Drinking the bar dry, King brothers reunite, former Sun returns from drug ban and Burleigh reveal some big Bombers in QAFL and QFA Division 2 South
Drinking the bar dry, the King brothers reunite, a former Sun returns from drug ban and Burleigh reveal some big Bombers,. Read the biggest news from the opening weekend of the QAFL and QFA Division 2 South competitions.
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DRINKING the bar dry, the King brothers reunite, a former Sun returns from drug ban and Burleigh reveal some big Bombers,. Read the biggest news from the opening weekend of the QAFL and QFA Division 2 South competitions.
FORMER Gold Coast Suns AFL player Brayden Crossley has made his anticipated return to football, helping Palm Beach Currumbin secure grand final redemption against Surfers Paradise.
The Lions beat the Demons 12.9 (81) to 5.8 (38) at Sir Bruce Small Park in Round 1 of the QAFL on Saturday in front of a very strong crowd.
It came on the back of a dominant third-quarter effort from Palm Beach Currumbin who had their bid to win a third straight premiership halted by the Demons last season.
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Crossley, 20, hadn’t played in over a year after being slapped with an anti-doping violation.
He accepted a 12-month sanction in April this year and was free to play from June 28.
“He was a little rusty after coming off a late preparation but he will get better,” Lions coach Jess Sinclair said.
“He took some nice marks and there is no doubt he will hit his straps soon. He attitude has been fantastic since coming back and he is happy to be playing footy again.”
Palm Beach Currumbin only had 10 players from last year’s grand final side while the Demons had 14.
Surfers Paradise were without captain Brody Haberfield (injured) and brother Cassidy who is focusing on his Muay Thai training at this stage.
Palm Beach were missing the likes of Josh Woolley, Jack Anthony, Dylan Troutman, Adam Mckenzie, Jason Burge (knee), Jesse Derrick (retired), Jack Anthony, Liam McNeven and Steve Thynne and more.
The competition has been shortened to an eight-game season before finals, making early wins critical.
In other QAFL results Labrador lost to Morningside 13.9 (87) to 9.10 (64) while Broadbeach had the bye.
DRINKING THE BAR DRY
The football drought ended on Saturday but one club had to fight to avoid another one.
The bar at the Carrara Saints sold out twice on the weekend, with football staff forced to undergo an emergency run to restock the fridges as patrons returned back to Alan Nielsen Park.
“It was a fantastic day,” Saints board member Michael Spittle said.
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“They drank it dry. We had to get around six catons of beer the second time around and we picked up four new sponsors on the day so the signs around the fence will keep growing.
“Everyone is keen to help out because they know we are starting below the eight-ball.”
On the field new senior coach Wayne Petterd got his campaign off to a great start with the Saints QFA Division 2 South team beating Coomera 25.10 (160) to 7.7 (49).
Matthew Pearce kicked 10 goals to deliver what would have been a win off his own boot before the help of his teammates.
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Jarren Pantic hurt his hamstring in the warm-up and was a late out but Petterd couldn’t have been more impressed with the way the team performed with his run-and-carry style of football.
“We zoned in on the skill level of the players during the pre-season,” Petterd said.
“At this level it’s not such a big thing to have fitness, it’s more about honing their the skills. We want them to take the game on with some run and carry.”
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KING BROTHERS UNITED AND INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION
The King brothers have finally joined up to play in the same side, it’s just not the AFL duo you are thinking of.
Gold Coast forward Ben King and twin brother Max have lit up the AFL since being drafted at no. 6 and 4 respectively in 2018.
Speculation mounted early St Kilda, who secured Max, were eager to bring Ben south.
But Gold Coast have their own grassroots version of the pair, with Bond University signing Will King, a tall defender who has joined brother Rhys King at the club.
Rhys has been arguably Bond University’s best player in recent seasons and kicked five goals while playing forward in their 13.13 (91) to 11.14 (80) win over Coolangatta on Saturday at Eximm Oval.
“It was an old fashioned game of local footy between two bulls going at it and locking horns,” Bond coach Sam Whish-Wilson said.
“A coach once told me ‘the greater the game the greater the memory’.
“I don’t think any of us will forget the first game back from COVID-19 after the longest pre-season of all time.”
Seven players made their debut for the club including Jacob McCormick, Jordan Coleman, Luke Anthony, Lachy Pascoe, Jason Lee, Mitchell Dell and Nathan Rataj.
Adding to that is two international players who are part of Bond University’s squad, including Ethiopian Getasew Ferguson and American Colin Kugler.
BURLEIGH’S BIG BOMBERS
A former AFL and NRL player has joined Burleigh’s ranks and another is on his way as the Bombers look on the cusp of turning the tide on a tough few years.
Josh Hall, a former AFL player with the Gold Coast Suns who also spent time with NRL club Penrith Panthers, was part of the Bombers QFA Division 2 South team who beat Robnia 26.16 (172) to 3.1 (19) on Saturday in Round 1 of the competition.
The Southport NEAFL player will be joined by Sharks teammate Ryan Davis who has also signed with Burleigh and will play between his coaching commitments with Southport’s QFAW Division 1 team.
“Hopefully we can get Ryan to play a couple of games to qualify for finals,” Burleigh coach Peter Young said.
“He lives across the road from the club and actually asked us if he could play.”
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