ITS A GRAND OLD DLAG

What a game of footy and what a way to end the season. Yesterdays grand final was probably the best grand final in the qafl for 20 odd years. It was a titanic battle and it was anyones flag to win all day long. The first quarter was the usual scappy tough and sorting out period with no having a clear edge. Morningside kicked the first goal and we were on our way. The quarter showed that everett and knoebal will be hard to stop and knoebal was starting domminate in the ruck and they 2 of the next 3 and were just in front when they kicked another one just before quarter time and it was labrador 7 points in fron at quarter time. The second quarter was domminated by the panthers, With Mark kymbal running ramoant and Kent Abey marking strongly arond the ground. 6 goals but 5 behinds and only a 14 point lead didn't show how the panthers were really starting get on top of the tigers. Ryan holman, Mark Kymbal and AAron rogers were winning their positions clearly and thing were looking good at half time for the panthers. The premiership quarter beckoned as one of the most intriguing quarters i have seen in qafl football for the last 11 years. Trent Knoebal went off and absolutely r4an riot in the third quarter and the panther4s couldn't. Tim Notting started to get his hands on the footy and they couldn't stop his marking prowess and Todd featherstone was having a day out they could stop him and the panther had a heap of opportunities to put the game away but by the end of the third quater, labrador piled on 7 goals and had point lead and things were going just dandy for them and the panther with their missed opportunities had kicked 1 goal and the haunting of grand finals past where inacurate kicking had cost them dearly was starting to come back to bite them on the arse. The fourth quarter was an epic quarter and it just still amazes me what happened. The first 5 to 10 minutes were a bit of a struggle the tired legs were starting to set in and Labrador put themselves 4 goals in front and things were going sour quickly. Blair threw young tom hickey into the ruck and with a tiring Trent Knoebal, it was a god sent and things got cracking. 2 quick goals and they boys from esplin oval got a sniff and another goal and another behinds and they were within a point. Hickey kept dommianting the ruck and 4 unanwered goals later and undiciplined acts the premiership cup was heading back to esplin oval where the boys clebrated hard and long into the night. Kent Abey was named Joe Grant medal and well deserved. just another great grand final to cap off a great year

JOE GRANT MEDALISTS OF PAST

The Joe grant medal is awarded to the player that was best on ground in the qafl grand final for the past 27 years and there has been some good ones and some really bad decisions by the voters in my honest opinion. One of the best was Tony Lynns effort in the 2002 grand final against the raging hot favourites in southport. He had and absolute day out that day and led his side so well to their first flag in their history. I think he something like 34 touches and kicked a couple of goals and kept running all day.



The worst in my opinion



2000. The best on ground medal was given to Maclucky from southport. But everyone at the ground that watched that game that day all thought Nick Reiwoldt was clearly best on ground by some way. Jason Cotter threw Reiwoldt into the ruck after half time and rooy did his thing and he turned the game on it's head. He started to domminate the ruck which Charman had won all day and never looked like he was going to get beaten either. He won the game for southport but he still didn't get the medal

2006. Dane Carmody won the mexdal and everyone again that watched that game were pretty much shocked at the decision. Clint watts was clearly the best player on the ground that day and for some reason he wasn't even given many votes to be named the best on ground. Once crowley threw him in the middle the game changed and he was the one that got the sharks going and he was by far a better player than carmordy was on that day

The voting pannel probably consists of people that are just ass lickers that don't have a clue about the game all the time

DESTINY BECKONS FOR THE SIDERS AND LABRADOR

The grand final is fianlly here and the 2 best sides in the qafl are in it. Labrador and the Morningside panthers have made it through to the big day in conrasting circumstances. Labrador made it through to the grand final with a thrilling second semi final win over this same team in the Morningside panthers, they were down by 4 goals at 3qtr time and came storming home to be the first team into the grand final. The panthers had to get through the grand final the hard way. They had a thrilling win over arch rivals southport and again they nearly blew it. After being 5 goals up 5 minutes into the fourth, Southport put on 4 quick goals and were with in a goal before the siders steadied the ship and locked down and came out 7 point winners to put themselves into the grand final against the tigers. These 2 sides have met 3 times this year and all 3 encounters have been crackers with labrador leading the ledger at the moment. Labrador look like they don't have any injury worries and will probably at their best come sunday afternoon. The siders on the other hand have 1 concerne and it has to do with their former captain and champion club man. Word last sunday was, he doesn't want to take the place of a young players that has been there and some how i don't think Blairy will take much notice of that and i do believe he will pick and play him in this grand final.

5 key players for both sides

Labrador

Knobel. can ruck all day and has been good this year again and it might be his last game

Shattock. Abrilliant player and he stopped everything that was thrown forward in the latter stages of the second semi final

Notting. if he has a day out, the tigers could win this game of footy

Everitt. Just a crucial player and the work he does around the ground important, he can kick a bag and ruck a whole quarter when needed

Featherstone. the leader of the team and is a match winner and will be keen for a big game

Morningside

Price. was just about best on ground last week and might get everitt

Rogers. his work across half back last week was brilliant and the tigers will need to keep him quiet

Gough. is right now with his rib and din't have any problems late in the game last week. he is a proven match winner and will be someone that can win a game off his own back

Shelton. Mr. ball magnet.. will give the siders plenty of drive out of the kiddle and can run all day

Abey. was great last week with plenty of strong marks and will need to back it up again this week.

This will be a great grand final and i can't wait for the big one. Even though the tigers have had the week of, that doesn't always help the team that earns it. I think the match hardened panthers side will get up by at least 4 goals and i think Jarrod Price will be named Joe Grant medalist. It should be a great day of footy

TANGLES IS UNLIKELY MORE THAN LIKELY TO PLAY ON SUNDAY

Will David Lillico play on sunday is the question and from what i have heard in the siders camp is. he doesn't want to take the place of a young gun and when i heard this, I knew it would go over like a led balloon. He is a match winner and he is a brilliant leader for these young kids. He might just be the x factor the siders might need on Sunday. The thing is you don't want to break up a winning team and he has been playing ok in the 2s for the last 3 weeks and he has 4 full games under his belt and i have seen him play after breaking his leg 1 year and he won the Joe Grant medal for bog in the grand final. Is he ready for the grand final though. Maybe he is and he would be nice and cherry ripe for the big occasion In this big game he could be what they need off the bench in bursts as well. I think he would play mostly in the forward line and go into the midfield in little bursts here and there as well. Well i am pretty sure blairy will want him in the side but it might come down to if tangles want to play and take a spot away from a young gun that has been there all year. We won't know until 2 oclock sunday afternoon.

MAGGIES FEATHERS ARE PLUCKED

The end was near for the western magpies and it wasn't pretty. They have decided they don't want any part of the top division for next year and beyond. I suppose when you don't have any money running through the club house, that will put a massive dent in any hopes of recruiting decent players to the club. They gave their pokie machine to Kenmore which already had the tab licence and they were really stuffed before than. But back to the football side of things. It seemed to me they were always in pineapple hotel cup mode from day 1 in the state league and that's why they never won a game. They were given a full year and a bit to get themselves ready for the state league and in that time they won a division 2 premiership. Of course there are many people to blame. From what i heard it could all be thrown at the AFL or the board at the club. The afl didn't put a club developement officer in earlier enough as far as I ma concerned and it put them on the back foot straight away and most of the people at the club weren't to pleased with the hire of the bloke they put in place. The board didn't have faith in the coach and they just about pushed him out the door for their bad management. It was a long 2 years for them and i am betting they are happy it's over and they will domminate in the pineapple hotel cup nin the years to come no doubt

SIDERS GRAND FINAL HERE WE COME. SOUTHPORT GET THE CHECKBOOK OUT AGAIN

In another classic final between these 2 arch rivals yesterday at Coorparoo. It was tough going for both clubs in blustery conditions, where the breeze was flukey at the best of times. Morningside were clearly winning more of the ball in the early stages of the first quarter and they just couldn't ram home the advantage. They kicked 4 behinds before they slotted their first major, in that time southport slotted their first through Ben Merrit and it was a tight first quarter with no one giving an inch. The second was just about the same as the first. But southport took their chances and kicked 3 goals to 2, but morningside had so many chance to be in front or further in fron at half time. Mark rootsey should have had a shot at goal, but passed it off to shelton instead and the movement fell down and southport pounced and kicked a goal out their movement forward. It wasn't southports 2 gun forwards recruits that were doing all the work. They were being completely shut out of the game and barely had a touch at all in the game. Payne was domminating again like he did last week and showed what class player he really is. At 3 quarter time the panthers needed a couple players to get themselves into the game and to get themselves out this rut. When Southport kicked the first goal of the third quarter, things started to look a bit bleek. But things started to happen, Bonney was starting to get plenty of the footy and Gough was getting over his rib problem fast and started to win the ruck and collect plenty of the ball around the ground. The main problem southport were having was, they couldn't find an avenue to goal. The brick wall in Price, Rogers and Bell absolutely blanketing Southports best forwards, they, they were going to struggle. Then it all fell into place for the sider. 5 unanswered goals later and they had a handy 5 goal lead and looking for a berth in the grand final against labrador. The first few minutes of the final quarter were just a cooling of period. A quick forey forward by the sider was repelled and the ball was moved quickly up to centre half forward for the shark and with his first mark for Cleve hughes and with his first kick of the game he slotted it. They got a roll on and had a sniff and the sider were thinking oh no not again. 4 unanswered goals in the space of 12 minutes and sharks were back in the game and they had momentum. The last 10 minutes were played between the siders half forward line and the sharks forward line, the sharks just couldn't break through that wall and the siders slowed the play down and grinded it out in the last few minutes to put the sharks to bed and put themselves in the grand final for the third consecutive year. It was a great game of footy to end a great weekend of footy all round. the grand final will be a great game

UP THERE NOOSA UP THER NOOSA. YOU'LL DO ME

The Noosa boys belted that out with plenty of gusto after their nail bighting win over sandgate on saturday at hickey park. The game was hard tough game of footy all day long and really there was never a major from both sides all day. The first quarter was close and no clear advantage for both sides. The only thing that was clear in that quarter was, Lucas Matthews and the way he was racking up posessions at will. He must have had 15 touches up to Quarter time and it didn't look like anything could stop him. Matthew Nuss was getting plenty of the ball and by half time the game had been broken open and both side were running and made it a free flowing game of footy. Brendan Forbes was pretty good in that 2nd quarter, marking and kicking a couple of goals to keep sandgate a float. Danny Dickfos was again leading by example marking strongly and beating his opponent quite easily. A tight 3rd quater was like a war and battle wasn't going to be won easy by either side. Luke brauer started to win plenty of the footy and was getting things going in the engin room for noosa and Matthew Nuss was still running rampant for the hawks and with not much between both sides, it was going to be a classic finish to this granf final. Sandgate kicked the first goal of the last quarter and it looked like we had a game of footy on our hands and for about 5 to 7 minutes it was just hard fought footy between the 2 midfields. 4 unanswered goals by Noosa in 10 minutes of tight footy and it looked like the cup was going back up the highway to weyba road. But Brendan Forbes was thrown into the ruck and got things happening and Sandgate started egt the ball going forward at a rapid rate. 3 quick goals and they were with in 7 points of Noosa and runnig forward with every chance of over taking Noosa at the end of the game. But noosas coach threw his captain down back as loose player and he repelled every thrust forward and every time Sandgate went forward in the last 5 minutes, they were stopped in their track by the captain and with last thrust forward by Noosa and the ball at a stoppage the siren went softly and grand final was over and the cup was heading up the highway. Luke brauer was adjudged best on ground but they could have named 3 other Noosa players for that medal on the day

ONE DROUGHT WILL BE BROKEN THIS WEEKEND IN THE PINEAPPLE HOTEL CUP GRAND FINAL

On saturday the Noosa tiger take on Sandgate at Hickey park in what could be a classic grand final. Noosa are looking to break a 11 year drought and Sandgate are looking to break a 16 year drought. Sandgate made it through to this years grand final by beating Noosa who finished up being the minor premiers after 18 rounds. Sandgate started the season off like a house on fire and looked like they were un stopable and on their was to top spot and on their way to romp it in for the flag. But as it always happen, injuries hit them hard and left a big hole in their list and the tigers pounced. The tigers have been more consistant than anything this year and with Lucas Matthews coming back to the club after winning the best and fairest at aspley last year, has been at his best again this year in the midfield. The tigers are looking exact revenge on losing last years grand final to palm beach after winning through to the grand through the second semi final against the same team. Sandgate have a lot of seasoned veterans in their team of the like of Danny Dickfos and Rob Lucas who both have played 35o+ state league games under their belt. The game will be won in the midfield and i do believe Sandgate might just have an edge in that department and the the clearance work will be crucial to who wins this game of footy. I am going to tip the local boys in a thriller and there will be at least 3 fights, 1 on the ground and 2 in the crowd

DO OR DIE FOR BOTH THE PANTHERs AND THE SHARKS ON SUNDAY

The arch rivals in the qafl are at again and they will be facing off in the prelim final on Sunday at Coorparoo. Last week southport dispatched and very old and slow vultures side with one all might firing quarter. In the second quarter they ran rough shot and put the vutlure to bed and put them into another prelim final. Matty Payne was the prime mover in that second quarter with 10 possies and plenty of clearances to set up the win for the sharks. They looked sublime in destroying the vultures. The panthers on the other hand had the labrador tigers on ice at 3 quarter time with a 4 goal leaad. labrador made a run at them in the 4th quarter and the rest is history and the panther have a date with the sharks at cooraproo on sunday. There is fitness concernes over quite a few players on both sides. With the panthers, will lillico and gough play and play without any discomfort. The sharks have more injury concernes with Wise, Carmody and Obrien needing fitness tests to play more than likely.

5 key players for both sides

Gough. Has to play a full game nearly and really help Hickey out in the ruck

Lillico. will he play this week. He is an important player and can win a game off his own back

Bonney. Been great this year and will lead the way if the rest of his mates in the midfield are shut out of the game

Abey.Got to kick a bag for the siders to win and give a better option than Mugavin who has been kicking the goals for the panthers this fianls series

Lucy. he might have to stay in the forward line all day instead of runnig up the ground and playing over the ground

Southport

Screech. Was good last week and if Wise and co can't play. He will have to do the same roll as last week and do it well

Payne. Was bog last week by some way and there isn't much doubt about that. If he plays like he did last week he will win them the game

Merrit. was good last week in the ruck and around the ground. the panthers will need to keep an eye on his play

Hughes. Got toweled up last time these 2 met and will need to kick another bag for them to win

James. Mr. ball bagnet and he halways has a crcking game against the panther and if he has his own way again. The panthers could be in for a long day

I think the panthers will win and win well. it helps the fact the game is being played at Coorparoo and not at southport

Danny Wise grogan medalist for this year

After a fantastic season for the Southport sharks, Danny Wise took out the coverted medal for 2010 by 2 votes over southpore team mate Darren Pheifer and redlands captain Phil Carse. Danny lead the count for most of the night and held on for a deserved win and in my eyes he has clearly been the best player all year long and has lead his team so well and lead the mighty maroon to a resounding victory over tassie in the state game earlier this year at southport. In other awards on the night, Reid Dobson won the reserves best and fairest count. Zephi Skinner won the rising star award and Cameron Illet won the Syd Gillford ntrophy awarded to the mvp of the competition

There wasn't too many surprises in the team of the year

B: Steve Wrigley (Lab), Kurt Niklaus (Sp), Adam Tarrant (MtG);
HB: Jake Furfaro (MtG), Aaron Rogers (Ms), Brett Goodes (NT);
C: Mat Clarke (Lab), Damien Bonney (Ms), Darren Pfeiffer (Sp);
HF: Cameron Ilett (NT), Bryce Retzlaff (BL), Claye Beams (BL);
F: Dayne Zorko (Bb), Cleve Hughes (Sp), Tim Notting (Lab);
R: Jacob Gough (Ms), Danny Wise (Sp – capt), Phil Carse (Red);
INT: Scott Clouston (Red), Jason Howard (Lab), Dean Page (MtG), Matt Shir (Asp); Zephi Skinner (NT).

in the q;d team of the year. As usual the selection pannel looked like a bunch of ass lickers and only like picking their favourites again. Most of the players they have picked have missed half to 3 quarters of the year or have had very ordinary years. I have to question the process of the way they pick this team every year because the idiots that pick it have absolutely no clue and need too be booted from this role now

Dany Wises medal to lose

The J.A Grogan medal is being held tonight and it should be a tight race to see who ins the medal. Wise has been the best player in the comp this year in my opinion, but he might have mates that will take votes off him through the latter stages of the year as the southport side hit a wall. Gough from morningside should poll well and always does and this year he might just about win his 2nd Grogan medal in 7 years. Damien bonney is a highly fancied pick as well and he has had a standout year for the siders especially when their best players were injured or for other reasons. Their will be labrador players up their in the voting as well, the players of featherston(who has won it before), matt clark and tim notting are fancies as well. A good roughie bet for the night would be Dan Roy of the Aspley hornets and Reece Toye who have had fantastic seasons and might catch the eye of the umpires and Matty shirr is another hornet player that could cause a boil ovber. But my tip is danny wise over Damien bonney

It ain't over till the final siren

That certainly was the case in the state association division 1 grand final at zillmere yesterday. In pouring rain for most of the day, it was a massive struggle for both sides. The first quarter was a low scroring slog with coorparoo leading at quarter time and you could see this will be a tough day at the office fro both sides in the wet. Caloundra had enough of the footy, they didn't take their opportunities. The second quarter coorparoo started to take control of the game and was winning every contest all over the park and caloundra didn't have to many answers for the. Coorparoo kicked the first 2 goals to get a 3 goal break and with the rain falling harder now, the panthers needed get thei heads back in the game. 2 late goals helped and they were back in the game and with the crucial 3rd quarter coming up anything could happen. The early stages of the premiership quarter was all coorparoo and they slotted 4 unanswered goals in 14 minutes a=of good hard footy and the panthers looked shell shocked and didn't know what to do. The kings were winning every contest and putting the score on the board and it looked like the flag was headed back to griffin park. But 2 quick goals late and the panthers got the margin back to 15 points at 2 quarter time and the game was set for a thrilling finish and it didn't dissapoint. Trevor o'brien was clam and collective at 3 quarter time and told his charger that it was there if they wanted it and told them to go straight up the middle and play one when they could and 5 or 6 goals wasn't out of the question. It wasn't too long into the final quarter before the panther hit the fron and blink of an eye the hope of the kings were shot. 5 unanswered goals and 7 all up gave the panther a 16 point win in a classic grand final in trying conditions. troy wilke was named best on ground

southport end vulture run with one big quarter of footy

Southport ended the vulture juggernaut in emphatic fahion on saturday. A 9 goal to 1 second quarter ripped the guts out of the vultures winning chances in this one. The first quarter was a tight and hard struggle for both sides with no one looking like their could be a game breaking moment and the scores were tied at 3-4 a piece. But southports midfield clicked into gear and ripped the vultures apart in the second qaurter led by a brilliant matthew payne who had a field day in the second quarter and not one could stop him running a muck. At half time the vultures got an absolute spray from coach lake and i don't think i have ever heard him give them a spray like that before and well it didn't help too much in the third quarter. Both teams kicked 2 goals each with the vutlures have more of the play, but just didn't convert their opportunities like the sharks did in the second and the writing was on the wall for the vultures and they needed to pull on out of their arse to win this game of footy. Crowley went to the old chestnut at 3 quarter time and reminded his players about last years preliminary final where the vulture came from behind to beat the sharks. He told his chargers to burry them and they did in the end with a 6 goal to 2 quarter and sent the vultures packing and put themselves into another prelim final against the panthers who lost a thriller to the labrador tigers.

LABRADORS BIG CHANCE TO SHOW THEY TRUE CONTENDERS

Sunday will be the biggest day in labrador footy clubs history. They are playing off for a chance to get into the grand final in 2 weeks time. They have been the most consistant side all year even when they have been resting up to 6 of their stars every week at times. Most weeks they would put a team sheet in and it would always have quite a few of their big name players missing through being rested. They have class players all over the park without their big name players and that's why they have been so good this year. Morningside on the other hand have been there and done that before, they are looking for their 3rd consecutiv apearence in the grand final and the experienced bodies have come in handy lately. Last week the young bucks were the players that made the difference in their massive win over the sharks. Hickey came in and manfully won the ruck battle aganinst a seasoned veteran and he was outstanding by all accounts. Lillico should ripe now for a big couple of weeks after his knee reco and he is going too be a handy and fresh player in this next couple of weeks for the panthers..

5 key players for both sides

labrador

Shattock. he will get Abey and it will to see of he get through a full game

Featherstone. been good again this year and he gives the tigers plenty run and drive

Noble. his battle with Hickey and gough (if fit) will be crucial

Notting. If he can kick a bag and have help around him. the tigers will hard to beat

Everitt. Mobile ruckman that kick goals and that's what he has been doing all his career. he has been good this year

Morningside

Rogers. he will more than likely get Notting and if he can do a job on him. the sider are a big chance

Kinch. Running like a machine now and is giving the siders plenty of drive

Hickey. he might have ruck all day again and he is up to the challenge and if he get over noble. the siders midfield will be in for a big day

Lillico. Had 2 games under his belt now and looking ripe for a big run at another flag. he is a player that can lift any side off the mat

Sam Brown. A crumbing forward that can play up the ground and will need to help the bigger for4wards out in this game

I reckon the tigers will be hard to beat at home. but i think the panthers will walk straight into their 3rd coinsecutive grand final