Live stream: Palm Beach Currumbin running hot into AFLQ Schools Cup SEQ semi-finals
Did Palm Beach Currumbin continue their dominance of the AFL Queensland Schools Cup, or is it time for one of their rivals to shine? Watch replays of all 12 finals from the SEQ semi-finals.
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The best schools across southeast Queensland are battling for a chance to head to the AFL Queensland Schools Cup finals in October.
Three teams in each division will emerge from the southeast semi-finals on Tuesday, to join their regional Queensland counterparts in the state finals.
KommunityTV will exclusively live stream every match from the SEQ semi-finals across two fields on Tuesday.
Watch every replay below.
WRAPS AND REPLAYS
SENIOR MALE
It was only early in the opening quarter, but a shock upset loomed over Palm Beach Currumbin’s senior male outfit.
The Reds had conceded the first two goals against a Cleveland District SHS that looked as threatening as they come, yet as they have so many times before, PBC stepped it up a notch and steamrolled their challengers en route to a 8.9 (57) to 4.5 (29) victory.
That being said, it was far from a faultless display. In the third term, the Reds missed several chances to cash in on their ascendancy and after Dylan Patterson was sent off and a subsequent goal conceded, the door was well ajar from an unlikely comeback.
Soon after in the final term, Bailey Rawson held his nerve to convert a pivotal set shot and slam the door shut on any comeback hopes. From there, PBC never looked back.
Cleveland was also hindered by a sending off of their own late in the game when the lively Raph Geesu was given his marching orders.
In the second senior male clash, St Laurence’s College proved too strong for a gallant All Saints Anglican School outfit that would never go away.
St Laurence’s wound up 19-point victors, 10.5 (65) to 6.8 (44).
After a gritty opening term where neither team could register a goal, Padua College broke away from Helensvale SHS to clinch a convincing 21-point win.
Padua looked a class above for the following three terms, but Helensvale fought tooth and nail and refused to roll over.
Padua College v Helensvale SHS
St Laurence’s College v All Saints Anglican School
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS v Cleveland District SHS
SENIOR FEMALE
It was a day for one-sided affairs in the senior female southeast Queensland semi finals at the AFLQ Schools Cup, with all three games decided by a margin of 26 points or greater.
Palm Beach Currumbin kicked off the day by flexing its muscle in a comprehensive 7.9 (51) to 1.6 (12) triumph over Pacific Pines on the hallowed People First Stadium turf.
PBC started the clash slowly with just one first half goal and a four-point lead, but finished with a flurry as they piled on the goals late, despite the loss of potent forward Ava Maher to injury in the third term.
Pacific Pines was made to wait until the final term for its opening goal when Kristin Swanson found herself in acres of space out the back.
In the day’s second fixture, Varsity College trounced St Rita’s College 4.11 (35) to 1.3 (9).
AFLW draft fancy Havana Harris, who figured in the QAFLW decider for Bond last weekend, looked a class above for Varsity and was the best kick on the ground.
St Rita’s managed to nab a consolation goal late- and almost had another if not for a costly miss - but were comfortably outplayed overall.
St Teresa’s Catholic College closed out the senior female action with a romping 6.4 (40) to 0.1 (1) defeat of Stuartholme School.
Stuartholme School v St Teresa’s Catholic
Varsity College v St Rita’s College
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS v Pacific Pines SHS
JUNIOR MALE
Brisbane South SSC powered to a 10-point win over St Laurence’s College to secure their place in the junior male AFLQ Schools Cup finals.
It was a fiercely contested clash on the windy People First Stadium training field - one which provided challenges all day.
Both sides were moving the ball and taking the game on throughout, however St Laurence’s persistent fumbles and failure to capitalise on several late scoring shots proved costly in the 6.5 (41) to 4.7 (31) defeat.
The Brisbane South boys took a leaf out of Hawthorn’s book by celebrating with a rowdy team selfie.
In the second clash, Palm Beach Currumbin got the jump over Villanova with a three goal to zero opening term, and never looked back en route to a 6.2 (38) to 3.7 (25) win.
From the opening quarter, Villanova fought back well and it was an even contest, but the damage had already been done.
Zac Gale was PBC’s best, and the win capped off a superb day where all four of the powerhouse school’s sides progressed to the state finals.
In the final junior male clash, Padua was far too good for Marymount, as it secured a dominant 12.11 (83) to 4.1 (25) triumph.
Padua College v Marymount College
Palm Beach Currumbin v Villanova College
Brisbane South SSC v St Laurence’s College
JUNIOR FEMALE
The wind had dictated the entire clash - until it didn’t.
Trailing by one point for much of the final quarter on the People First Stadium training oval, Marymount defied the odds against Helensvale to steal a three-point victory off the back of a crucial Holly Larkin major.
Larkin capped off her superb showing on the wing by drifting forward at the right time to slot a major across the unmarked goalline for Marymount and pinch her school’s tickets to the state finals.
Helensvale had chances to snatch victory back, but couldn’t convert when it mattered.
Marymount’s head of Aussie rules Matt Carroll was thrilled with the 3.7 (25) to 3.3 (21) win.
“It was a good game of footy, an even contest,” Carroll said.
“The windy conditions made it difficult but we managed to straighten up our radar late.”
In the second junior female fixture, Varsity College was far too strong for Cleveland District to run away with a 46-point win.
Varsity had a whopping 18 scoring shots and prevailed 7.11 (53) to 1.1 (7).
In the final fixture, Mountian Creek were gallant, yet couldn’t overpower the might of a wasteful Palm Beach Currumbin who won 2.8 (20) 1.2 (8).
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS v Mountain Creek SHS
Varsity College v Cleveland District SHS
Helensvale SHS v Marymount College
PREVIEW
Neil Mackay’s number is saved on to the phones of recruiters from around the entire country.
Palm Beach Currumbin State High School has become so prolific as an Australian Rules talent nursery that its head of sports excellence has become accustomed to the rising number of phone calls he gets from prospective clubs wanting to know about the players he mentors.
It started in 1998 when Tate Day was drafted by Brisbane while last year Jed Walter and Will Graham were taken by the Gold Coast Suns with picks three and 26 respectively.
Now the next generation will be on show when Palm Beach Currumbin play in the AFLQ Schools Cup SEQ semi-finals on Tuesday, September 3, at People First Stadium.
Every match across two fields of the AFLQ Schools Cup SEQ senior and junior finals will be streamed LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV.
Mackay said his constant discussions with AFL recruiters went far beyond discussing what happens on the field.
“(The recruiters) know them as footballers because it’s their job,” Mackay said.
“When they contact us it’s about what they are like as people, what they are like at school, what their discipline is like, what their behaviour is like and if they are ever in trouble.
“It’s part of our job to not just develop footballers but more importantly develop better people.
“(The phone calls) have increased. There is a bit of acknowledgment about the role the school plays in developing the players.”
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS did a clean sweep of last year’s AFLQ Schools Cup secondary grand finals, winning the junior male and female divisions as well as seniors in both genders.
The Reds have a chance to do it all again in 2024 with teams fighting it out in the SEQ semi-finals in all four divisions.
In Tuesday’s semi-finals the school will play Pacific Pines in the senior female division, Cleveland District SHS in the senior males, Mountain Creek in the junior females and Villanova College in the junior males.
Mackay said the quality of all four teams matched the group of 2023 but believed the challenge to replicate last year’s efforts was a big one.
“We are just trying to get four teams to (the finals) in Maroochydore,” he said.
“The open boys team is extremely strong. It’s a super group. A lot of them are in the Suns AFL academy and, depending on who is selected, nearly all of them would either be Suns academy players or state players.”
The senior semi-finals will take place on oval one at People First Stadium, while the junior semi-finals will take place on oval two. The winners of the three semi-finals in each division will move onto the AFLQ Schools Cup state finals on October 11-13.
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