By Luke Mathews
Despite their best efforts, Brisbane has proven to be too strong for a brave Coburg side, defeating the visitors by 48 points at Brighton Holmes Area in Brisbane.
Coburg went into the game massive outsiders with the home side winning their last five encounters and had 18 AFL listed players taking on the team from Victoria’s northern suburbs which included two players with AFL grand final experience from last year.
Even though the side couldn’t match one of the competitions best teams for four quarters, coach Jamie-Cassidy McNamara will be pleased with the effort his boys showed on the road and the challenges they were able to overcome throughout the contest.
Joel Trudgeon’s stellar 2024 season continues and is proving to be one of the best recruits competition wide in 2024. The midfielder backed up impressive performances against Southport, North Melbourne and Casey with another dominant display.
Brisbane’s midfield guns that included Jarryd Lyons, Deven Robertson and Harry Sharp couldn’t match it with the Northern Knights product who had 31 touches, six tackles, eight clearances and two goals and proved to be one of the best men on the ground despite playing in the losing side.
Flynn Gentile’s impressive ball winning skills were on display once again for all to see. The Airport West product and vice-captain had 38 touches and 11 clearances which helped his side gain plenty of territory after stoppages.
Lachlan Walker backed up last week’s impressive performance against the Northern Bullants with another solid outing.
The 27-year-old was able to find the footy a season high of 32 times and took six marks against Brisbane.
Josh D’intinosante continues to be one of Coburg’s most damaging threats forward of the ball in 2024. The small forward kicked another three goals for the second time this year to take his season tally to 20 from just 12 games.
Coburg looked welly and truly up for the fight early in the contest. Max Thompson gathered a loose ball from a clearing kick from Brisbane and was taken high as soon as he got his hands to the ball.
The former Oakleigh Charger went back and slotted his first for the 2024 season from 30 metres out and gave the visitors an early one goal lead.
For the duration of the first quarter the Coburg backline was under siege, with Brisbane having plenty of opportunities to take the game away from Coburg. Luckily they only managed two goals and missed several key opportunities which kept the margin at only nine points at the first change.
The home side was able to break through early in the second quarter with three quick goals inside the first five minutes to open up a 28 point margin that would be difficult for the Lions to peg back.
They were able to respond with Ben Major taking a big mark inside the goal square after Josh D’Intinosante’s set shot fell just short. The second gamer put through Coburg’s second from point blank range and reduced the margin to 20 points halfway through the second quarter.
Minutes later Braedyn Gillard picked up the ball on the wing and evaded a couple of Brisbane players before bombing a ball forward that landed in Max Kennedy’s hands. The wingman sent the Burgers inside fifty and was marked by Ingo Dammersmith.
The 21-year-old went back and put through his eighth goal for the year from 10 metres out on a 45 degree angle to reduce the margin to 14 points.
The home side did get one back before Davin Cameron booted Coburg’s third for the quarter after Brisbane gave away a second free kick for a high tackle inside their defensive fifty.
The home side kicked the final two goals of the quarter to make it a seven goal quarter and gave themselves a 27 point buffer heading into the main break.
Coburg needed to fight back if they wanted to give themselves any chance of coming away with their fourth win of the year. Like they have done all year they did respond in emphatic fashion at the start of the third quarter with three quick goals inside the first six minutes to get the margin back to seven points.
Superstar Joel Trudgeon provided the spark and helped get his team back in the contest. First it was Flynn Gentile who sent his side inside fifty and found Brayden Gillard. The number 11 then hit up Trudgeon after the Brisbane defence was caught napping. Trudgeon kicked truly to get the first of the third term get the margin back to 19 points.
Moments later Darcy Fort fell on Trudgeon’s back to give the Burgers another free kick right in front of goal. The ruckman then gave away a fifty metre penalty which made sure the midfield put through his second for the match.
With the game hanging in the balance the visitors linked up down the wing with a chain of handballs that sent them deep inside fifty. Trudgeon and Gllard combined before D’intinosante received a handball at the top of the goal square and walked in his first for the day to get Coburg back within seven points for the first time since halfway through the first quarter.
Unfortunately for Coburg, the home side steadied and kicked the next four goals to get the margin back out to 31 points midway through the third quarter.
At the 23 minute mark of the third quarter D’intionsante wrapped up Luke Beacon at a boundary throw in 40 meters out from Coburg’s goal. The South Morang product put through his second against the run of play and stemmed the home side’s momentum.
Brisbane piled on three more goals before the three-quarter time siren to make it a seven goal to four quarter and gavee themselves a 41 point lead heading into the final term.
Weightman received Coburg’s third free kick from a high tackle inside fifty at the start of the final term. The advantage was taken and D’intionsante put through his third for the day.
Weightman was involved in the action just minutes later after Ben Cameron intercepted a kick fifty metres out from goal and spotted up Davin Cameron. The man in the helmet then found Weightman loose inside fifty and marked 35 metres out from goal straight in front. The small forward made no mistake and put through his first for the day.
The visitors wouldn’t fire a shot for the rest of the match with the home side kicking the final three goals to ensure a comfortable eight goal victory.
