions and 24 goals, share top billing in the Showdown.
The Sydney derby has no player who has achieved this hat-trick, with Ward, Parker and Whitfield all falling short on goals, leaving Zorko to complete the ‘royal family’. He has 542 Q-Clash possessions and 21 goals.
Originally zoned to the SUNS but traded cheaply to the Lions on medical advice, Zorko will play his 26th QClash at People First on Saturday at the early time of 1.20pm.
Already the oldest player in QClash history, Zorko will be 36 years 167 days and will become the fifth-oldest in all rivalry football among the non-Victorian teams.
Only 11 players across the eight clubs have played in a rivalry game beyond the age of 35. In descending age order, they are:
David Mundy (Frem) – 37 years 24 days – 2022
Aaron Sandilands (Frem) – 36 years 212 days – 2019
Shannon Hurn (WC) – 36 years 210 days – 2023
Lance Franklin (Syd) – 36 years 89 days - 2023
Dayne Zorko (Bris) – 36 years 84 days - 2025
Travis Boak (Port) – 36 years 16 days – 2024
James McDonald (GWS) – 35 years 269 days – 2012
Luke Hodge (Bris) – 35 years 56 days - 2019
Shane Mumford (GWS) – 35 years 54 days – 20221
Callan Ward (GWS) – 35 years 24 days – 2025
Taylor Walker (Adel) – 35 years 15 days - 2025
Zorko this week will go past Lance Franklin, but this pair will be among four players passed by Boak, who missed Showdown #57 in Round 9 this year through injury. 
Set to play at 36 years 359 days on Saturday, ex-Power skipper will be six days short of his 37th birthday and the second-oldest all-time behind only Fremantle’s David Mundy.
Ex-Adelaide captain Taylor Walker, who joined the 35-plus class earlier this year, will climb three spots on the list, going past Callan Ward, Shane Mumford and Luke Hodge to be eighth overall.
Sydney’s Dane Rampe will become the 12th player 35-plus to play in a non-Victorian rivalry game on Friday night. He’ll be 35 years 53 days.
The oldest Gold Coast player in QClash was ex-Brisbane star Michael Rischitelli, who was best afield in the first game between the two clubs in 211 and 33 years 214 days old in his last Q-Clash in 2019.
In other milestones at People Frist this week, Brisbane co-captain Harris Andrews will play his 18th QClash to move into to outright fifth on the games list behind Zorko, Gold Coast’s David Swallow, who is in line for his 24th this week, Lions teammate Ryan Lester, who will play his 21st, and retired ex-teammate Daniel Rich (19).
Andrews will go one game ahead of retired Gold Coaster Jarrod Harbrow (17) and injured ex-Gold Coast captain Sun Touk Miller (17), while the Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage, Eric Hipwood, Darcy Gardiner and possibly Sam Day are set for their 16th Q-Clash with the Gold Coast’s Ben Ainsworth.
Ex-Brisbane forward Dan McStay, now at Collingwood, and Gold Coaster Sean Lemmens, who is sitting on 149 career games, have also played 15 QClashes. Brisbane’s Callum Ah Chee will play his 15th QClash on Saturday.
Zorko heads the all-time Q-Clash possession count with 542 from Swallow (472), Miller (408), Rich (395), McCluggage (374), Brisbane’s Tom Rockliff (371), Hanley (351), Harbrow (306), Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale (304) and Lester (302).
Brisbane goalsneak Charlie Cameron goes into his 14th Q-Clash with an eight-goal lead at the top of the Q-Clash goal-kicking list. He has 35 to head Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch (27), Zorko and Hipwood (21) and Gold Coast’s Ben King (20)..
Lyons, now playing with SANFL club Glenelg and having celebrated his 33rd birthday on Tuesday, has polled 12 Brownlow Medal votes in the Q-Clash to lead this list from Neale (11), Hanley (10), Rockliff, Miller and Brisbane’s Dayne Beams (9), Zorko (8) and Gold Coast’s Brayden Fiorini (7).
From Round 19 teams last weekend, Brisbane’s Sam Marshall will play his first QClash if selected, while there were three potential QClash debutants in the SUNS side from last week – first-gamer Ben Jepson and third-gamers Oscar Adams and Leo Lombard.
The SUNS, desperately needing a win to bolster their hopes of a maiden Toyota Premiership AFL Finals debut, will need to turn around a dismal record in the QClash since mid-2018. In that time they’ve won only one of 13 meetings between the clubs – by 41 points at People First in 2023 when Ben King kicked five goals and Touk Miller was best afield with 29 possessions.
