Varsity Times Vol. 13 - 2021

1. 1
Well well well, our first semi-final kicked off this weekend and what a day it was.
Winning by six goals to book ourselves tickets straight in the grand final. The girls
turned up from the start, I knew we were on from the start with Marnie kicking two
absolute blinder of goals. We set a goal for our favourite little child in the team - Ava,
and she did not disappoint, shutting down players left right and centre but also
running off the halfback getting bulk disposals. Bre Koenen, Maria and Natty Grider
were absolutely elite for us yesterday, intercept marks, setting up goals and also a
Beauty from Bre to top off her BOG performance. I'm not sure if it’s the new mullet,
but Issy has been playing the best footy I’ve seen her play, looking confident running
off the halfback. I could write about every single player yesterday because it was a
huge team performance. We wanted to win, we were there for one reason and that
was to make a grand final. Being at the club for years now is something a lot of us
have strived for, so to finally get this opportunity is such an amazing experience. We
aren’t done yet though, one more game to go. Win or lose, I’m so proud of the girls
and I can’t wait to run out in two weeks with them!
QAFLW took on Bond,
QAFLW DEV against
Coorparoo, QFA Div 1
played Beenleigh and QFA
Div 4 hosted Marcellin Old
Collegians.
QAFLW Report - 1
QAFLW Game Photos - 2
QAFLW Dev Report - 3
QFA Division 1 - 4
QFA Division 1 Reserves - 5
QFA Div 4 Report - 6
BOG's - 7
In this edition:
THE VARSITY TIMES
Weekly newsletter of UQAFC
J U N E 2 1 | V O L 1 3 - 2 0 2 1
QAFLW into the GRAND FINAL!
Credit: Highflyer images
QFA Div 4 vs. North Shore: Friday 7:30pm @Maroochydore Oval 3
QAFLW Dev PRELIM FINAL vs. Bond: Saturday 11:00am @ Bond Uni
QFA Div 1 Seniors vs. BYE
QFA Div 1 Reserves vs. BYE
This
Weekends
Fixtures:
By: Megan Hunt (C)
QAFLW
def. Bond University
9.8 - 62 to 4.2 - 26
We have a big weekend this weekend,
supporting our ressies girls, playing off in the
prelim for the last spot in the grand final.
Good luck girls!

2. 2
Credit: Highflyer images

3. 3
Walking out onto the field to play our first
(ever) finals series game was a powerful
moment in ressies football... and a credit to
each and every one of the ressies players,
coaches, volunteers and supporters who’ve
been part of the journey this season.
It’s been an incredible team effort to get to
this point, and the hard work, dedication
and commitment to the club cannot be
denied.
Setting out to face Coorparoo this
weekend, the team had 3 goals –
1) Intensity and aggression from the
start,
2) take risks to bag the win, and
3) team first acts.
It was a hard-fought game against Coops,
trailing 24-6 after the first quarter, but the
ressies were able to step up again and keep
the Kings near scoreless for the remainder
of the game.
Unfortunately, we were unable to
capitalise on our chances and went down
33-13, but the effort and intent of the
team cannot be questioned.
We may not have won the game, but
scoreboard aside, we remain the hottest
team in the league... and will come back
fighting next weekend when we take on
Bond University to secure our place in the
Grand Final.
Best on Ground: C. Dyer, A. Crilly, L.
Tyson, L. Benjamin, J. Stallard, J. Russel
THE RESSIES ROAD TO FINALS
Credit: mICHAEL gLASS, oDYSSEY iMAGES
By: Lizzie Weigh (C)
QAFLW Dev.
def. by Coorparoo
5.3 - 33 to 2.1 - 13

4. 4
Looking to atone for the disappointing result last
time they faced Beenleigh and fresh off a much-
needed rest courtesy of the competition wide bye,
the seniors welcomed back several familiar faces
into the side for the crucial away matchup.
Unfortunately, the game did not begin the way the
team had hoped and in an all too familiar storyline,
fumbles and skill errors were ruthlessly punished
by the oppositions outside speed. When the ball did
move forward, the swirling wind made it difficult
to convert these attacks into 6 points and by 3QT
the red lions had only managed 2.9.21 to
Beenleigh’s 8.12.60.
With nothing to lose heading into the 4th, the team
restructured in a desperate attempt to get some of
their efforts to materialise on the scoreboard. Alex
‘Top Deck’ Bennett moved to defence to match up
on Beenleigh’s most damaging forward – a
successful coaching decision best summarised by
Alex himself in a modest post game statement: “I
had him in my back pocket”. Meanwhile defensive
stalwart and the clubs second most profitable
bookmaker Liam ‘Tikka’ Walder swung forward
and kicked his first goal of the season,
simultaneously reducing the margin whilst
removing him from any post-season
‘commitments’. The final quarter onslaught also
saw Damo ‘How many did Perkins kick?’ Ashby add
his 2nd and 3rd goals for the day - extending his
lead as the competitions leading goal kicker to 5.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
All in all, the start of the fourth quarter was perhaps
the best period the seniors have played this year,
with the 6 goals and a handful of behinds in just 17
minutes enough to rapidly eradicate the 39-point
3QT deficit. In a heartbreaking ending, these final
quarter heroics went unrewarded, and Beenleigh
stole the lead and the four points back late with a
couple goals in the dying minutes.
Tom ‘Larusso’ Bennett was awarded by the coaches
with top honours in recognition of his defensive
focused game with a couple key chase down tackles
helping fuel the comeback. Dan ‘Bull’ Watson was
another standout in his return from injury, with 2
goals, 8 tackles and 26 touches enough to earn the
inside midfielder 2nd best on ground.
Although the pre-season target of playing finals
footy has become slightly more difficult, the dream
remains alive, and the boys will look to carry the
momentum from the last quarter into the
remaining 7 games on the other side of the bye this
upcoming weekend.
QFA Div 1
Def. by Beenleigh Buffaloes
10.15 - 75 to 8.11 - 59
By Jake "Big Data" Turner
Credit: Michael Glass, Odyssey Images

5. 5
Coming off the Rep bye round and a win week
earlier, the Ressie boys were hungry for two in
a row. With the importance of this round to
our chances of finals and the draw to
Beenleigh earlier in the season being fresh in
our mind, we turned up ready for a hard-
fought battle.
The First quarter proved to be just that, with
Beenleigh kicking with the wind, the backline
was under constant pressure, but some good
intercept marks from Wil Delchau paired with
midfield pressure from the likes of Joel Ashby
and Spinksy, after the first quarter UQ lead by
5 points.
The Second quarter proved better for the UQ
boys Kicking 3 goals to 1 though the best (and
worst) was yet to come. With Beenleigh
starting to gain some momentum towards the
end of the quarter, Sam Bolton slotted one
through after the siren bringing the team into
the sheds on a high.
The message at the long break is that you
cannot win of a half of footy, though the
message seemed to fall on deaf ears with
Beenleigh kicking two goals to zero. With UQ
displaying quite an average quarter of
football.
TWO ON THE TROT
Going into the last quarter up by 7 points the
game seemed almost a copy of that from a few
rounds before, with the momentum firmly in
favour of Beenleigh. A bit of heart from all
departments fed by the like’s ruckman Wester,
paired with some forward momentum from
the midfielders and some gut running from
the wingers saw UQ pile on 5 goals in the last
quarter.
With goals coming from many places
throughout the day including that of Matt
Cornelius kicking two on return from injury.
Other goal kickers included the likes of 3 from
Snakey and one apiece from Nate Bianchi,
Zack Mitchell, Sam Bolton and Dave Bagshaw.
The best players on the day were Sam Bolton,
Matt Cornelius, Nick Kennedy, Joel Ashby,
with best on ground honours going to Riley
Spink.
QFA Div 1 Reserves
Def. Beenleigh Buffaloes
9.8 - 62 to 3.5 - 23
By
Luke
"Pup"
"Faceless Man"
Bennell
Credit: Michael Glass, Odyssey Images

6. 6
The Div 4 boys went into Friday night knowing
they had a battle on their hands. With only one
win the difference between them, Marcellin Old
Collegians were out to fight for the boys’ second
place on the ladder. And boy was it a dog fight
they got…
The Collegians brought the heat from the get-
go, taking 7 shots on goal in the first half alone.
However, the fortitude displayed by the back
six, led by skipper Shannon Brown and
speedster Chris Pilkington, only allowed one of
these attempts to finalise in a goal. In response,
the forward line, sparked by new gun recruit Jae
Lubberink, worked well as a collective, enabling
the squad to enter the main break up 15-12.
Spurred on by Woody for greater emphasis on
accountability, numbers to the ball and an effort
for “UQ aggression”, the mid-field stepped it up
a notch at the start of the second half. With
some clever thinking ruck-work by pinch-
hitting Jack Fulham, the boys were able to
deliver multiple forward entries to garner a
quick lead. From there, the pressure continued
to build and tempers began to boil over – each
team trading blows in what continued to be an
arm-wrestle.
In the final term, the entire team banded
together. Whether it was from monumental gut
running efforts from the likes of known
workhorses such as Wills McCulloch or Alex
Francis, to impressive forward up-ground
leading from the ever dynamic forwards such as
Nate Cutcliffe, Stef Houghton and Sandy
Labrom, the team came through with a mature
and well-fought win to round out the night 43-
34.
It’s games like these that the Div 4 boys are
starting to cherish, as the whole squad sets the
standard for a host of upcoming tough games
that will prepare them well for finals season.
Next week they’ll have a chance for revenge, as
they make the trip up the coast to play North
Shore for the second time this season.
By Fraser Labrom
QFA Div 4 def.
Marcellin Old Collegians
6.7 - 43 to 4.10 - 34
SETTING THE STANDARD
Credit: bROWNY

7. 7
RECOVERY SCIENCE
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
RECEIVE A COMPLEMENTARY 60-MINUTE RECOVERY SESSION
WHICH INCLUDES, ICE AND HOT WATER THERAPY, NORMATEC
COMPRESSION THERAPY, THERAGUN SELF MASSAGE, INFRARED
SAUNA.
QAFLW Grand Final
Breakfast
QFA DIV 1
BEST ON GROUND
Bre Koenen Tom Bennett
QAFLW
BEST ON GROUND
In anticipation of our QAFLW team reaching
their first ever Grand Final, UQAFC is excited
to invite you to attend breakfast at 'The
Pavillion' before the game.
The morning will feature: a catered
champagne breakfast, guest speakers, and
buses to the game. Keep your eyes peeled
for more details to come on the club socials!