Devils fail to fire under Friday night lights

To say that a win this week was critical to the Devils finals aspirations is an understatement. Both Coorparoo and the Devils headed into the game on the same wins, 5th and 6th on the ladder. Coorparoo took confidence into the game knowing that they had the won all games for the past 3 years against the Devils. With Dom Wili back this week in the ruck, the Devils knew they would have first use of the ball in the stoppages.

Played under lights at Coorparoo, only the dew was going to impact the game. Coorparoo kicked the first goal at the 5 minute mark against the run of play to get the game going. The Devils seemed to be having more forward entries and managed a couple of goals from B. Davis and M. Johnson, but it was the wasted opportunities that highlighted the first term. The slippery ball was having an impact and both teams were tied at the first break.

The second quarter was a repeat of the first initially with Coorparoo scoring the only goal in the first 15 minutes. A combination of inaccurate kicking and poor execution of basic skills was starting to take its toll. Then Coorparoo kicked 3 goals in the last 7 minutes putting the Devils in a poor position, 4 goals behind at half time.

A few strategic positional changes at the long break worked initially as the Devils surged forward, time after time. G. Boyd and M. Rolla both goaled early in the quarter to turn the pressure dial up on Coorparoo. That pressure was evident all around the ground. Disappointingly, the forward trusts went unrewarded and slowly we could see the intensity drain from the backs and onballers as we failed to make the most of our opportunities up forward. The quarter was dominated by the Devils, but we were only able to claw back a goal.

The last quarter was an arm wrestle for the first 10 minutes with neither side able to kick a goal. Then Coorparoo kicked a goal and then another and that was enough to break the game open. A further 5 goals to one late in the quarter blew the game apart. I doubt anyone at the game really felt a 57 pt loss was representative of the way the game was played. It is however a lesson that when you have the momentum, the team that uses it best will win, sometimes easily.

With a bye next week, we hope to freshen up the players and go into the last 4 games with one objective only in mind, to win them all. Two of those games are at home against the top 2 teams. So if we have any aspirations of making the finals and being competitive, we must find a way to win these games.

Yeronga South Brisbane: 2.3, 2.6, 4.9, 5.12 (42)

Coorparoo: 2.3, 6.6, 7.9, 14.15 (99)

Goal Kickers: G. Boyd, B. Davis, M. Johnson, M. Rolla, K. Tandogac

Best Players: D. Wili, M. Johnson, M. Fels, R. Johnson. J. Declan, H. Livesey

Next week Yeronga South Brisbane have a bye and play ladder leaders, Noosa at home, Leyshon Park, on Saturday 29th July at 2pm.

In other results:

QFA Division 1 Reserves

Yeronga South Brisbane 4.7-31

Coorparoo 12.5-77

QAFA Division 5

Yeronga South Brisbane 4.3-27

Coorparoo 2.3-15

Bond University QWAFL

Yeronga South Brisbane 8.6-54

Coorparoo 8.7-55

QWFA Division 1

Yeronga South Brisbane 8.9-57

Coorparoo 1.5-11