Live stream: Watch the high schools grand finals at the AFLQ Schools Cup state finals
They did it for the first time in 2023, now Palm Beach Currumbin can add four more titles to their burgeoning trophy cabinet after dominating finals day at Maroochydore. Catch up on all the REPLAYS.
Bundaberg
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bundaberg. Followed categories will be added to My News.
They’ve done it again.
Gold Coast sporting behemoth Palm Beach Currumbin have won all four secondary titles at the 2024 AFLQ Schools Cup state finals at Maroochydore.
After their junior female and male teams got the job done earlier in the day, PBC’s senior men’s side overcame a gritty St Laurence’s outfit while their senior female team crept past Varsity College.
See the four finals match reports below.
SENIOR FINALS
GIRLS
A slow scoring opening half was quickly rubbed out by Palm Beach Currumbin who slotted two quick majors just before halftime to take a 2.1 (13) to 0.1 (1) lead.
Ava Maher slotted the only major of the third quarter for PBC, who held a 19-point lead as the teams came out for the final term.
Varsity struggled to break into their forward half in the final stages of play and as the wind gathered strength, PBC’s Mia Salisbury slotted the final goal of the match.
PBC came away champions by 28 points as Salisbury was awarded best on ground.
BOYS
A one goal, one behind quarter opened the scoring for Palm Beach Currumbin in the senior male grand final as neither side grabbed early control of the match.
With the breeze in their favour St Laurence’s flicked the switch in the second term, booting three goals and suffocating any PBC attack.
Running with the wind, PBC regained the lead in the third quarter with a slight 3.4 (22) to 3.1 (19) advantage heading into the final term.
PBC’s class and composure began to shine through in the final quarter with both Maddox Iverach and Bailey Rawson kicking majors, the first goals of the game down the southern end of the field.
The men in black and yellow tried to keep their title hopes alive with a major of their own before PBC put the nails in the coffin with back-to-back match sealing goals.
Jai Murray was awarded best on ground in the 6.5 (41) to 4.2 (26) contest.
Head coach Jason Jeffrey praised his side’s second half performance.
“I didn’t expect us to be down at halftime, it was only 10 points on the scoreboard but we were down at the contest and not being first to the football,” he said.
“We were really good in the second half by getting the ball wide and being able to score.
“In every game we play we’re challenged initially, but you can see that professionalism shine through at times and the boys want to win, which turns things around on its own.
“We always knew it was going to be tight, but I’m really proud of the boys.”
JUNIOR FINALS
An upset fell just out of reach for Brisbane South as Palm Beach Currumbin claimed both trophies in the junior female and male grand finals at the AFLQ Schools Cup finals on Sunday.
After a surprise victory over Padua in their junior male preliminary final, Brisbane South SSC were aiming to carry their form into Sunday’s grand final clash against the might of PBC.
And that was after the horror memory of being ‘mercy ruled’ by the Gold Coast sporting behemoth at the beginning of the tournament.
A tight first quarter had the teams separated by just one goal before Brisbane South hit their stride in the second quarter.
The underdogs recorded two straight majors in the second term while PBC could only manage two behinds.
PBC responded in the third term to retake the lead, but Brisbane South stayed with them and there were just two points separating the teams heading into the final term.
As time ticked down, PBC’s Ferguson Farmer snapped one over his head before Brisbane South’s Isaac Dierselhuis produced a cracking goal of his own.
Brisbane South couldn’t hit the scoreboard in the dying stages as PBC controlled the ball.
The final score was 28-26 with best on ground awarded to PBC’s co-captain Kodi Wallace.
Earlier in the day, PBC cruised to a 40-point victory over Varsity College in the junior female division.
Varsity failed to record a point in the opening two quarters and after finding themselves down by 20 points at halftime, it was always going to be an uphill battle.
The defending champions put the game away in the third and fourth quarters with PBC’s Rosie Ross being named best on ground.
Watch eight games LIVE across three fields from 8am (AEST) LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV.
Catch the Oval 1 LIVE STREAM in the video player above.
Check the LIVE STREAM schedule below.
REPLAYS
Palm Beach Currumbin v Varsity College (Senior Female Grand Final)
St Laurence's College v Palm Beach Currumbin (Senior Male Grand Final)
Brisbane South v Palm Beach Currumbin (Junior Male Grand Final
Varsity College v Palm Beach Currumbin (Junior Female Grand Final)
St Teresa's Catholic v The Cathedral (Senior Female 3rd-Place PO)
Padua College v St Augustine's College (Senior Male 3rd-Place PO)
Padua College v Trinity Bay (Junior Male 3rd-Place PO)
Marymount College v St Margaret Mary's College (Junior female, third place playoff)
PREVIEW
St Laurence’s College have made their message clear. They want revenge.
The Brisbane-based school have punched their ticket into the senior male grand final on Sunday where they will play defending champions Palm Beach Currumbin.
After a slow start against Padua College in the preliminary final on Friday afternoon, St Laurence’s found themselves down by 22 in the opening 20 minutes.
RELIVE ALL THE DAY TWO ACTION FROM MAROOCHYDORE RIGHT HERE
RELIVE ALL THE DAY ONE ACTION FROM MAROOCHYDORE RIGHT HERE
A flick of the switch in the second term allowed them to regain control of the match before securing a tight 5.8 (38) to 5.1 (31) victory and setting up a 2023 grand final rematch.
Just 12 months ago PBC walked away as AFLQ Schools Cup champions in all four senior divisions, which included a 44-point downpour against St Laurence’s in the senior boys decider.
After finding themselves on the back foot early, St Laurence’s captain Cooper Mataia said he was proud of how his side adapted in the Padua game.
“We really zoned off to start the game, so the message at quarter time was to lock down and focus on our defence,” he said.
“We had two early injuries which made us shuffle things around, but we switched to a man-on-man system and quickly got back into the contest.
“We’ll be keeping things slow now until Sunday, but it’s cool to be in a grand final rematch.”
Originally published as Live stream: Watch the high schools grand finals at the AFLQ Schools Cup state finals