After a solid win on Tuesday against the Taipans it was time for the Suncoast Power to take the sting out of another tail end, the Stingrays. Day two of the AFL Queensland State under 18 Championships took place at AFLQ headquarters Coorparoo - Saturday, with the Power’s date coming up against long time nemesis the Gold Coast Stingrays.
After a strong showing against the Western Taipans the teams’ management was very much looking forward to the opportunity of playing the regular title winner. Most arrived in plenty of time with photos of horror scheduled for an hour pre game (the boys tried to look pretty).
Coach Kent was on site two hours pre game doing a field inspection, a strong wind blew right of screen into the Lions change room pocket, grass lush and Kent had an air of excitement at the ensuing battle.
Four o’clock kick off time gathered momentum, as all went through final preparations, with coaches’ words of encouragement and how the team had an ideal chance against a team that in many past battles had proven tough. The boys hit the paddock for final warm ups on a hot late afternoon, the toss was won and advantage of the current wind taken.
The first quarter started with a five minute arm wrestle as players went hard at the ball but turnovers both ways made it a game of half backs to half backs – Todd Panoho, Lanze Magin and Nathan Spring hunting well at this point. The deadlock was broken with a rushed point to the Stingrays – scoreboard working – then the Power made the scoreboard attendant work the other way with a Parkesy goal. This goal from a snap after receiving a well weighted and team orientated spot up from young Shaun Maxfield to the hot spot.
Again Trent Manzone was providing plenty of forward run and he became a channel forward. We received another chance with Power players looking to play through the hot spot, this coming from a Mitch Scholard square up to Peter Labi but an unfortunate miss was the result. The forward pressure the Power front half were giving was fantastic and resultantly ‘Noddy’ Guthrie had opportunity at 30 metres; Power 2 majors with the Rays the solitary point at the half way mark of the quarter.
By this point the Power had looked the team to settle best, and flowing play was resulting. “Spring on half back laying a solid tackle, a strong grab by Labi, a centering kick with strong hands from rookie search player Jed Turner but a rookie kick dragging the pill to the left”. The positives were shining for coach Kent as the team looked to be sharing the ball and above all going through the hot spot to best capitalise on the two or three goal wind.
Young “reggae man” Gary Kiele was next to put the Power in a commanding position as the first quarter neared to end time. Kiele gathered a free after solid team forward pressure- the free a reward for a solid tackle on a stung ray – result goal! The first ended with another solid couple of minutes of Powerful pressure; Power leading by 19 points with three majors and the ‘Stungrays’ just the solitary opening point.
The second quarter certainly saw the game level out as the Stingrays had plenty of the Sherrin. The Power had their chances early with rookie search player Alistair Baker having two set shots on goal from around the 30 range but both pushed across the face for minor scores. The Stingrays had also chalked up a few minors to this point in a game that had again become a tight and tough in and under affair. Power captain Magin provided plenty of leadership with relentless hard tackling at the coal face.
Then a defining moment for this spectator took place, well into the second after a titanic struggle, the Stingrays found a target in Broadbeach tank Josh Milani. Milani with a big grab found himself deep in attack (albeit the dead pocket) kicking from 30 metres on a 60 degree angle he has slotted a beauty that sparked those in Stingray blue about him. The Gold Coast outfit now had the run of play to the main break, left the Power lucky they didn’t convert more as a few more points resulted and a couple of sprays on the full. The half time hooter was the need of the Power in order to regroup – she sounded and a glance at the scoreboard saw the Power 3.4.22 to the Rays 1.6.12, inaccuracy our saviour to holding a 10 point lead at this point.
With a break to the change rooms the Power regathered thoughts and focus; back to the field of battle – wind still amongst the trees indicating a Power advantage still available in the third.
The men of orange gathered centre, the Power late from the air-conditioning of the change room had to scamper to position. Siren bellows, ball put high, Power ruckman to roving Johnny Vogae, the Sherrin pumped forward – result all positive as Parkesy picks up a free in the marking contest – ‘yes’ was the cry of the Power faithful as he registered a major within 30 seconds.
Then again the Power through strong play gathered another major scoring opportunity with Mitch Scholard on the end of a free. By this point we had well and truly regathered the momentum and enjoyed a 22 point lead five minutes into the third.
The Gold Coast got 6 points back quickly, as the scoreboard ticked through majors as quick as any point within the game. Next was just 3 to 4 minutes of grind as both teams fought with true grit. The Stingrays pushed deep, a point then a second shot came, Jorge Branco an old soccer player brought out a mighty left foot save in the goal square. Jorge’s save rebounded in Power favour, Jack Hendrie to Magin to Manzone; Manzone a late hit carried a free down field but the Manzone kick travelled to the goal square area where Big Jed awaited, marked, turned on a nickel and plugged a major against the flow of play. Again the lead for Power was over the 20 point line.
All of a sudden the Stingrays had a few guns shake the hackles in Barnes, Grant and Milani all getting clean run – point, goal, goal, point, point to finish the quarter of in the final minutes with style and for the Power the lead was back to 5 points.
AFLQ’s Master of Ceremony said the “third quarter proved very even with both sides kicking 3 goals each but the Stingrays again wasted opportunities kicking another 5 behinds to go with their 3 goals. Trent Manzone and Lanze Magin lifted a gear and Todd Panoho provided plenty of run from defence for the Power while Joel Wilkinson did the same for the Stingrays”.
Straight from the blocks the Stingrays had a shot on goal early, phew a minor score; again the culprit Milani – had he borrowed Parkesy’s kicking boots from game one?
For the gathered Power crowd of the Sunshine Coast it appeared we had 18 tense minutes in front of us until the final siren. Our field talk had become very limited as some went into their shell. In the coming minutes the Stingrays would take the lead in a meaningful way for the first time in the game.
Then enter Peter Labi who swooped on a loose forward 50 ball, backed himself running on and drilled a much needed settler to put us back in front, the Power crowd now pumping.
For the following minutes the Power held sway, the talk back and endeavour at the pill strong. Again as over the years on so many occasions the opposition scored against the run of power play – Gold Coast had an opportunity to arrest the lead back; phew the right hand post is kissed by the Sherrin, followed by another point to GC as our lead whittled to the barest.
With a fifty metre penalty going the Powers way, we had a solid chance on goal, but a sprayed shot went wide for a Stingrays free. Down the paddock they went and with the help of a centre ground infringement, giving 50 the other way for coming in late, the Stingrays scored a major putting them five points up.
Minor scores were then traded – Stingrays, Power, Power, - Parkesy having one of these with the last three minutes to play has a thirty metre set shot on goal that results in only a minor score. And another point to the Stingrays as all players fought to find that last ounce of energy for their desired team result.
Again the clock on final countdown had enough time for a Power win and with Peter Labi taking a strong mark on centre wing we looked for that final opportunity. Ball turned over and a point to the Gold Coast had 20 seconds of “super” play required by the Power to head forward but alas not to be as the siren sounded our death, although valiant in adversity.
Coach Kent although very disappointed post game, felt “the team battled hard all day, the loss of focus half way through the third quarter for the final 10 minutes cost us at day’s end. We lacked some finish at critical times and with few marks in forward fifty all day we had limited opportunity to convert. But in reflection we battled extremely well in the last quarter to come up short”.
For a large portion of the game we were the better team, although the goal card registered more Stingrays scoring shots. But on reflection it was felt the scoreboard didn’t give true reflection of the Power’s endeavour and spirit in a tight game against a quality opposition.
Gold Coast Stingrays 6.18.54 def. Suncoast Power 7.7.49
Goals: Stingrays – Adam Oehlman 1, Bryce Retzlaff 1, Josh Milani 1, David Meli 1, Adam Clarke 1, Joe Barrile 1
Power – Jack Parkes 2, Peter Labi 1, Jed Turner 1, Gary Kiele 1, Mitch Scholard 1, Shaun Guthrie 1
Best: Stingrays - Regan Salter, Josh Milani, Michael Barnes, Joe Barrile, Ben Dovey, Bryce Retzlaff
Power – Lanze Magin, Trent Manzone, Mitch Scholard, Todd Panoho
Last Modified on 30/03/2009 17:13