Aspley Hornets star Jessica Stallard leading the way again with standout QAFL and QAFLW weekend performances revealed
A host of QAFLW and QAFL players made their case known for Queensland representative selection over the weekend as we shine a light on the standout performers from round five and six.
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Another massive performance from Aspley Hornets QAFLW player Jessica Stallard has all but guaranteed her a spot in the Queensland women’s squad ahead of their match against Tasmania in June.
The 24-year-old key forward is a major reason for the Hornets undefeated start to the season as she’s recorded 15 goals from the first five rounds.
Aspley head coach and QAFLW 2023 coach of the year Luke Glacken said Stallard has continued to flourish for the brown and yellow after first making her QAFLW debut in 2022.
“She took her off season pretty seriously and did a fair bit of work in the gym which is starting to pay off on the field,” he said.
“She’s made sure she has put in the extra work before and after training to knuckle down the importance of inside 50s.
“She’s definitely deserving of that Queensland spot and I guess the challenge for her now is continuing to perform knowing there’s some extra eyes and extra expectation of her.
“It’s all one week at a time for Jess as she’s remained very humble and is keeping a great level head but is focused on performing for Aspley, then Queensland and hopefully bigger and better things moving forward.”
Stallard’s 2022 season consisted of 10 goals from four games before exploding in 2023 to finish as the competition’s leading scorer with 32 goals from 17 matches.
In round five Stallard finished with five goals and a behind against Bond University but also recorded 14 disposals, five contested marks and seven tackles.
Glacken said he was happy with his side’s opening performances.
“As much as Jess has been a standout player it’s been a real team effort to get to where we are at the moment,” he said.
“Without the supply she wouldn’t be in a position to kick those goals but it’s great to have someone with the determination and field presence to finish off the team’s good work.
“To be able to start with five wins in a really competitive league and one with even more talent is great, but there’s still a long way to go and we know we have to continue to be consistent.”
Discover the other standouts across round six of the QAFL and round five of the QAFLW below.
QAFL
Dylan Swann and Nakia Cockatoo (Morningside Panthers)
The Panthers enjoyed a day out in round six, crushing Mt Gravatt to a 98 point loss as they now reach 1055 points against this season. Swann had 30 disposals, two contested marks, five clearances, two tackles, two intercept marks and three goals. Former Brisbane Lion Cockatoo also had three goals to go with his 23 disposals, three contested marks, three clearances and four tackles.
Mitchell Conn (Noosa Tigers)
Following a season high performance last weekend, Conn was again a key contender for the Tigers finishing with 27 disposals, two contested marks, five clearances, two tackles and two goals. Despite the loss, he was accompanied by ex-AFL star Daniel Rich who kicked four goals.
Benjamin Woodburn (Surfer Paradise Demons)
Woodburn has continued his standout form in 2024 and provided fans with another spectacular performance in his side’s narrow six point win against Maroochydore. The talented midfielder had 27 disposals, eight clearances, one goal and a whopping 11 tackles.
Coen Harker (Aspley Hornets)
Harker was everywhere on Saturday as he helped lift his side to a key 43 point win over Labrador. The midfielder finished with 30 disposals, 14 clearances, eight tackles and a goal.
Keegan Downie (Morningside Panthers)
Bagging six goals is always going to catch some attention but Downie was also effective when he wasn’t lining up in front of goal as he had 14 touches and four contested marks.
Lochie Laing (Maroochydore Roos)
In what was arguably the game of the round, the Roos fell agonisingly short at the final hurdle despite leading 5.3.33-1.1.7 at the end of the first quarter. Standout players included Lochie Lang who had 30 disposals, six clearances, eight tackles, four intercept marks and five inside 50s. He was supported by Tom Holt and Josh Wagner who also played their roles well.
Stanley Waistcoat and Liam Hude (Sherwood Magpies)
The Magpies snagged their second win of the season on Saturday thanks to a healthy 37 point victory over the Noosa Tigers at home. Waistcoat recorded six goals, five tackles and three contested marks while Hude had four majors to go with his 19 disposals.
Charlie Offermans (Labrador Tigers)
The flair-filled midfielder produced another top effort against the Hornets on Saturday as he racked up 29 disposals, two contested marks, five clearances and nine tackles.
Brock Aston (Redland-Victoria Point Sharks)
The Sharks fell short against a solid team outing from PBC on Saturday but key leader Brock Aston couldn’t be faulted. He had 38 disposals, seven clearances and nine tackles.
Rhys Mathieson (Wilston Grange Gorillas)
Despite his side kicking 21 majors and 17 behinds, Mathieson didn’t hit the scoresheet but was overly effective everywhere else. The former Lion led the way with 38 disposals, six clearances and three tackles. His round six effort now brings his growing disposal tally to 228 for the season, sitting clear of Labrador trio Charlie Offermans, Tom Simpson and Jay Foon.
Honourable mentions to Liam Dawson (Aspley Hornets), Blake Erickson (Broadbeach Cats), Jacquin Mifsud and Daniel Bowles (Wilston Grange Gorillas and Jack Brauman (Surfers Paradise Demons).
QAFLW
Grace Roberts-White and Lucy Schneider (Coorparoo Kings)
The Kings continued to rise on the ladder following their 26 point win over UQ in round five. Midfield maestro Lucy Schneider had 25 disposals, four clearances, two intercept marks and a tackle. Roberts-White was also impressive, finishing with 10 clearances, five tackles and a total 17 disposals.
Lauren Shackleton (Wilston Grange Gorillas)
The Gorillas played an extremely appealing team game on Saturday as they overcame Yeronga South with a key 6.5.41-3.4.22 victory. Shackleton had a 100 per cent accuracy in front of goal as she finished with three majors, 10 disposals, two contested marks and a tackle. She was well supported by a number of teammates including Keyshia Matenga, Summer Hamilton, Annie Wallace and Mackenzie Findlay.
Chelsea Winn (Yeronga South Brisbane Devils)
Despite the loss, Winn was a shining light for her side as she held her own against a strong Gorillas midfield. The former Cooparoos player finished with 26 disposals, nine clearances, seven tackles and two intercept marks.
Imogen Evans (Bond University Bullsharks)
Bond went down on Saturday at the hands of Aspley but you couldn’t deny the effort all game from Bullsharks whippet Imogen Evans. She finished with 24 disposals, three clearances, three tackles and a goal in her side’s 27 point defeat.
Jenae Govan (Coorparoo Kings)
Govan finished three-from-three against UQ and also picked up 11 disposals, two contested marks, a clearance, tackle and intercept mark each. She now sits five goals behind Aspley’s Jessica Stallard on the goal kicking leaderboard.
Alanna Perry and Louise Tyson (Aspley Hornets)
The Hornets duo were on fire against Bond University dominating the opposition midfield and each finishing with solid stat lines. Perry had 28 disposals, five clearances, seven tackles and an intercept mark while Tyson ended with 25 touches, one contested mark, three clearances and six tackles.
Jane Childes (University of QLD Red Lions)
The UQ leader continued to stand tall for her side with another healthy performance in round five. Childes exited the field with 18 disposals, six clearances, nine tackles and a goal.
Tayla Gregory, Maighan Fogas, Madeleine Watt and Stephanie O’Brien (Southport Sharks)
The Sharks top scored in round five, beating Maroochydore by 78 points. You could make a case for arguably their entire side but on the day these four names were the pick of the bunch. Gregory finished with two goals, 22 disposals and three contested marks while Fogas has one goal, three behinds, 34 touches and three tackles. Watt also cracked 30 disposals with 32 and recorded four tackles as well. To round it out, stalwart Steph O’Brien had 29 disposals, 12 clearances and a goal.
Originally published as Aspley Hornets star Jessica Stallard leading the way again with standout QAFL and QAFLW weekend performances revealed
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