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With finals only a matter of 3 weeks away, the Tigers headed to Gungahlin focused on not letting up and continuing to sharpen all aspects of their game with Belconnen and Eastlake still to come leading into their finals campaign!
Tigerettes Reserve Grade
After two successive Grand Final appearances, the Tigerettes reserves will unfortunately miss this years finals following another tough loss to Woden. It has been a tough year for the girls with the rebuild and losing many experienced players over the off season.
However the future looks very bright for the group with a host of new players getting through their first year of football as well as the return of some former youth girls players with all of the above improving greatly over the season.
With one game to go, the team currently sits on 7 wins / 7 loses so it certainly went down to the wire in missing the finals and if they can get the win this weekend they will finish with a positive ledger in 2021 and that's a good season in anyone's terms.
Jade Giacoppo continues her stella form since coming to the club and with Brooke James finishing the year strongly there is every chance the girls can finish with a bang!
Queanbeyan Tigers 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.6-6 Woden 0.5 1.8 5.12 6.13-49 Best Players: J. Giacoppo, B. Anderson, M. Martin, B. James, N. Brockwell, A. Kolano
Tigerettes 1st Grade
Injury and unavailability has hit the group at the wrong time of the year however, with set backs comes opportunities with the senior team running out with 6 Rising Stars and debut of Hollie Betts last weekend.
The solid win keeps the girls chances of a top two finish alive and with Belconnen one of those teams vying for the same spot, this weekend game promises to be a belter. The positives for the Tigerettes is the clubs depth is beginning to build again with more and more players becoming ready to play 1st grade as the season has progressed.
New recruit and a last name familiar with the Tigers Mindy Quade continues to shine up forward and with the experienced players of Jess Stramandinoli and Ruby Grounds around her, the forward line looks very dangerous with the big games ahead.
Strama has found her 2020 form over recent weeks and with Lexi Hamilton, Kate McGrath, Madi Czubara and Anita Manning to name a few also starting to get their mojo back, this group could be in for a fun ride in coming weeks.
Jayde Hamilton and veteran Ella Ross are also showing solid form from the weekend with the hope some of the injured players begin their comeback to only strengthen the team before finals.
Gungahlin 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0-0 Queanbeyan Tigers 6.3 13.7 17.9 22.13-145 Goal Kickers: J. Stramandinoli 7, A. Hamilton 5, M. Quade 4, K. McGrath 2, Z. Betts 2, J. Hamilton, K. Gumm Best Players: J. Hamilton, M. Czubara, J. Stramandinoli, M. Godfrey, M. Quade, A. Hamilton
Rising Stars
19 points down at 3 quarter time again showed this young group can match it with the best teams in the competition however the last qtr fade out shows there is still a lot of work this group needs to do over the summer.
Full credit to the young cubs who continue to improve and show fight despite being under strength and the youngest team in the competition. These lads (37 in total) that fill our 17s / RS commitments should be commended with how they have carried themselves in 2021 and hopefully a 17s Grand Final & RS finals spot can be the reward.
The return of 1st Grade player Alessandro Sergi certainly gave the group the spark they needed early against the powerful Marist with Will Kellar continuing his awesome late season form also providing some great drive as did 17s captain Owen Quantrill. Caden Spinks played another solid game as did skipper Bailee Gilbert.
Currently sitting in 4th and 1 win and 29% in front of Ainslie, the next two games are critical to the lads holding on and playing in the first semi and if anyone can surprise the opposition it is this group.
Marist 3.1 4.3 7.7 13.8-86 Queanbeyan Tigers 2.3 2.4 4.6 4.8-32 Goal Kickers: A. Sergi 2, S. Lee, L. Asbock Best Players: C. Spinks, W. Kellar, O. Quantrill, B. Gilbert, A. Sergi, J. Ryder
Men's Reserve Grade
Kieran Shea celebrated his 50th club game in style with a good win against the Jets. The big question going forward however will be how far can this group go if and when they get some numbers back?
There is no doubt that there is talent in the squad but putting it together consistently has been an issue and the true test comes in the form of ladder leaders Belconnen this Saturday.
If you talk consistent efforts then the tigers can look to Wilson Morshead who is having his best season yet and skipper Jed Simpson who leaves nothing on the field week in week out. Added to these two will be the steady improvement of Dean Lord who is still finding from from a long lay off and Hugh McKenzie who is rarely beaten.
It is great to see local juniors starting to gel into the seniors program as well with Harry Straker, Jack Manners, Nic Coghill and Caleb Cawse all showing the fruits of playing junior footy at the club as they begin to forge their senior careers.
We all wait to see if this group can click because we know that once they do - look out!
Gungahlin 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1-1 Queanbeyan Tigers 5.6 10.10 15.15 22.16-148 Goal Kickers: D. Lord 5, J. Lopes 3, J. Simpson 2, H. McKenzie 2, N. Coghill 2, K. Bray 2, K. Shea 2, D. Hespe, M. Haley, M. McKenzie, J. Manners Best Players: W. Morshead, H. Straker, K. Shea, M. Haley, D. Hespe, D. Lord
Men's 1st Grade
Down to 1 on the bench at half time was not in the script as the Tigers took another solid win over the Jets to solidify top spot with 2 to play.
Tim Shea, Alex Page & Brad Rauter weren't risked following little niggles which meant the other 21 had to step up!
And step up they did with local juniors Josh Fahey & Aidan Bowyer leading the defending premiers to victory in what was at times a tight contest. It was great to see Aido back in the ones following missing all of 2020 with the youngster showing he hasn't lost his 2019 form that seen him ruck in a senior Preliminary Final.
Will Griggs continues to wind back the clock with another big game in the middle while it was Joe Stapleton's turn to hit the scoreboard in bulk with 6 goals. Solid games by Tim Clowry and Rhys Pollock was also pleasing to see with the back 6 doing a great job with no rotations. It was also great to see Tyler Collins and Campbell Lovell back in the top grade following lengthy lay offs.
The injury toll is beginning to mount for the Tigers and with two big games to come against Belconnen and Eastlake the boys will need to lift if they want to secure top spot and a home final, the clubs depth will certainly be tested once again.
Gungahlin 0.0 2.0 2.0 2.0-12 Queanbeyan Tigers 9.5 11.7 17.12 21.15-141 Goal Kickers: J. Stapleton 6, T. Clowry 3, J. Fahey 3, J. Bryce 2, A. Swan 2, R. Pollock 2, T. Collins, A. Page, L. Highfield Best Players: A. Bowyer, J. Fahey, W. Griggs, J. Stapleton, T. Clowry, R. Pollock
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