Moncrieff, Winter steer Broadbeach to 10-point win over Surfers Paradise
A fledgling tall forward combination bagged seven goals between them as Broadbeach held off Surfers Paradise in a thriller at Subaru Oval. RELIVE ALL THE ACTION IN THE LIVE BLOG >>
THE QAFL premiership favourites survived an almighty scare at home on Sunday to keep their perfect start to the season intact.
Broadbeach held off a spirited Surfers Paradise at Subaru Oval for a 10-point win in the inaugural Andrew Schumacher Memorial clash, in honour of the former Cats and Demons clubman.
Tall targets Riley Winter (four goals) and Jordan Moncrieff (three goals) proved the difference for Broadbeach, whose class ultimately won out - just.
The hosts trailed by one point at the first change and looked far from their usual free-flowing best in the face of a fierce Demons outfit.
Winter and Moncrieff kicked back-to-back goals to open the second quarter and gave the Cats a foothold in the contest they would ultimately never surrender.
Though trailing by just three points at halftime, Surfers Paradise coach Brad Moore could see his side needed a spark up front.
And so, again, Demons skipper Brody Haberfield was thrown forward tasked with doing what the other tall targets could not - take a mark.
Suddenly the visitors looked dangerous going forward and when Haberfield slotted his first, it looked a masterstroke from Moore.
But without his steadying hand down back the Demons started to falter - Moncrieff bagging two crucial goals in quick-succession in the third term to put the Cats out to a then-game high 13-point lead.
Goals to Kai Sheers and Winter to start the final quarter sent the margin out beyond four goals and, though the Demons fought back late, they ran out of time and legs at the death.
Cats skipper Josh Searl was thrilled with the output of the two tall targets, whose combination he said would only improve as the season wore on.
“They did well the big boys. Jordy and Riley have only played three games together now - their (combination) is a good one to work on for the rest of the year,” Searl said.
The skipper said Broadbeach knew the visitors would throw everything at them early and there were some harsh truths shared at halftime in the changerooms.
“It was scrappy. We were ready for it. We knew they would bring everything they had because they’re a really good team, and they did,” he said.
“We told our mids they were getting beaten (at the contest). And we probably weren’t working back hard enough to fill the space and turn it over. But the boys dug deep (in the second half) to get the job done.”
The Demons had 22 scoring shots to the Cats’ 17 and to the layman might have looked unlucky not to win - and they were.
But it was Broadbeach’s backline, Searl included, that played a big part in that.
“You look at the scoreboard and think they probably had a lot of opportunities but a lot of those were from us creating a contest and rushing it through,” he said.
Liam Nelson was named best on ground for his impressive dash off halfback that set up many a Broadbeach attacking chain.
“He’s super quick and we back him all day to beat his man, get those handball receives and run off,” Searl said of Nelson.
“He was great for us.”
Broadbeach Cats 10.7-67 (R. Winter 4, J. Moncrieff 3, F. Brown, K. Sheers, N. Burton goals) def Surfers Paradise Demons 7.15-57 (B. Haberfield 2, K. Ford 2 M. Green, R. Stone, S. Hilton-Joyce goals) at Subaru Oval
CLASSY DEES TOO GOOD IN RESERVES
CAMERON Poharama did it in the air and on the deck for the Demons as Surfers Paradise romped to a 43 win over Broadbeach at Subaru Oval on Sunday.
The fleet-footed forward flew for marks and crumbed goals, causing all kinds of headaches for the Broadbeach backline, finishing with four majors as the Demons kicked away after quarter-time.
Surfers Paradise midfielder Jack Mitchell was the pick of the players in the engine room, while half-forward Zane Baker kicked three classy goals.
The Cats kicked a goal after the quarter-time siren to head into the first change up by a point, but from there it was all the Demons in an impressive display.
Broadbeach centre-half back Benjamin Hancock’s intercept marking was a feature across halfback, and tall forward Luke Demspey-Ceh was the Cats’ most dangerous in the air.
Surfers Paradise 13.11-89 (C. Poharama 4, Z. Baker 3, I Hay, D. Gordon, R. Watters, J. Whitehead, B. Bray, M. Walker goals) def. Broadbeach 7.4-46 (L Dempsey-Ceh 2 ,T. Betson, E. Pyatt, A. Gambell, D. Raman, D. Lancaster goals)
CATS COLTS TOO STRONG AFTER FIRST CHANGE
A FOUR-GOAL first-half haul from Broadbeach forward Connar Robson propelled the Cats to a 25-point win over Surfers Paradise in Sunday’s QAFL Colts clash at Subaru Oval.
Surfers Paradise burst out of the blocks with the first two goals of the game to signal its intent and took a six-point lead into the first change.
The Cats responded in the second quarter, largely through the boot of Robson, to take a seven-point advantage into the main break.
Broadbeach dominated the contest in the third term, but the Demons backline held firm to keep them in the contest.
The final quarter belonged to Harry Tonks – three goals in 12 minutes from the Broadbeach forward sealed the result for the hosts.
Cats midfielder Hamilton Howard starred through the middle, while for the Dees, Harry Philips’s two second-half goals kept them in it.
Broadbeach 10.7-67 (C. Robson 4, H. Tonks 3, E Stortenbaker, T. Dawson, S. Rose goals) def Surfers Paradise 7.0-42 (D. Kennedy 2, H. Philips 2, F. Sippel, J. Secombe, H. Cross-Winston goals)
EARLIER: Broadbeach boss warns Cats have another gear to come
QAFL ladder leaders Broadbeach have enjoyed an unblemished start to the 2021 season but coach Craig O’Brien has warned the Cats may not hit the peak of their powers until mid-season.
The Cats have fought off Labrador and cruised past Morningside and Sherwood in the opening three rounds but expect to face a stern test against 2019 premiers Surfers Paradise when the two meet at Subaru Oval on Sunday.
“Surfers are a well drilled unit and have good depth, it’s always been that way,” O’Brien said.
“Even when they aren’t going that well it is always tough to beat them.”
Broadbeach will welcome back Brandon Chadwick from a hamstring injury for the Round 5 game but are still awaiting the return of star recruit, former St Mary’s Geelong Football League captain and highly touted inside midfielder, Jacob Welsh.
The Cats are also waiting for the return of Matt Little from an achilles injury suffered in the first quarter of Round 1.
“We have been averaging four or five changes each week so far,” O’Brien said.
“The Southport players are holding their spots which shows we are doing the right things in terms of getting them playing good footy.
“We are going ok. We are not running on eight cylinders yet and still have some players to come back.“We have three more games before the bye and after that I think we will be nearly at full strength.”
In other games the Labrador Tigers will travel to the Sunshine Coast to play Maroochydore on Saturday while the Palm Beach Currumbin Lions will play Wilston Grange on Saturday at Salk Oval.
The Tigers are coming off two wins while the Lions have one victory to their name and will be looking to respond after being beaten by Redland-Victoria Point by 60-points last week.
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