ASPLEY Hornets have stunned minor premiers Southport with a terrific last quarter to come from behind and book their place in the 2023 QAFL Women’s Grand Final. The Hornets trailed by five points at the last change, but booted the only two goals of the final term to run over the top of the Sharks and win by eight points, 6.4 (40) to 4.8 (32).

In a battle of the competition’s two leading goalkickers, Aspley’s Jessica Stallard won the duel, booting five of her side’s six majors, while Southport’s Maggie O’Connell got on the scoreboard with two of her own.

The match was tipped to be tight with both sides having quality lineups, but the homeground advantage, and the fact the Sharks had won the two previous encounters against the Hornets, pointed to the home team.

It lived up to its tight billing early, with Southport taking a narrow one-point lead into quarter time, before Aspley flipped the script to kick the only goal of the second term and head into the main break with a nail-biting four-point advantage.

Across the board the match was even, with not much between the teams, though Southport was winning the contested ball and getting to the outside well. At the stoppages, the Sharks was obliterating the Hornets in the hitouts, but the clearances were even as the Aspley midfielders continued to win their fair share of possessions around the stoppages.

Southport edged ahead by the final break kicking two third quarter goals to retake the lead and go up by five points heading into the final term. Aspley did the bulk of the attacking in the final term, but Southport’s sturdy defence held up well with just a couple of points separating the sides midway through the quarter.

Aspley continued to pepper the goals but only held a three-point lead and then a breakdown in defence saw Stallard clunk a mark and convert the set shot to go nine points up later in the term. Shortly after, Southport had a chance to respond, but the ball fell short and was spoiled across. From then on, Aspley bravely held on to celebrate a memorable eight-point win.

The Southport ruck duo of Georja Davies (37 hitouts) and Tayla Gregory (19) dominated that area with a 57-12 differential. Ultimately though, the work of Courtney Daniec (18 disposals, seven clearances, five tackles and three inside 50s) in particularly sharked that dominance with Mikayla Martin and Lucia Liessi both having big games.

Queensland state representatives Holly O’Flaherty (14 disposals, three tackles and four inside 50s) and Rania Crozier (nine disposals, two marks, six tackles and two inside 50s) both had their moments, but it was Stallard’s five majors from just 10 disposals and a whopping five marks – four contested – that was the difference between the two sides.

Southport’s quartet of Steph O’Brien (22 disposals), Rianna Schipp (21 disposals), Carly Remmos (20 disposals) and Madeleine Watt (20 disposals) all found plenty of the ball in the loss. Defender Kristi Harvey (19 disposals, four tackles and two inside 50s) also tried hard in the back 50.

SOUTHPORT 2.2 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 4.8 (32)
ASPLEY 2.1 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 6.4 (40)

GOALS:
Southport: M. O’Connell 2. T. Gregory, A. Pluples
Aspley: J Stallard 5, M. Martin

BEST:
Southport: M. Watt, S. O’Brien, T. Gregory, K. Harvey, J. Maher
Aspley: J. Stallard, L. Pengelly, M. Kawa, R. Crozier, M. Lanigan