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It was the first big test for the tigers with Covid and injury unavailability hitting the club hard in both the men and women's programs as we prepared for Round 2 of the AFL Canberra Season.
On Thursday night and early Friday the club was on verge of forfeiting both men and women's reserve grades with only 10 players in the men and 13 in the women's being available.
The 1st Grade men were missing 6 players from round 1 (and then lost another 2 an hour before game time) while the reserve squad themselves losing 5 players during the week as well. The women squads weren't fairing much better with a total of 16 players out of both grades.
A mad scramble was on as to be able to field all teams with every avenue and phone call being made to secure numbers. A number of players showed their true passion for the club making sacrifices and playing multiple games across the weekend so the club could fulfill their commitments.
A huge thanks to the 8 Rising Stars who backed up from Friday nights clash with Marist and played reserves on Saturday along with Shaun Ebert and Norm Lembit from our affiliate club and good friends the Googong Hogs who also stepped up.
A massive effort from Mick Evans and Daniel Potts who played a full game of 2s and then got a call up an hour before the 1st Grade game to help out when the team lost another two players pre game.
In the women's space, Tiahna Banic, the Betts sisters, Lon Flakelar, Rachel Salmond, Claire Robinson and Eqxelle Evans all played two games with Megan Godfrey shelving retirement to also help out. Added to these players were two RSW players who also helped out filling squads.
The club sincerely thank all players for their efforts last weekend, it was truly appreciated. There is no doubt we may find ourselves in the same position again in 2022 with these strange times but we are confident our players will once again step up!
Rising Stars
Queanbeyan 2.6-18 def by Marist 4.3-27
QBN Goals: Elijah Brennan 2
QBN Best: Caden Spinks, Logan Smith, Jonathon Silver, Owen Quantrill, Ben Eppelstun, Luke Cargill
It was a soggy EPC Park that greeted our young cubs last Friday night as they took on Marist in a big game for both teams.
Missing 5 players to GWS Academy commitments, the boys were keen to step up and see where they sat in 2022 and whether they can add more depth to the squad when needed with 6 U16s stepping up to help out.
It was a contested slog all night with neither team breaking clear, the Marist side opening a small lead before the Tigers hit back. Unfortunately two 50mtr penalties resulted in goals to the home team and despite dominating the last 10 minutes of the game the cubs couldn't get the lead.
Caden Spinks, Logan Smith, Jonathon Silver and Owen Quantrill all played a solid 4 qtrs of footy wih Elijah Brennan being a vocal point up forward.
Women's Reserves
Queanbeyan 1.4-10 def Eastlake 0.5-5
QBN Goals: Lauren Flakelar
QBN Best: Eqxelle Evans, Maddi McLachlan, Lauren Flakelar, Susanne Armistead, Tiahna Banic, Zoya Carl
It won't go down as a classic but it will certainly be held very highly in terms of guts and determination!
As mentioned, this team was on the verge of a forfeit but to get up and play and then to top it off and win was an awesome effort. It was a tough game as the score suggests with neither team giving a metre of ground to the opposition.
New player to the game and club Eqxelle Evans showed plenty of potential that she could be the new player of the year with some bone crunching play while young gun Madi McLachlan backing up last weeks effort with another solid game.
The experience of Susie Armistead and Lon Flakelar steadied the young and inexperienced team to hold off a late surge to come home with the chocolates.
Men's Reserves
Queanbeyan 16.23-119 def Gungahlin 0.0-0
QBN Goals: Kyle Bray 4, Caden Spinks 2, Zak Levine 2, Elijah Brennan 2, Michael Evans 2, Bailey Greenwood, Caleb Cawse, Jack Manners, Thomas Ashton
QBN Best: James Bolton, Daniel Potts, Caleb Cawse, Michael Evans, Bailey Greenwood, Jack Manners
A wonderful effort to notch a win considering the 10 seniors, 8 Rising Stars and 2 Googong Players all coming together on the day. It only took about 10 minutes for the team to gel and begin to look like they had been together all preseason.
It was a great mix of players stepping up through out the game with the youngsters all playing their role and the experienced heads leading the way. Bailey Greenwood has again put his hand up for senior selection while new player to the club James Bolton continues to impress 2 games into his Tigers career.
Daniel Potts and Michael Evans both played exceptional games and in great examples for the for the young lads to follow was the form of two former RS players, local juniors and now senior players Jack Manners and Caleb Cawse who again played well.
Women's 1st Grade
Queanbeyan 11.11-77 def Gungahlin 0.1-1
QBN Goals: Liz Wilson 5, Ruby Grounds 2, Hayley Rauter, Lani Watson, Jayde Hamilton, Zalie Betts
QBN Best: Jayde Hamilton, Elizabeth Wilson, Madison Lustri, Sidonie Carroll, Kate McGrath, Leila Pennay
The Jets who were the push overs last season certainly showed they are on the up this season giving the Tigers a moment of pause, with a great amount of play in their hands early in the game.
It was too and fro early until a skirmishes in the centre allowed the Tigers find a hole in the Jets line and hammered home their advantage, keeping the Jets on the back foot.
The second quarter started with sunshine and sprinkle of rain. The sun is nice but that little sprinkle was enough to keep the ball as slippery as a wet bar of soap in a steamy shower. The goals scored in this quarter belong to Liz Wilson, Ruby Grounds and Jade Hamilton.
By the third quarter the natives of the home team were getting restless in the stands. The Jets kept pressing but couldn't get through the tigers line as they kept the scoreboard pressure on the hosts.
The Jets were to score their first goal only for the ball to have been touched by a defending tiger. The jets did get on to the board but only by one point.
It may seem like it was an easy victory with the score of 77-1 in Queanbeyan’s favour, but the Jets have changed. They are a better team than they were last year and could very well be the rising stars of the Canberra competition this season.
Miscellaneous Highlights
Despite another win the Tigers pre-game were just a tad strained. Due to unforeseen circumstances the squad was gutted, with many of the reserve grade players who had played in the morning being bumped up to play in the firsts.
Even then the newly retired Megan Godfrey put the boots back on. So, the Tigers were a mish mash of young up and comers, seasoned veterans and one freshly retired legend.
During the third quarter Captain Kate McGrath went off injured. She is okay and won’t let a pain in the neck get in the way of being a pain in the neck (or butt) of the opposition.
Men's 1st Grade
Queanbeyan 14.21-105 def Gungahlin 3.3-21
QBN Goals: Rhys Pollock 5, Dean Lord 4, Alex Page, Josh Bryce, Will Griggs, Will Taylor, Marcus Lawrence
QBN Best: Rhys Pollock, Jacob May, Jed Winter, Aidan Bowyer, Ryan Price, Will Griggs
Eight outs from Round 1 showed the club depth is solid and keeps the senior squad in good shape leading into games post Easter.
However it did shake up the team with structures and gelling an issue early.
The other issue was the resurgent Jets who played some of their best footy in years with the execution of play and ball hunting the best it has been in a long while. The Jets forced the Tigers into many errors and got the game on their terms early.
Poor kicking from the visitors allowed the jets to stay in the game and after some stern words from the captain at the qtr break nothing else needed to be said from the coaches. But again the poor kicking hindered the tigers efforts to break the Jets back.
A few structural changes at halftime seemed to do the trick as the tigers began to break away and finally start putting scoreboard pressure on the hosts. Rhys Pollock had a great game through the middle and Jacob May continues his good start to 2022.
Again the depth of the senior squad was probably the biggest tick post game with the players who came in all showing they want their spot and positions going forward will be red hot. Ryan Price and Dean Lord (4 goals) were proof of this depth and the coaches have some headaches leading into Belconnen for sure.
Congratulations to Jason Taylor on his 100th Club Game and to all of our Debutan over the weekend congratulations.
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