QAFLW
Bond Bull Sharks v Southport
Seniors: 4.45
Reserves: 6.45
Last time they met:
2023 Major Semi Final.
Bull Sharks win 7.9 (51) to 4.5 (29) at Fankhauser Reserve.
Best Players: Ava Usher, Grace Moodie, Christy Landwehr, Nyalli Milne, Ella Calleja, Havana Harris
On reflection:
When Andy Lovell looks back on that day at Southport he can’t help but draw confidence from the incredible resilience shown by his side in their biggest game of the year to that point.
By half time Captain Paris Lightfoot was on the bench with her arm in a sling, beside her sat Josie McCabe nursing a dislocated thumb and Sally Evans with an ankle injury.
The Sharks, most experts’ pre-season premiership favourites, smelt blood in the water and launched wave after attacking wave at the girls from Bond in the final quarter.
McCabe produced one of the season’s defining performances that day by returning to the field for the final quarter and, with the use of only one hand, fought her way th
rough the pain to provide an extra body.
That never say die attitude swept through the side who eventually broke Southport’s spirit, kicking the last three goals to advance to the Grand Final.
What’s new:
Lovell has a completely remodelled side for 2024. Two of the heroes of that day, McCabe and Ava Usher are out for the year with ACL injuries. Kiara Bischa, Lily Tarlington and Sienna McMullen have been drafted and are with AFLW clubs. But new faces Maisey Evans, the 2024 Riewoldt Family AFL Excellence Scholarship recipient and Tahlia Meyer (Gold Coast Suns AFLW) performed strongly on debut in round one.
Welcome back:
Premiership heroes Havana Harris, who was the grand final MVP,
and Tara Harington, who kicked two goals to be also among the best players, return after starring for the National Academy U18s All Stars last week.
Where it will be won:
Lovell’s message to his troops hasn’t changed much from last time. Southport are big and powerful and to win the game the Bull Sharks will have to match them in the contest. Recent history has shown that when Bond achieve parity at the stoppages, their ball use and pace out wide becomes a handful for most opponents.
“It’s always a contested game with them so we know what to expect,” he said.
“We just have to be hard at the ball and the player and then it comes down to who can make the most of their chances.”
QFA
Bond Bull Sharks v Southern
Seniors: 2pm
Reserves: 11.30pm
It is the first time the boys from Bond have met the QFA’s newcomers who were formed by the merger of Byron Bay and Ballina footy clubs.
The Challenge:
Southern were comfortably beaten by Burleigh in their QFA debut in round one and the challenge for the Bull Sharks is to take the correct attitude into the game. They’ll be heavy favourites, but coach Shaun Hart will be just as interested in the manner of their performance as the final result. The Bull Sharks started poorly last week, and their defensive mechanisms were non-existent. They finished strongly but Hart will want to see that intensity from the opening bounce.
Shuffling the magnets:
Hart will have to tinker with his side to cover some significant outs. Former captain Wyatt Bacon is serving a suspension and Riewoldt Family AFL Excellence Scholarship recipient Nicholas Francis has been called up to play for the Gold Coast Suns VFL.
What’s new:
There will be a couple of Bull Sharks debuts on Saturday. QAFL premiership player Kain Ford will play his first game for the club while exciting youngster Tom “jumper” Leeds, is ready to fly high across half back after an impressive Rd 1 performance in the reserves.
Where it will be won:
Hart has demanded his midfield be ready to roll up their sleeves in the contest and around stoppages. The round one review highlighted the on-ball brigade were too lax in their compliance to team standards, especially around stoppages.