Sport
27 April, 2023
Late onslaught propels Rattlers to big victory
The Brisbane Valley Rattlers recorded their highest score and biggest win in senior AFL so far as they trounced the Ipswich Cats by 61 points at Ivor Marsden Sports Complex last Friday night.
Brisbane Valley’s previous best score and highest win came only a week earlier, when the Fernvale-based club tallied 99 points and won by 42 points in round one of the 2023 season.
The round two result enabled the Rattlers to be one of just two teams to start the Queensland Football Association (QFA) Div 4 South season with back-to-back wins.
Last Friday’s contest was relatively even for the first three quarters, before the visiting team went on a spree in the final term to win by a somewhat deceptive margin.
Brisbane Valley missed Matt Carr and Tyler Shorten, while Gary Spina returned for his first game of the year. The occasion was also a family affair as one of the recruits, Jimmy Scarce, was joined by younger brothers Andrew and Geordie for the first time.
The Rattlers began slowly while a few decisions didn’t go their way, and the Cats were determined to put in a much better showing than their round one display.
Having kicked only one goal and two behinds in a 101-point defeat in round one, the Cats bettered this in the first quarter of round two as they scored 3.2.20 to Brisbane Valley’s 2.3.15.
Following this lacklustre start from the visitors, Rattlers coach Billy North later said it was “good to see the lads turn it around”.
The pendulum wavered as the first half progressed, with the North-coached team kicking four goals to one in the second term to earn a 14-point lead at half-time.
In the third quarter, the Rattlers gained more control of the football but were by no means safe after the teams kicked three goals apiece in this period.
The visitors led 9.9.63 to 7.4.46 at the start of the final term, before hitting their straps and taking the game away from the hosts.
Two spectacular goals from Daniel Thompson and Jordan Lyne seemed to inspire the Rattlers, who kicked eight goals to one in the final term to run out 17.11.113 to 8.4.52 victors.
Jye Cruff kicked five goals for Brisbane Valley while Thompson, Lyne, Geordie Scarce and co-captain Joshua Spicer landed two each. Christian Kemp, Flynn Menner, Corey Roulent and co-captain Harrison Sippel booted one major each for the winners.
Jacob Davidson, Lachlan Woods and Aaron Duroux landed two goals each for the vanquished team, while two other players kicked singles.
North said Brisbane Valley’s dominance in the midfield was the key to the scoring spree in the final term, with ruckman Jack Treschman dominating hit outs in his second game.
“That let our leaders in the middle – Josh Spicer, Jimmy Scarce and Harry Sippel – get first use and send the footy forward,” North said.
“Our talented forward line was able to capitalise on this.”
North said another key moment in the game was the defensive effort from inexperienced player Zane Connolly during one passage of play on the far wing, as he ran 150m to stop the Cats transitioning.
“The most pleasing thing for me on the night was overcoming some adversity in the first half,” North said.
“When the rub of the green wasn’t going our way and our discipline was challenged, we turned it around and got our game going.”
North said the round two match was different from round one with the way the Rattlers started, after the team raced to a 26-point lead in the first quarter during round one “and almost put it to bed then”.
“Against the Cats we had to fight for most of the night,” North said, before suggesting “maybe the fitness we (had) done” allowed the Rattlers to run away with the game in the final quarter.
“It was a great effort by all of the players,” he said.
“They all played their role well even if it was different to what they normally play.”
North made special mention of “how well the team is doing”, saying “they are really coming together and (they) take in everything”.
“The team is very easy to coach,” he said.
“Everyone gives their best and they play for the team, not themselves.”
This Friday, the Rattlers will be at home for the first time this season as they host the Ipswich Eagles at Fernvale Sports Park from 7.30pm.
After the Eagles were relegated from Div 2, Mt Gravatt thrashed them by 103 points in round one while Greater Springfield belted the Cats by 101 points. Only one week later, the Eagles trounced Greater Springfield by 84 points.
“With the Eagles having a big loss followed by a big win, it’s hard to read their form,” North said.
“We will be expecting their best and nothing less.”
North said it would be a tough game and that the Rattlers needed to bring their best.
North said the Rattlers were “definitely looking forward to a home game” while it “would be nice to have as many supporters this Friday night as possible”.
