Sour overpowers sweet
Labrador falls just shy
FLASHES of brilliance coupled with horror lapses.
Labrador coach Liam Burke said Saturday’s Round 19 loss to Mt Gravatt perfectly summed up their season as they fell agonisingly short of making the QAFL finals to finish seventh.
The club that fell off the cliff in 2018 after dominating for multiple years came within a quarter of producing a remarkable turnaround before ultimately losing to the Vultures 15.13 (103) to 11.17 (83) at Dittmer Park.
“It’s a bit sad,” Burke said of the result that ends his first year in charge of the team.
“It probably summed up our season. In four quarters of footy we did exactly what we have done throughout the whole season. That is inconsistency, flashes of brilliance, leaking goals, goals over the back and leaving it too short at the end.”
Surfers opened the door for the Tigers to sneak into the five with a 13.11 (89) to 9.5 (59) win over Western Magpies at Sir Bruce Small Park, cementing a top two finish. It left Labrador and Mt Gravatt
to decide who would take the position.
Despite the pain Burke said there was an undertone of renewed belief they were back on the right path.
Palm Beach Currumbin were already guaranteed the minor premiership but bounced back from last week’s loss to beat Broadbeach 16.10 (106) to 10.9 (69) at Subaru Oval. They will have the first week of the finals off before playing for a spot in the premiership decider, while Broadbeach have finished fourth.
Surfers Paradise will play Morningside at home in the qualifying final this week while Broadbeach will play Mt Gravatt at Subaru Oval in the elimination final.