NEAFL make their mark
TOUGH in-and-under Southport midfielder Jordan Keras has played a telling role in a dogged win by a NEAFL representative side against Tasmania.
Keras, who is leading in the NEAFL’s most valuable player award, handed in 33 disposals, 14 tackles and eight clearances as the NEAFL beat the Apple Islanders by 8.7 (55) to 5.8 (38) at Blundstone Arena in Hobart on Saturday.
Keras’s pressure statistics were outstanding in a lowscoring affair where the ball was on the deck most of the time.
Standout performances from captain Gavin Grose (Aspley) and another midfielder Jordan Harper (Canberra) were also instrumental in a win by a team made up of players from Queensland, Northern Territory, Canberra and Sydney clubs.
Grose was a rock at the back and repeatedly cut short promising Tasmanian forays while vice-captain Harper had 33 disposals.
Grose, who has now equalled the record for most NEAFL representative appearances, said it was a victory he hoped would pave a bright future for the competition.
“It was a low-scoring game, a highly contested game with a heap of tackles, so it was nice to get the win,” he said.
“It was a great foundation for future games – we can only improve from here. I look forward to what we can achieve in the coming years.
“I think the big thing is respect nationwide. Everyone talks about the SANFL, VFL and the WAFL but no one mentions the NEAFL.
“Hopefully if we keep producing these performances, more people will take us seriously.”
Another Southport Shark, Andrew Boston, kicked three goals, one of them a boomer from the boundary line.
YESTERDAY, on a wet and windy afternoon at Merrimac Oval on the Gold Coast, a QAFL representative team splashed their way to a narrow win against Western Australian Amateur Football League.
QAFL won by 5.8 (38) to 4.11 (35) in a low-scoring affair after having had only seven scoring shots (4.3) to 12 (2.10) at threequarter-time.
Wilston-Grange onballer Steve Brittain, son of QAFL coach Wayne, had an outstanding game in conditions that suited him.
Gifted Grange clubmate Oskar Baker turned in a performance second to none while Labrador trio Wayde Mills (in defence and attack), Jayden Young in defence and Zac Brain on a flank were also outstanding for the winners.