FEAST Very good, Daniel son
Poor half proves to be costly Young gun helps to give Tigers kicking option
NO Josh Fraser, no Matty Lappin, no Bryce Perry-Bolt – no worries for Tigers.
Missing three big names up front, the QAFL clash against Wilston-Grange at Cooke-Murphy Oval on Saturday looked a danger game for the Tigers.
But any concerns were quickly erased because centre half-forward Josh Baxter stood up with five goals. And coach Steve Daniel found his other main scoring avenue actually living under the same roof – his 19-year-old son Matt, who kicked six as the Tigers beat the Gorillas by 18.19 (127) to 7.9 (51).
Between them Baxter (5.5) and Daniel (6.4) had 20 scoring shots to admirably fill the gaps left by the absent attackers.
“It was certainly one of his better games for the club,” Labrador football manager Jarrod Field said of Daniel, who played every game last year as an 18-year-old and who has been selected in the QAFL state squad.
Daniel hails from Tatura in the Goulburn Valley League where dad Steve coached but his recent career has been interrupted by two shoulder reconstructions. Daniel won the QAFL
Rising Star Award nomination in the second round.
Away from the forwards, flanker Adam Clarke and midfielder Ryan Davey were outstanding for the Tigers.
Across town at H&A Oval, Broadbeach gave new coach Brett Andrews a nice welcome back with a 19.9 (123) to 12.8 (80) win against University of Queensland.
Brayde Palmer, Tayler Rolfe and Matt Dillon were best for the Cats.
At Sir Bruce Small Park, Surfers Paradise had brothers Brody and Cassidy Haberfield and defensive rock Sean Atkinson as their best in their 17.17 (119) to 10.7 (67) win over Sandgate.
Palm Beach-Currumbin found premiers Morningside too good and lost by 17.10 (112) to 11.11 (77) at Esplen Oval where Zac Callinan, Josh Woolley and Todd Bryant did their best to add pride to the Lions.