Sunshine Coast Aussie rules 2022 grand final preview

Sunshine Coast senior Aussie rules coaches have named the standout players to watch ahead of a huge weekend of grand final action. Read what they had to say.

Senior Aussie rules teams from across the region will battle it out in their respective competitions this weekend in the hope of bringing back major silverware to their club.

The Hinterland Blues, Noosa Tigers and North Shore Jets have locked in their grand final spots while in the SEQ Tier 1 competition the Maroochydore Roos QAFL Colts and Reserves are set to play their qualifying final and semi final matches on Saturday, September 3.

Read below to find out what each coach had to say ahead of their do-or-die match-ups.

Noosa Tigers (QFAW Division 2 North)

The Noosa Tigers will go into their grand final matchup against Pine Rivers with the two top teams tied on 12 wins during the regular season.

The women in blue and orange suffered their only loss of the season in round 10 against Pine Rivers when losing 6.2.38 to 4.3.27.

Former Tigers premiership winning player and now women’s head coach Peter Trompf said he was extremely excited for their grand final matchup on Sunday, September 4.

“I’m very proud of all the players and support staff who have been involved in women’s footy at the Noosa Tigers this season,” he said.

“Everyone is really excited to play again on the big stage, 12 noon on Sunday it will be a hot contest but lucky we love the heat.”

Trompf, who coached the side to their first premiership in 2020 before he was the team runner in 2021, has four sisters and a wife in the team.

Noosa Tigers players Dani Bishop-Kinlyside (left), Eliza Trompf and Keirra Massoud. Picture: Highflyer Images

The Tigers would be hoping that Eliza Trompf, Raegan Mills, Danielle Bishop-Kinlyside and last year's grand final best on ground recipient, Keirra Massoud, could perform well in the team’s quest for three premiership victories in a row.

“Winning the contested ball will be vital, our side’s competitive nature will be a driving force to helping us take home the W,” he said.

“Three in row, says it all, I’m excited for the group, excited for the club and women’s footy as a whole.

“Lets go get some.”

Hinterland Blues (QFA Division 2 North Seniors)

The Hinterland Blues will head into their grand final matchup on September 10 with an undefeated record of 15 wins and an average winning margin of 101.8 points.

Head coach Phil Birchmore said he was extremely proud of his team’s efforts.

“This season has been the culmination of three or four seasons of hard work,” he said.

“Obviously we’ve gotten the results this year but it takes time to create the right culture and the way we want to play footy week in week out.

“The boys are the ones that get it done, I’m just lucky to have a good bunch of players there to guide.”

The 2022 Hinterland Blues senior men's team. Picture: SportsDayPhotography

The Palmwoods-based club would face the winner of the preliminary final between second placed Alexandra Hills and fourth placed Sandgate Hawks on Saturday, September 3.

“Sandgate are obviously the form team at the moment with a lot of wins in a row but both teams aren’t too dissimilar in the way they play,” Birchmore said.

“They’re both very physical and both love running with the footy so we’ll adjust to that and given the final will be played at Wilston Grange, where the field is pretty big, it’ll be a cracking game of footy on an open deck.”

Hinterland Blues players Nathan Spring, Jacob Knight and Josh Nanninga in action. Pictures: SportsDayPhotography.

Blues enforcers Josh Nanninga, Nathan Spring, Callum Mann and forward Jacob Knight, who remained the competition’s leading goalscorer with 105, would be hoping to continue their match winning performances.

“Everyone knows they’ll have to put their time into Knight which is cool but we’re not a one trick pony, we’re a very even team with different players popping up in the best every week,” he said.

“I think that’s why we’ve been able to continuously win because we are such an even team and I expect a number of players, if not all of them, to have major influences sometime throughout the match.”

North Shore Jets (QFA Division 4 North)

Top of the table North Shore Jets will take on second placed Aspley in their grand final matchup on Friday, September 2 at the Maroochydore Sports Complex.

With only one loss all season, head coach Ashley Rosenow said he was excited for what was still to come.

“I’m extremely proud, from where we have come from with last year being our first with a senior side to this year making it this far it’s a great achievement,” he said.

“The boys are really excited, I’ve been around football for a long time but have never been involved in a senior grand final so I just keep telling them that these opportunities don’t come around too often.”

The Jets came away 7.10.52 to 7.6.48 winners against Aspley in their qualifying final match on August 19.

Jets full forward Sam Noble would be hoping to extend his goal scoring tally while Dan Ryan and Frankie Robinson will seek to leave their mark on the match once again.

“Aspley are a good side, their whole set-up from the QAFL down the line is quality, they’ve been around for a long time as a senior club and they’ll come out strong as they’re a physical side,” Rosenow said.

“We just need to keep control of the ball really, I think if we can control the possession and play the game on our terms we’re a real chance but if we let them bully us around who knows how it ends.”

If the Jets come away with the win they will play the winner of the South competition in the coming weeks.