Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin

QAFLW newcomers put their rivals on notice

- CALLUM DICK

AFTER two premiershi­pwinning seasons with as many losses in that span, the Southport Sharks will make their long-awaited QAFLW debut on Saturday away to the Yeronga Devils.

Establishe­d in 2020, the Sharks’ senior women’s program immediatel­y made an impact by winning the QFAW Division 1 premiershi­p, dropping just one game in the process.

The team repeated that same blueprint in 2021, making it back-to-back premiershi­ps with a 10-point win over Burleigh in the grand final.

But since its inception the focus has been on an eventual elevation to the state league QAFLW competitio­n and on Saturday, that goal will finally be realised.

“Southport made it clear from the get-go that the goal was to get into the QAFLW,” co-captain Ashlee Flick said.

The first-year skipper has been at the club since the women’s program began and seen first-hand the work behind the scenes that went into getting the Sharks to the state league.

“The best thing about it all is none of the coaching staff has changed (in that period),” Flick said.

Southport sent a statement to the rest of the competitio­n with a big pre-season win over 2021 grand finalists Bond University earlier this month.

The Sharks’ history of results, coupled with that win, has the competitio­n on notice.

In a club captain survey ahead of the opening round, Southport received the second-most votes behind Maroochydo­re as a likely grand finalist this season.

“We know there’s a lot of expectatio­n from the outside (but) we’re the little sisters of this competitio­n, no one really knows what we’re about so it’s up to us to show them,” Flick said.

 ?? ?? Southport Sharks QAFLW co-captain Ashlee Flick.
Southport Sharks QAFLW co-captain Ashlee Flick.

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