BEST known for her work up the ground with the Brisbane Lions Academy, Jacinta Baldwick returned for Coorparoo on the weekend and had a night out at Giffin Park. The Kings went on to smash Maroochydore by 11 goals, with Baldwick kicking five majors from 20 touches playing inside 50.

The top-age AFLW Draft hopeful has enjoyed a strong start to the year, averaging 19.0 disposals,1.7 marks, 3.3 inside 50s and 4.7 tackles in the Coates Talent League. She also booted two goals from her three games. In her first QAFL Women’s match since Round 3, Baldwick was a clear standout for the Kings, named among the best in the win.

2023 QAFL Women’s Round 9
Coorparoo 12.8 (80) defeated Maroochydore 2.2 (14)

STATS: 20 disposals (13 kicks, 7 handballs – 65% efficiency, 50% contested), 7 marks (2 contested), 2 clearances, 6 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 5 goals

FIRST QUARTER

Coorparoo would slam home 6.1 in a lively first term to shut the door on the contest early, and Baldwick would kick three of the goals. Her first possession was one at half-forward but was immediately tackled and locked it up. However her first kick, came not long after, reading the play just outside the goalsquare and snapped around her body for her first major.

A couple of minutes later, she ran back towards goal as the Kings progressed, then lost her opponent and lead to space, marking 25m out. She marked off an Ariana Reilly kick to her lead, and slotted her second with two kicks, two goals to open the game.

Clunking a contested mark 40m out from goal, Baldwick kicked to the hotspot but it was turned over, though the 17-year-old competed at the next aerial contest to bring the ball to ground, then laid a tackle. She took another mark at half-forward and kicked to a teammate 30m out who brought it to ground then had a snap, before pushing up to lay a tackle.

Before the quarter was done, Baldwick would have her third goal of the game. Marking at the top of 50, she delivered a sizzling ball into Binta Lamin. Pushing to the goalsquare, she read it well off hands, and in a case of right place, right time, soccered it off the deck to make it a huge first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

In the opening minute of the second term, Baldwick was bumped off the ball inside 50, but bounced back up to have a crucial touch a minute later. Reading the play to perfection, Baldwick took it one-grab off the bounce under pressure and fired off a handball to Lucy Schneider to set up a goal.

Midway through the term, Baldwick won the ball 55m out, gave off a quick handball to a teammate, won it back and dished it off again. Working up to the wing, she found a loose ball in the 12th minute, then as she was bumped dished off a rushed handball.

THIRD QUARTER

In the third term, Baldwick was back on the board, taking a fantastic mark while copping contact running back with the flight into her opponent. She made no mistake from 15m out, slotting her fourth goal. A couple of minutes later, Baldwick pushed up the ground to be involved in a stoppage in the middle, then laid a big tackle in the eighth minute to win a holding the ball free kick.

Back inside 50 shortly after, Baldwick slid in to take a good mark on the dewy ground, then hit up Lions premiership skipper Emma Zielke on the lead. Her last touch of the quarter came at the 15-minute mark where she won the ball and kicked to the hot spot 20m from goal.

FOURTH QUARTER

The fourth term was a quieter one for Baldwick with her two touches coming in the opening three minutes. Her first was a clean handball at half-forward while under pressure, while her second resulted in her fifth and final goal of the contest.

It was fitting that she would cap off a big day out as she had started with a goal following a mark 30m out. Maroochydore was far more competitive in the second half, but Baldwick still found a way to kick two of her side’s four goals, and enjoyed the big win.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ….

Jacinta Baldwick is a hard-running talent who has shown she can be utilised both in the midfield and up forward. While not needed in an aerial sense for the Lions Academy, her seven marks – two contested – showed she can be just as big of a threat in the air as she can be at ground level. Perhaps most impressive was her set shot goalkicking, with all of her attempts never looking like missing.