Wilston Grange co-captain’s Emma Macneill and Jessica Matthews mark indigenous round with smiles
For Wilston Grange Gorilla co-captain’s Emma Macneill and Jessica Matthews, there is no better feeling than running out to play football with their team during The Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
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For Wilston Grange Gorilla co-captain’s Emma Macneill and Jessica Matthews, there is no better feeling than running out to play football with their team during The Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
Macneill, a proud Yamatji Martu women from Western Australia co-captained the team as Wilston Grange were defeated by The Coolangatta Bluebirds after putting up a solid fight last Saturday at Hickey Park. Bluebirds won 38-22 in the QAFLW clash.
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Emma Macneill, partner of Brisbane Lions star Mitch Robinson, led a welcome to country ceremony before the match to honour this special round of football that wasn’t able to be properly celebrated as it has been in prior years.
Both teams wore red, yellow and black tape to pay their respects and symbolise the indigenous round of football.
Co-captain Jessica Matthews said that it was a very special round of football and that the Gorillas are lucky to have Emma Macneill as a part of their team.
“Em inspires us every week to own who you are and where you come from with unwavering pride” Matthews said.
“She reminds us all what it means to be part of a community and family beyond blood and we are so lucky to have her wearing the red, white and blue each week.”
Matthews said although it was a special round of football for her team the Gorilla’s struggled to keep up defensively in the first half.
Gold Coast Sun’s co-captain Leah Kaslar and teammate Paige Parker both had a big impact on The Bluebird’s forward line that just couldn’t be matched by The Gorilla’s, with both players contributing heavily to the scoreboard.
“They were getting the ball in their forward line quickly and in dangerous spots which made it really difficult for our defenders”
“We regrouped at half time and lifted our intensity for a far better second half which really showed that we can match it with some of the best teams in the competition” said Matthews.
A 16-point victory to The Bluebird’s was well deserved, and saw them move into third place on the QAFLW ladder, which will secure themselves a spot in finals.
The Yeronga Devils also joined Coolangatta on the QAFLW round 10 winners board after a 46-28 victory over last year’s premiership team, Coorparoo.