The Coolangatta Bluebirds gave Bond University an almighty scare in their QAFLW practice match on Saturday

Inaccuracy in front of goal has cost Coolangatta an unlikely QAFLW pre-season hit out victory against league grand finalists Bond University on Saturday.

INACCURACY in front of goal has cost Coolangatta an unlikely QAFLW pre-season hit out victory against league grand finalists Bond University on Saturday.

With Round 1 of the QAFLW season set to commence on February 29 with a Gold Coast derby, the two sides took the chance to duke it out a few weeks early with Bond prevailing 6.3 (39) to 4.10 (34) on Carrara’s Austworld Centre training oval.

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Now under the tutelage of former Carlton AFLW General Manager of Women’s Football Nicole Graves, Coolangatta took the chance to field several exciting cross code and emerging athletes who have made the move up from under 17s.

The Coolangatta Bluebirds after suffering a narrow loss to Bond University. SUPPLIED.

“It took us a bit of time to adjust to the pace of the game,” Graves said of her side who afforded Bond two goals in the first quarter.

“The last three quarters we certainly matched it with them and outplayed them.”

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With the QAFLW pre-season shortened by around six weeks and the league start date brought forward to align with the AFLW season, Graves said competitive gameplay would be crucial to growing as a team.

“Our pre-season probably keeps going until round six,” she said.

“Our main phase of development is having them play and continue to build into our game plan.

“The majority of them want to play at the next level so they deserve to be taught how to play the game.”

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Coolangatta is expected to regain the services of AFLW listed talents Leah Kaslar, Maddy Roberts, Georgia Breward and Selina Priest later in the QAFLW season but could also be boosted by Suns AFLW players who have relocated from interstate.