Brisbane are still the QClash queens, overpowering Gold Coast by 36 points at Heritage Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Although the SUNS were far more competitive than the previous three meetings between the teams, they were no match for Craig Starcevich’s hungry Lions who won 8.9 (57) to 3.3 (21) to solidify their spot in the top four.
Belle Dawes was terrific in her 50th game, gathering 21 disposals and catching the eye with her clean hands at ground level and energy through the contest.
But it was League best and fairest Ally Anderson (27 disposals including nine score involvements) that added the QClash Medal to her collection with a terrific display to break the Lucy Single tag.
Tahlia Hickie and Sophie Conway were also influential in triumph, while Dakota Davidson worked hard up and down the ground.
Brisbane won all four quarters, but it was a dominant second term that really opened the game up, with the visitors establishing a 17-point lead at the main change.
They dominated territory and were able to eventually break the SUNS’ shackles away from the contest with hard running through the middle of the ground and on the wings.
Unlike the previous three contests where they were out of the match by quarter-time, the SUNS were right up for the fight early, matching their more fancied rivals in most areas.
Conway kicked the game’s first goal inside 60 seconds before Claudia Whitfort answered for the hosts with a terrific banana kick following a boundary throw-in close to goal.
A week after being left out for not meeting the Lions’ standards, Jade Ellenger showed her fresh legs with some great overlap running resulting in a goal.
Brisbane dominated the second quarter to set up its match-winning lead.
Despite kicking just 2.5 from 14 inside 50s, they camped in the front half of the ground, with Davidson and Lily Postlethwaite cashing in with goals.
Viv Saad (14 intercepts from 20 disposals) was incredible for the SUNS, while Jac Dupuy (two goals) was a real handful inside 50.
Ball-winners edge the taggers
There was always going to be two fascinating battles prior to the match, and they lived up to the hype, with Cathy Svarc running alongside Charlie Rowbottom and Lucy Single following Ally Anderson. While the taggers did a solid job, you’d have to say the ball-winners ever-so-slightly got the chocolates. Anderson was fantastic, gathering 27 disposals to win the QClash Medal as best on ground, while Rowbottom (22) led the way for Gold Coast.
Did you see that?
It took until the final seconds of the match, but Courtney Hodder produced one of the great highlights in Indigenous Round with an incredibly brave mark running back with the flight of the ball. With Dakota Davidson and Viv Saad charging in the opposite direction, Hodder had eyes only for the ball to take a spectacular running mark, just as her teammate dived out of the way to avoid a collision.
Jac Attack
It wasn’t quite a lone hand forward for Gold Coast, but Jac Dupuy continued a fine season with her two goals, including one inspired effort in the third quarter. Outnumbered in a marking contest, Dupuy brought the ball to ground, gathered and in almost one motion snapped from a tough angle on her right boot. The agility defied the key forward’s frame and showed yet another string to her impressive bow.
Up next
Brisbane has a huge challenge next Saturday when it hosts unbeaten Adelaide at Brighton Homes Arena at 2.05pm AEST. Gold Coast will look to get back in the winner’s list when it travels to Alberton Oval to face Port Adelaide on Saturday at 4.35pm ACDT.
GOLD COAST 1.0 2.0 3.2 3.3 (21)
BRISBANE 2.0 4.5 6.7 8.9 (57)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Dupuy 2, Whitfort
Brisbane: Conway 2, Postlethwaite 2, Hampson, Ellenger, Davidson, Campbell
BEST
Gold Coast: Whitfort, Saad, Dupuy, Rowbottom, Girvan, Darcy
Brisbane: Dawes, Anderson, Hickie, Conway, Grider, Davidson
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 1873 at Metricon Stadium
