Image: Nigel Owen
The knockout semi-finals stage of the TPIL Lawyers QAFL have arrived with the Roos and Sharks in a rematch from just two weeks ago, while traditional rivals Surfers Paradise and Labrador meet on the Gold Coast.
MAROOCHYDORE v REDLAND-VICTORIA POINT 2-10pm Neil Upton Oval
Maroochydore illustrated the value of the double chance by staying alive in this series despite a 132-point drubbing at Palm Beach Currumbin last week.
The review would have been a difficult watch, but swift from coach Steve Wildschut as attention had to be quickly turned around onto this contest and plans laid for a second victory in as many weeks over Redland-Victoria Point.
To their credit, each time the Roos have suffered a big defeat, they have rebounded the following week with a win. No better examples than the first loss to PBC in round eight by over 100 points, the Roos bounced back in round nine and defeated Labrador on the Sunshine Coast by 55 points. Following a mauling by Morningside in round 17, they manufactured a 193-point turnaround in demolishing Aspley the following week.
Can they replicate those efforts and two weeks ago in a terrific victory against the reigning premiers on Saturday?
In round 20, Maroochydore staged a brilliant comeback after half-time to defeat RVP by nine points 14.10.(94) to 12.13.(85) on home soil to secure that vital fourth spot.
The Roos were down by almost five goals at half-time, but managed to turn that first half around, slamming on five unanswered goals in the third quarter to hold a narrow three-point margin at the final change.
Full-forward Aaron Wilson kicked three of those goals to help put his side back in the contest. An early goal to Brad Castine extended the lead to nine points before goals to century goalkicker Matt Hammelmann (his first and only one for the match) and Tyler Hausfeld put the Sharks back in front.
Maroochydore's three leading goalkickers then stepped up in the space of five minutes, as Wilson took a mark and kicked his fourth goal from the forward pocket boundary. Hugo Papst took a contender for mark of the year with a spectacular grab leaping courageously back into the pack and duly converted his fourth major of the afternoon, while Koby Young completed the trifecta after another mark at the top of the goal square and the home side broke clear by 16 points and were able to hold on.
RVP were desperate to climb back into double-chance reckoning to provide the best chance of defending the premiership they fought so hard to claim in 2025. They might be thankful they avoided the rampaging Lions, but instead comfortably accounted for Noosa last week and naturally require a winning sequence in order to keep the dream of back-to-back premierships alive.
No doubt the Sharks would have learnt a lot from round 20 and it is hard to fathom that Hammelmann could be kept quiet again, although there are other scoring avenues available.
The respective forward line battles should be a highlight as the sides also met earlier in the season in round 10 at Totally Workwear Park where a total of 34 goals were kicked.
RVP grabbed an early lead of 22 points at the first break but then were outscored by the visitors for the next three terms and held on to get home by 11 points. Hammelmann and Clay Cameron kicked five goals each and the Roos trio of Young, Papst and Wilson combined for 10 goals as well.
There appears to be little between these two sides and with quality midfields as well, it may come down to which team has the better defence on the day. The winner plays Morningside in Brisbane in one of the Preliminary Finals next week.
SURFERS PARADISE v LABRADOR 2-10pm Kallibr Homes Oval
Talking of re-matches these two traditional rivals met at the same stage last year at this venue. After a hard-fought three quarters where the margin was 21 points at the last change, the flood gates opened in the final term with the Demons booting seven goals to three for a 47-point victory.
They eventually progressed to the Grand Final where RVP claimed the premiership. Surfers are desperate for another chance at the title and again like last year, they come into a semi-final following a loss.
The Demons welcomed back some key players in round 20 against Morningside and scrambled home in a thriller by a solitary point at Jack Esplen Oval. The two sides met at the same ground last week in a Qualifying Final, but the Panthers stepped up a gear with Surfers unable to keep up and disappointingly went down by 49 points.
Back on home turf at Benowa, the Demons will shrug that loss off and be confident against a side they have been able to defeat in five previous contests. In 2026, they have met twice in rounds four and 17 for two relatively comfortable Surfers wins by 26 and 36 points respectively.
Labrador are looking to correct that losing streak on Saturday. The last time they tasted victory against their neighbours was round nine, 2024 at Cooke-Murphy Oval.
The Tigers should go into this cut-throat clash though with some degree of confidence as their recent form of four successive victories probably has seen their best football of the season. Two of those victories were away in successive weeks, including a stunning display against Redland-Victoria Point by seven goals. That win broke another hoodoo of recent times in being unable to defeat one of the power clubs above them.
Labrador's successful run has also coincided with the return of key playmakers following the completion of the VFL season for the South-East Queensland teams (Brisbane, GC Suns and Southport). They come into this clash on the back of defeating another Gold Coast rival Broadbeach by 19 points in last week's Elimination Final.
One thing is for the sure, the two sides that run out on Saturday will be vastly different than the ones that met earlier this season in rounds four and 17, so again anything is possible. The winner will travel down the road to Palm Beach Currumbin in the other Preliminary final next week, which means one Gold Coast club is assured of a Grand Final berth.
A reminder full coverage of Saturday's TPIL Lawyers QAFL semi-finals will be available on the AFLQ Youtube channel.