The Queensland Emerging Talent team has put together a comprehensive victory over Western Australia in blustery conditions at Steel Blue Oval in Perth.
Queensland, wearing the Gold Coast SUNS strip for the clash, dominated the match to run out 4.8 (32) to 2.2 (14) winners.
With miserable conditions leading in to the match, the rain in the west held off for the majority of the match, but a downpour during the half-time break ensured clean skills were at a premium.
But Queensland dominated around the ball and were able to keep the ball locked in its forward half for a lot of the game.
The margin could have been much more for Queensland if it wasn’t for some set-shot inefficiency inside forward 50.
With a strong breeze running up and down the ground, the Queenslanders were able to get off to a flyer in the first quarter, before extending its lead in the third quarter.
SUNS AFLW Senior Coach and the man in charge on the day, David Lake, said it was an impressive performance from a team which has barely trained together.
“I’m really happy from a talent point-of-view but also really happy for the girls for what they dished up,” Lake told SUNS Media.
“They were a formidable opponent but the more they played, the better they played, and the better they played, the better they wanted to play.
“I guess it was exciting because we got to see the best of them.”
Kate Surman was one of Queensland’s best on the day, continually putting her head over the football and winning her own football to release teammates on the outside.
Playing in a new role off half-back, SUNS signing Tori Groves-Little was extremely impressive, backing herself in to run and carry and rebound out of defence.
Groves-Little had previously played the same role at Under 18 level where she won All Australian honours.
SUNS AFLW expansion signing Jacqui Yorston kicked proceedings off for Queensland with a nice goal and worked hard through the midfield to get the reward and finish with two majors for the day.
Without much football under her belt, Lucinda Pullar showed immense upside, while Alex Hamlyn and Cathy Svarc were also impressive on the day.
Dakota Davidson provided a target up forward, and led well to clunk a few marks, but would have liked to convert more on the scoreboard from set shots.
In a function after the match, Groves-Little was awarded Queensland’s best while Yorston was voted the players’ MVP by WA.
The match capped off a two-month Winter season for the SUNS as the focus shifts to the upcoming AFLW Draft before the 2020 AFLW season.
FINAL SCORE:
QLD 2.4 2.5 4.8 6.11 (47)
WA 1.0 2.2 2.2 3.2 (20)
QLD BEST: Surman, Groves-Little, Yorston, Pullar, Hamlyn, Svarc
QLD GOALS: Yorston 2, Surman 2, Kelly, Davidson
