The Gold Coast SUNS will start favorites for the first time in a QClash on Saturday when the Brisbane Lions trek down the highway for the seventh contest between the two Queensland AFL clubs at 3.40pm.
After winning the first QClash by eight points at the Gabba in 2011, the GC SUNS have lost by 62 points (Gabba), 65 points (Gabba), 11 points (Metricon Stadium), two points (Metricon) and 33 points (Gabba).
As many as eight players from the two clubs will be looking forward to their seventh consecutive QClash – the SUNS’ Jarrod Harbrow, Matt Shaw and David Swallow, and the Lions’Jed Adcock, Pearce Hanley, Andrew Raines (if selected), Jack Redden and Tom Rockliff.
Jared Brennan, the ex-Lion turned SUN who won the inaugural Marcus Ashcroft Medal awarded to the player judged best afield in each QClash, also played in each of the first six games between the two clubs before his retirement at the end of last season.
Three members of the SUNS team that travelled to Perth in round 2 are in line for their QClash debut – Queenslander Clay Cameron, Kade Kolodjashnij and Sean Lemmens. Kolodjashnij is set to become the fourth youngest Q-Clash player on Saturday at 18 years 239 days.
The only younger QClash players have been Gold Coast’s David Swallow, who was 18 years `169 days in the first derby, Tom Lynch, who was 18 years 188 days in the same game, and Brisbane’s Jack Crisp, who debuted in QClash 3 in 2012 aged 18 years 202 days.
Round 2 Lions players looking forward to their first QClash if selected are Michael Close, Jordan Lisle, Marco Paparone, Lewis Taylor and Trent West.
Lions veteran Jonathan Brown will put on the line his standing as the all-time leading goal-kicker in QClash matches, having kicked 12 goals in four games.
SUNS skipper Gary Ablett, who surrendered his position as the leading all-time Q-Clash possession-winner when he missed QClash 6 in Round 15 last year through injury, will return to challenge the Lions’ Tom Rockliff at the top of that list.
Ablett also needs 34 possessions on Saturday to become the first player in history to top 1000 possessions in AFL matches at Carrara/Metricon.
Ablett and Rockliff share the record for most possessions in a Q-Clash at 37.
A snapshot of Q-Clash statistical history sees:
Most Games : Jed Adcock (B) 6, Jared Brennan (GC) 6, Pearce Hanley (B) 6, Jarrod Harbrow (GC) 6, Andrew Raines (B) 6, Jack Redden (B) 6, Tom Rockliff (B) 6, Matt Shaw (GC) 6, David Swallow (GC) 6.
Most Goals: Jonathan Brown (B) 12, Harley Bennell (GC) 10, Daniel Rich (B) 7, Ash McGrath (B) 6, Jared Brennan (GC) 5, Nathan Krakouer (GC) 5, Aaron Cornelius (B) 5, Todd Banfield (B) 5, James Polkinghorne (B) 5, Brent Staker (B) 5, Mitch Clark (B) 4, Brandon Matera (GC) 4, Rom Rockliff (B) 4, Matt Shaw (GC) 4.
Most Possessions: Tom Rockliff (B) 168, Gary Ablett (GC) 145, Jack Redden (B) 144, Pearce Hanley (B) 141, Jared Brennan (GC) 134, Simon Black (B) 121, David Swallow (GC) 121, Jed Adcock (B) 116, Jarrod Harbrow (GC) 109, Matt Shaw (GC) 103, Harley Bennell (GC) 101.
Most Wins: Jed Adcock (B) 5, Pearce Hanley (B) 5, Andrew Raines (B) 5, Jack Redden (B) 5, Tom Rockliff (B) 5, Jonathan Brown (B) 4, Mitch Golby (B) 4, Ash McGrath (B) 4, Matt Maguire (B) 4, Dan Merrett (B) 4, Joel Patfull (B) 4.
Marcus Ashcroft Medallists: Jared Brennan (GC), Simon Black (B), Tom Rockliff (B), Gary Ablett (GC), Jonathan Brown (B), Matthew Leuenberger (B).
QClash Brownlow Medal Votes: Simon Black (B) 6, Matthew Leuenberger (B) 5, Pearce Hanley (B), Jared Brennan (GC) 4, Gary Ablett (GC) , Daniel Rich (B) , Tom Rockliff (B) 3, Jonathan Brown (B), Ben Hudson (B), Zac Smith (GC) 2, Nathan Bock (GC), Ash McGrath (B) 1.
Most Goals in a Q-Clash (3+): Ash McGrath (B) 6, Nathan Krakouer (GC) 5, Jonathan Brown (B) 5, Daniel Rich (B) 3, Harley Bennell (GC) 3, Jared Brennan (GC) 3, Jonathan Brown (B) 3, Brent Staker (B) 3, Dayne Zorko (B) 3.
Most Possessions in a Q-Clash (27+): Gary Ablett (GC) 37, Tom Rockliff (B) 37, Tom Rockliff (B) 34, Gary Ablett (GC) 33, Simon Black (B) 31 (twice), Simon Black (B) 30, Jared Brennan (GC) 30 (twice), Michael Rischitelli (GC) 29, Tom Rockliff (B) 29, Gary Ablett (28), Harley Bennell (GC) 28, Ash McGrath (B) 28, Gary Ablett (GC) 27, Jed Adcock (B) 27, Harley Bennell (GC) 27, Nathan Bock (GC) 27, Jack Redden (B) 27, Daniel Rich (B) 27.
Most Contested Possessions in a Q-Clash (15+): Jared Brennan (GC) 21, Gary Ablett (GC) 18, Daniel Rich (B) 18, Jared Brennan (GC) 18, Tom Rockliff (B) 17, Gary Ablett (GC) 16, David Swallow (GC) 15, Simon Black (B) 15, Ben Hudson (B) 15, Dion Prestia (GC) 15, Gary Ablett (GC) 15.
Oldest QClash Players (29+): Ben Hudson (B) 33yrs 148days (2012), Simon Black (B) 33yrs 111days (2012), Jonathan Brown (B) 31yrs 250days (2013), Luke Power (B) 31yrs 218days (2011), Josh Fraser (GC) 30yrs 108 days (2012), Ash McGrath (B) 30yrs 48days (2013), Campbell Brown (GC) 29yr 312 days (2013), Brent Moloney (B) 29yrs 160days (2013), Josh Drummond (B) 29yrs 95days (2011), Brent Staker (B) 29yrs 44days (2013), Matt Maguire (B) 29yr 37days (2013), Nathan Bock (GC) 29yrs 34days (2012), Matthew Warnock (GC) 29yrs 10days (2013).
Youngest QClash Players (18-19yrs): David Swallow (GC) 18yrs 169days (2011), Tom Lynch (GC) 18yrs 188days (2011), Jack Crisp (B) 18yrs 202days (2012), Timmy Sumner (GC) 18rs 280days (2013), Elliott Yeo (B) 18yrs 294days (2012), Dion Prestia (GC) 18yrs 305days (2011), Harley Bennell (GC) 18yrs 315 (2011), Sam Mayes (B) 18yrs 328days (2013), Daniel Gorringe (GC) 18yrs 339days (2011), Sam Day (GC) 18yrs 243days (2011), Elliott Yeo (B) 18yrs 294days (2012), Seb Tape (GC) 19yrs 7days (2011), Josh Toy (GC) 19yrs 19days (2011),Trent McKenzie (GC) 19yrs 34days (2011), Jaeger O’Meara (GC) 19yrs 50days (2013), Brandon Matera (GC) 19yrs 57days (2011), Matt Shaw (GC) 19yrs 92days (2011), Jack Hutchins (GC) 19yrs 77days (2011), Patrick Karnezis (B) 19yrs 112days (2011), Mav Weller (GC) 19yrs 182days (2011), Steven May (GC) 19yrs 216days (2011), Claye Beams (B) 19yrs 248days (2011), Joel Wilkinson (GC) 19yrs 257days (2011), Bryce Retzlaff (B) 19yrs 312days (2011), Mitch Golby (B) 19yrs 314days (2011).
AFL Milestone Games in a QClash: Campbell Brown (GC) 200, Danny Stanley (GC) 50, Todd Banfield (B) 50, Pearce Hanley (B) 50, Matthew Leuenberger (B) 50.
AFL Debut in a QClash: Sam Day (GC), Joey Daye (GC), Tom Lynch(GC), Bryce Retzlaff (B), Jack Crisp (B),Sam Mayes (B).
Highest Score in a QClash: Gold Coast 18-16 (124) – QC1 (2011).
Lowest Score in a QClash: Gold Coast 6-10 (46) – QC3 (2012).
Biggest Winning Margin in a QClash: Brisbane – 65pts – QC3 (2012).
Biggest QClash Crowd: 27,170 – QC6 – Gabba (2013).
Biggest QClash Crowd at Metricon: 16,550 – QC4 (2012).
