SIX TEAMS were cut to four after last week’s QAFL Women’s elimination finals, while top two sides Southport and Morningside enter the mix after a week off. The Sharks and Panthers go head-to-head for a spot in the QAFLW Grand Final, while Bond University and Coorparoo face-off in another do-or-die final at the former’s home deck.

SOUTHPORT (1st) vs. MORNINGSIDE (2nd)
Saturday, August 23 @ 2pm
Fankhauser Reserve

Southport has clearly been the best side all year, and other than a low-scoring loss to Coorparoo in torrential rain, has not looked like losing. The Sharks are stacked with a mix of experienced state league talent and future AFLW stars, headlined by no less than four top 30 players for this year’s AFLW Draft. Georja Davies, Dekota Baron and Sunny Lappin will all be among the first round names in December, while Mikayla Nurse and Rhianna Ingram are a couple of others likely to be in hot consideration by a variety of clubs.

The Sharks take on a Morningside team that would bring back memories of Southport’s first season, where the Sharks fell short of a flag was were incredible throughout the year looking like a premiership contender. The tall-small bottom-age duo of Harlee McIlwain and Zoe Petrides will be crucial, while Ella Gibson and Stella Scott are others who have impressed for the Under 18s Maroons.

The battle between experienced names such as Laura Roy and Steph O’Brien will be huge, thought both sets of teams are stacked across the board. Southport could well be the best state league side in the country, so it is difficult to lean against them, especially at full strength. It will be a great battle for Morningside to see how the Panthers stack up against the benchmark team in a finals match.

BOND UNIVERSITY (3rd) vs. COORPAROO (4th)
Saturday, August 23 @ 4:45pm
Bond University Oval

Reigning grand finalists Bond University can never be counted out and no doubt the Bull Sharks will have the belief they can go all the way again. Unfortunately being without the likes of Ava Usher and Bronte Parker hurts the Bull Sharks, as they look to overcome a well-balanced Coorparoo outfit. Bond Uni does have a number of draftable prospects still, headlined by the likes of Annabelle Foat and Aleah Stringer, while competition leading goalkicker Kendra Blattman has been enormous for the third placed side.

Coorparoo’s young talent is similar to Morningside in the sense that the Kings have a pairing inside 50 with Indiana Scheffler and Edie Fraser with both players double bottom-agers which is exciting for the club. Add in the experience of Chelsea Chesterfield up forward and names such as Grace Roberts-White and Lucy Schneider through the middle, and the Kings have more than enough talent to get the job done.

Bond University has the homeground advantage and the deep finals experience, but the teams look well balanced on paper. Expect the game to be decided by a kick or less with neither team an obvious winner. Everything to play for with a preliminary final spot on the line and no turning back for the loser.

NEXT WEEK

The winner of Southport and Morningside advances through to the grand final in a fortnight, while the loser will face the winner of Bond University and Coorparoo in a preliminary final.