QAFLW news: Deja vu and near heart attacks, a questionable pre-game speech and a mother makes her footy debut
A case of deja vu that very nearly gave a QAFLW coach a heart attack, a pre-game speech that left players smirking, and a family affair that saw a 50-year-old mother make her footy debut. Plus have you ever had police rock up at training, contested footy that would leave men fearful and a coach ends up on soggy guernsey washing duties. We tackle all the big news coming out of Gold Coast women’s football from the weekend.
Local Aussie Rules
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Aussie Rules. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A case of deja vu that very nearly gave a QAFLW coach a heart attack, a pre-game speech that left players smirking, and a family affair that saw a 50-year-old mother make her footy debut. Plus have you ever had police rock up at training, contested footy that would leave men fearful and a coach ends up on soggy guernsey washing duties. We tackle all the big news coming out of Gold Coast women’s football from the weekend.
MORE FOOTY
FOOTY STAR’S TERROR: HOW THE COOLANGATTA BLUEBIRDS WERE FORMED
‘WE COPPED A SPRAY:’ HISTORIC FIGHTBACK FOR COAST NEWCOMERS
Coolangatta’s case of deja vu
IT was a case of deja vu which almost saw Coolangatta QAFLW coach Nicole Graves suffer her second heart attack of 2020.
In Round 1, it was Bluebirds co-founder Lauren James who kicked a miraculous goal with 40 seconds to go and Coolangatta down by one point against Bond University.
INCREDIBLE FAREWELL FOR LATE BLUEBIRD
WE’VE FOUND IT: THE COAST’S WEIRDEST FOOTY SUPERSTITION
But in Round 6, game-saving honours went to James’s best friend and fellow co-founder Leah Kaslar who clunked a contested mark 25 metres out against Maroochydore up on the Sunshine Coast with less than a minute to go.
“They’re giving me a few heart attacks,” Graves said.
“I said to the girls on Sunday, any chance we can be a couple of goals up next time.
“The teams were so even all day and they’d just kicked a point so we were one point down and I thought we were going down by one point.”
But after playing as a forward for the Suns AFLW side in 2020 and finishing the season goalless, Kaslar wasn’t set to squander every kids footy dream.
Somehow in trying conditions, Coolangatta managed to take the ball coast to coast before Sally Riley pulled down a strong mark from 55 metres out.
Sensing she didn’t have the distance on a dry day let alone with a heavy, wet ball, Riley launched a torpedo to the top of the goalsquare as Kaslar emerged ball in hand and ensured the final kick of the day was on target.
It ensured that Coolangatta finally returned to the winners list after resuming their QAFLW season with losses to Bond University and Coorparoo.
“We had grins on our faces the entire two and a half-hour drive home,” Graves said.
“Coming out of COVID, our team has changed significantly with seven AFLW girls coming back into the team so we’ve just needed time to gel and learn new structures.
“We were probably a bit soft coming out of lockdown, not in the sense that we weren’t fit and healthy but we hadn’t had a lot of contact practice like every other team and it doesn’t help having border police sitting there watching every training because there’s a border crossing right near your ground.”
Graves was also lamenting ending up with washing up duties and spent her Sunday afternoon soaking muddy jumpers and Paige Parker’s socks which ‘accidentally’ ended up in the washing basket.
Coolangatta also celebrated a family affair in their 32-13 QAFLW development win over Coorparoo.
With the Bluebirds short on players, Maroochydore happily lent a few players to the visitors but it was Jessica Matenga who had punters talking.
Mother of QAFLW senior player Keyshia Matenga, the 50-year-old played touch football at a high level but was more than happy to make her Aussie rules debut to ensure the Bluebirds boasted a full squad.
“She’s never played AFL but she had the biggest grin on her face and didn’t come off the whole game,” Graves said.
Bond’s attack on footy would leave men in fear
THE footy is firing but the pre-game speeches need a bit of work.
Newly appointed Bond University QAFLW coach Luke Mansbridge has his side building perfectly with three straight wins to restart their premiership campaign.
On Saturday Bond overcame their first mental hurdle of the season, defeating Coorparoo 30-9 who embarrassed them to the tune of 76 points in the 2019 QAFLW grand final.
But the Bull Sharks mentor is still adapting to life in the top job and admits he needs a bit more time to perfect the art of pre-game speeches – his Saturday rendition leaving a few players trying to hold back laughs.
“Pre-game speeches are a bit different and I’ve never really had to do them before,” said Mansbridge who filled the void left by retiring coach Shane Atkins in June.
“It’s a motivational piece and it’s a challenge to get it right because you don’t want to get them too amped up or they’ll burn out in the first quarter.
“My pre-game speech wasn’t my best and I went over the same thing about three times and I know a couple of the girls in the team quite well and they started smirking at me which defeats you.
“Sometimes it just flows but other times you lose your train of thought and have to make it out like you haven’t.”
While nice to earn a slice of “redemption” Mansbridge said he was more pleased with the way Bond adapted to the trying conditions.
“We had to change a few things up and it obviously became a territory game but their intent and enthusiasm was second to none,” he said.
“I was thinking to myself, geez these girls go hard at the football.
“You had a 16-year-old in Tegan Levi matching it with grown women but I can’t believe how hard and tough these girls play and I think some of the men would be scared of how they attack the footy.”
Bond’s development side were defeated 12-9 by Coorparoo.
QAFL, QAFLW signing tracker: Hornets snap up impressive ‘two storey Rory’
The 2025 pre-season is officially underway with a host of rising stars, hardened veterans and ex-AFL standouts eager to enter the QAFL and QAFLW. Discover every club’s newest recruits and what they had to say.
Teen Titan trading netball for a Suns debut
She’s still learning the rules of Australian Football after playing just 10 games, but this 16-year-old netball prodigy has already booked herself into the Gold Coast Suns AFLW under-18s squad for 2025 and is eyeing the draft. Read about her remarkable journey here: