The Bull Sharks found the going easy when they met Coomera in round one.
And that always makes coaches a bit nervous.
Director of AFL Andy Lovell has warned the QFA side that the Magpies are a proud club who will be on a mission to regain some pride when they travel to The Canal on Saturday.
QFA
Bull Sharks v Coomera at The Canal.
Last time they met:
Rd 5, 2024 at Coomera.
Bull Sharks won 19.10 (124) to 5.3 (33)
Best: Nick Scott, Liam Viney, Matthew Green, Mitchell Dell, Tom Ferguson, Flynn Ayton
The opposition:
Last time we met it was a convincing 91-point thumping to the Bull Sharks on Coomera’s home deck. We know they are a proud club who this year have found themselves in a very difficult situation with many players departing at the end of last year. This has made them less competitive this season although not to be taken lightly as they will compete hard without question.
On reflection:
After a disappointing loss to the flag favourites Burleigh two weeks ago we have started to find our groove and play with a system we know stacks up. This week is another opportunity to sharpen our game style and continue to get players into the form we know they are capable of.
Shuffling the magnets:
There won’t be mass changes this week after a big win last weekend and no injuries. Two notable inclusions will be Nick Scott, the crafty mid who brings enormous leadership to the group, along with Liam Viney who has been the side’s best and most consistent performer in season 24.
One to watch:
We are excited to see two of our hard men and key backs, Grant Trew and Ben Holman, begin to form a partnership. Both stiffen our backline up considerably and take the two most dangerous forwards which gives our outside runners plenty of confidence and room to move which opens our game up.
The final word:
We want the side to build on the previous two weeks and have a convincing well-disciplined win with an eye on the march to the finals.
QAFLW
Bull Sharks v Yeronga at The Canal.
Last time they met:
Rd 1, 2024 at Yeronga
Bull Sharks won 13.13 (91) to 0.1 (1)
Best: Courtney Sexton, Paris Lightfoot, Imogen Evans, Shannon Nolan, Nyalli Milne, Sophie Balcombe
The opposition:
Despite not winning a game to date the Yeronga team has improved markedly and continue to bring strong contest to each opposition they play with strong tackling and quick ball movement by foot.
Shuffling the magnets:
We’ll be forced to make three changes with some of our senior players unavailable. Arianna Clarke has an ankle injury and Sophie Balcombe is in concussion protocols while Leah Kaslar has a family commitment. However we are excited to welcome back Havana Harris from national academy duties, Bella Iverach and Lexi Samuels.
One to watch:
Bronte Parker is one of our academy young guns who will play her 3rd senior game. She continues to impress as a strong in and under midfielder.
The focus:
Following the review of last week’s performance, we identified some issues with regards to our team defence mechanisms and shape. We’ve worked hard on this throughout the week at training in an effort to rectify them. A shift in mindset to defend first and attack from strong team defence will help restore a better balance to our game.
The final word:
We must continue to search for consistency in our game and a balance of attack and defence. It’s been a significant challenge juggling our player’s movements through various pathway programs, but we are looking forward to settling both teams down so that they can find form and synergy.