Q-CLASH honours belong to the Brisbane Lions after their 77-point win over Gold Coast in the Under 16 National Championships. Battling it out at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday, the Lions ran rampant with 13 individual goalkickers, all of which helped pile on four or more goals in each quarter.

The constant scoreboard pressure was driven by Brisbane’s domination of possession and field position, comfortably winning the clearance count (47-24) and inside 50s (61-22). Gold Coast had to wait until the second term to bag its opening goal in what was an emphatic performance from the hosts.

Both sides will now turn their attention to the Queensland leg of the series, where all Pool A and B teams converge on the Gold Coast next week. Brisbane will take on Sydney and the Northern Territory, while the Suns will face Tasmania and the Swans on their home patch – both as part of Pool B.

BRISBANE LIONS ACADEMY 4.2 | 8.7 | 14.8 | 20.11 (131)
GOLD COAST SUNS ACADEMY 0.4 | 3.5 | 6.6 | 8.6 (54)

GOALS:
Lions Academy: M. Boothey 3, T. Benton 2, C. Kellerman 2, Z. Kleinschmidt 2, C. Stuart 2, W. White 2, R. Bickerton, J. Bridge, L. Ellen, R. Mackay, O. Morgan, J. Rumney, X. Salvana
Suns Academy: J. Frost 3, O. King 2, C. Camenzind, J. Hall, S. Spearing

BEST:
Lions Academy: O. Morgan, J. Bridge, W. White, M. Boothey, Z. Kleinschmidt, R. Bickerton
Suns Academy: O. Bennett, J. Frost, S. Spearing, A. Atkinson, J. Matterson, O. King

BRISBANE LIONS ACADEMY:

#5 Xavier Salvana
Midfielder/Forward

Stats: 16 disposals, 8 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 1 goal

A crafty small, Salvana used his speed and smarts to wreak havoc, particularly in the forward half. He showed a knack for swooping on loose disposals from the Suns to intercept and create scoring opportunities. Salvana’s anticipation and clean steals made him a factor at ground level, able to drive forward and nab his lone goal goal off a forward 50 turnover in the second quarter.

#13 Zavier Kleinschmidt
Midfielder

Stats: 19 disposals, 8 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals

Kleinschmidt came to life in the third quarter, racking up 10 of his total 19 disposals within an impactful 23-minute patch. He was strong over the loose ball and helped get his game going with defensive acts, laying a game-high eight tackles. The left-footer showcased strong kick penetration and a sharp lateral step, able to cut through traffic before piercing the Suns’ defence by foot. He bagged two goals including the first of the day, followed by a free kick conversion in term three.

#14 Oliver Morgan
Midfielder

Stats: 24 disposals, 8 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 1 goal

Arguably best afield for the winners, Morgan was a constant and balanced threat through midfield. He often put a lot of force into his kicks and while that method wasn’t always effective, it helped drive the ball into dangerous areas. Morgan’s ability to shift gears when escaping to the outside also put him into good launch zones and he preferred to go by foot in those situations – racking up 19 kicks. That kind of approach meant Brisbane’s forwards were afforded quick and frequent looks.

#20 Jackson Bridge
Defender

Stats: 16 disposals, 7 marks, 7 rebound 50s, 1 goal

Another Bridge emerging through the Lions’ pathway, Jackson was more like a brick wall in defence. He took on the role of primary distributor and often attacked the corridor with his rangy kicks, just finding the right weight to hit a teammate. His intercept marking was another standout feature, with Bridge positioning well across a high line to help lock the ball in Brisbane’s attacking half. His play-reading ability saw him track the ball with a continuous run which was eventually rewarded to slot a classy goal on the move in term three.

#24 Lachlan Ellen
Forward

Stats: 16 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 1 goal

A dynamic member of Brisbane’s forwardline, Ellen got going with a couple of scoring opportunities in the second quarter. He was an aerial threat and offered repeat efforts with the ball in dispute deep inside 50, before presenting up the ground with increasing success as the game wore on. Ellen showed elements of rawness at times but bagged a final quarter goal after crumbing the forward 50 stoppage, proving he could trouble the Suns’ defenders in a variety of ways.

#27 Maverick Mann
Forward/Ruck

Stats: 10 disposals, 4 marks, 21 hitouts

A member of Brisbane’s stacked ruck-forward division, Mann found the most success while rucking with a game-high 21 hitouts. His tap craft, which was particularly effective in the third quarter, helped the Lions drive a substantial clearance advantage with crafty midfielders to hit to. Mann also impacted with his marking around the ground in term four, often taking the ball uncontested across half-forward before allowing teammates to drive the ball inside 50.

#28 William White
Forward/Ruck

Stats: 15 disposals, 10 hitouts, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals

Another of the Lions’ prominent talls, White’s mobility made him a threat both in the ruck and up forward. He had some great moments following up his own tap work and looked comfortable in possession, even if a few loose disposals followed. A rangy type, White was able to feed teammates after plucking the ball out of the air and racked up five clearances with that method, including a goal assist for Cooper Stuart. White showed great dexterity to snap the first of his two third-quarter goals, before taking a sliding mark to convert his second.

#29 Maxwell Boothey
Forward/Ruck

Stats: 13 disposals, 8 marks, 11 hitouts, 3 goals

Boothey was the most prominent marking threat afield with four of his game-high eight marks being contested. He looked most ominous inside 50, booting three goals in the second half credit to his ability to clunk the ball cleanly overhead. The left-footer could have finished with a bag if not for his four minor scores, but helped pile the pain on Gold Coast regardless. His strong frame was also a factor in the ruck, where he applied good bodywork to access the ball.

GOLD COAST SUNS ACADEMY:

#1 Oliver Bennett
Midfielder

Stats: 25 disposals, 5 tackles, 9 clearances

The Suns’ best and most prolific player afield, no one racked up more contested possessions (19) or clearances (nine) than Bennett. That was despite a minus-23 disadvantage in the latter department for the Suns, with Bennett being their sole form of resistance at times. The diminutive midfielder hunted at ground level and had a handy knack for sharking first possession off either rucks’ hands. He facilitated much of the Suns’ forward momentum with driving runs, and while he dumped the ball out by hand at times, generally handled it cleanly amid the cut and thrust of stoppage play.

#4 Jackson Frost
Small Forward

Stats: 6 disposals, 3 goals

A clever forward who led his side’s scoring, Frost was difficult to stop when the ball got over the back. While the Suns’ forwards were starved of opportunity with just 22 inside 50s, Frost made his moments count with terrific finishing on the run – even under pressure. His speed into the open goal helped him convert Gold Coast’s opening major, along with two more from rare deep entries. With more looks throughout the game, he surely would have shown off a few other weapons, too.

#17 Archie Atkinson
Defender

Stats: 14 disposals, 7 rebound 50s

A member of the Suns’ besieged defence, Atkinson helped weather and repel the Lions’ 61 forward 50 entries. He held his own with several contest splits and wins inside defensive 50, helping win the ball back and get it going the other way. He was involved in some of the Suns’ rare slow play across the last line and was a key distributor with his seven rebound 50s.

#18 Jayden Matterson
Midfielder

Stats: 7 disposals, 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s

While the stats don’t reflect a massive impact, Matterson had impactful moments among a Suns midfield which was soundly beaten. Often the sweeper at centre stoppages, he applied strong defensive efforts and was able to lock up opponents in tackles, reading the break of play well. Matterson showcased a clean and quick set of hands along with the power to burst through tackles, as he did with a bustling run in the final quarter. Along with Bennett, he drove the Suns forward.

#30 Oscar King
Forward/Wing

Stats: 8 disposals, 3 marks, 2 goals

Another Suns forward who showed promising glimpses from limited opportunities, King was a viable target and connection piece. He worked hard up the ground to be a marking option out of defence and was quite clean overhead. King’s versatility was on show as he spent time on the wing and booted two very different goals – one crumbing the forward 50 stoppage with a snap, and the other a long-range set shot. He also assisted one of Frost’s goals to cap off a strong outing.