2012

With a more consistent playing year, Sharks made it to the preliminary final

The departure of a number of long-term players meant Sharks started the year busy in the recruiting stakes.

Darren O’Brien left just 10 matches short of attaining a club life playing membership, having played 140 senior games.

Dane Carmody also hung up his boots at state league level after 129 senior games and three premierships.

These retirements came on the back of a switch of clubs by reigning Grogan Medallist Matt Payne, who signed to play with Aspley after two years at Sharks, in addition to ruckman Dean Putt to Bendigo Bombers.

Connor Pettersson left Fankhauser Reserve for Sydney for work and Joel Malone moved back to country Victoria to coach.

Sharks signed former Gold Coast Suns player Jake Crawford and Callum Carseldine (Western Magpies; Brisbane Lions top up player), Shane Harvey (brother of North Melbourne champion Brent), Sam Whish-Wilson (who has played VFL with Tasmania and the Northern Bombers/Burnie), Arnold Knight (from Palm Beach-Currumbin), as well as regained former premiership trio Haydn Kiel (Box Hill), Jason Burge (Port Melbourne) and Fraser Pope (Montrose EFL).

This NEAFL season saw Sharks travel interstate to Alice Springs for Round 3, where the team was victorious against last season’s premiers in the NT Thunder, as well as Canberra for Round 12 where Sharks defeated Queanbeyan 17.13 (115) to 8.12 (60).

The final interstate jaunt saw the team travel to Darwin and lose to NT Thunder 12.20 (92) to 7.8 (50) in Round 18.

Overall the team had a more consistent playing year than 2011, bowing out in the preliminary final against the Northern Territory Thunder 18.12 (120) to 12.11 (83), to finish third.

Some golden opportunities were missed by during the finals campaign, firstly against the Brisbane Lions during the elimination final when Sharks lead for three quarters before being defeated 14.18 (102) to 9.13 (67) and then against Thunder when chances in front of the goal early in the game weren’t capitalised.

The boys did manage a heart stopping win against Redland at home in the semi-final, where Haydn Kiel did every footballer’s dream and from a mark 40 metres out kicked a goal after the final siren to win the Sharks the game by 3 points.

Fraser Pope won the Grogan Medal; the league’s best and fairest. Fraser finished in a three way tie and the medal was a just reward for a consistent year on the field.

Following the season’s end, the club wished Adam “AJ” Devine well in his retirement from football. AJ played 230 senior games and three premierships in a career that started in the Southport Juniors at age four.

Both the junior and senior clubs were awarded Club of the Year from their respective competitions.

Off the field, a club stalwart sadly passed away in 2012. Southport Sharks Hall of Fame member Ken McDonald was an integral club member in the 1960s and coached and played in the first premiership in 1961. Ken was indeed a pioneer of AFL football on the Gold Coast and for the Southport Magpies, as the club was formally known before their name change in 1983.

Season details: Games played 18 (plus finals), won 14, lost 4
Grogan Medal: Fraser Pope
Best and fairest: Jason Burge and Wade Mills
Leading goalkicker: Josh Baxter (60)

MATCH RESULTS 2012

Round 1 (Mar 24):
SOUTHPORT 8.2 13.4 20.8 25.9 (159)
REDLAND 2.3 6.9 11.13 14.16 (100)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 6, A. Flagg 4, C. Hughes 4, S. Harvey 3, C. MacLaren 3, J. Burge 2, F. Thurlow , A. Devine , D. James
Southport best: S. Russell, F. Thurlow, J. Baxter, J. Burge, A. Flagg, S. Whish-Wilson
At Tidbold Park

Round 2 (Mar 31):
SOUTHPORT 5.2 6.3 7.4 10.5 (65)
GOLD COAST SUNS 3.4 11.72 14.10 19.17 (131)
Southport goals: S. Harvey 3, C. Hughes 2, J. Burge 2, J. Milani , A. Knight , C. MacLaren
Southport best: T. Daniel, W. Mills, K. Niklaus, B. Davis, B. Headland, J. Burge
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 3 (Apr 7):
SOUTHPORT 3.2 6.5 9.8 12.10 (82)
NT THUNDER 0.3 4.6 7.8 9.10 (64)
Southport goals: A. Flagg 3, S. Harvey 2, H. Kiel 2, J. Burge 2, J. Baxter , D. Wise , C. Hughes
Southport best: W. Mills, J. Burge, F. Thurlow, K. NIKLAUS, S. Thynne, D. James
At Traeger Park, Alice Springs

Round 4 (Apr 14):
SOUTHPORT 4.4 6.5 11.8 16.11 (107)
MT GRAVATT 3.3 5.6 6.10 8.12 (60)
Southport goals: S. Harvey 9, A. Flagg 3, C. Hughes 2, E. Mallan , J. Burge
Southport best: S. Harvey, S. Thynne, B. Davis, W. Mills, D. Wise, A. Devine
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 5 – Bye

Round 6 (Apr 28):
SOUTHPORT 5.4 7.7 11.9 16.11 (107)
ASPLEY 0.0 1.2 2.5 2.6 (18)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 6, J. Milani 2, C. Hughes 2, H. Kiel 2, S. Whish-Wilson , S. Harvey , C. MacLaren , S. Thynne
Southport best: D. Wise, J. Baxter, W. Mills, D. James, J. Burge, J. Milani
At Graham Road

Round 7 (May 6):
SOUTHPORT 3.3 11.6 15.12 18.13 (121)
BROADBEACH 4.0 5.4 8.6 11.9 (75)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 4, S. Seddon 3, C. Hughes 3, S. Harvey 2, F. Pope, D. James , A. Devine , E. Mallan , S. Whish-Wilson , H. Kiel
Southport best: B. Headland, D. Wise, S. Seddon, H. Kiel, J. Burge, S. Whish-Wilson
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 8 (May 12):
SOUTHPORT 4.3 12.7 14.11 21.14 (140)
MORNINGSIDE 4.2 4.3 9.7 11.10 (76)
Southport goals: C. Hughes 8, J. Baxter 3, J. MILANI 2, E. Mallan 2, F. Pope 2, H. Kiel 2, S. Whish-Wilson , S. Seddon
Southport best: W. Mills, D. Wise, S. Seddon, C. Hughes, S. Whish-Wilson, J. Burge
At Esplen Oval, Morningside

Round 9 (May 19):
SOUTHPORT 4.3 11.4 13.7 18.12 (120)
MT GRAVATT 2.5 5.6 9.9 11.12 (78)
Southport goals: J. Milani 5, J. Baxter 4, C. Hughes 3, E. Mallan , T. Daniel , A. Devine , S. Seddon , B. Merrett , J. Burge
Southport best: J. Milani, K. Niklaus, B. Merrett, E. Mallan, D. James, J. Baxter
At Dittmer Park, Mt Gravatt

Round 10 (June 2):
SOUTHPORT 4.3 8.4 10.6 12.8 (80)
LABRADOR 1.2 1.5 2.7 5.9 (39)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 3, C. Hughes 3, J. Burge 3, J. Milani 2, A. Devine
Southport best: J. Burge, W. Mills, S. Whish-Wilson, F. Pope, B. Davis, T. Daniel
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 11 (June 9):
SOUTHPORT 3.5 3.8 8.11 10.15 (75)
REDLAND 1.3 5.8 7.13 10.16 (76)
Southport goals: C. Hughes 4, J. Milani , J. Baxter , E. Mallan , F. Pope , S. Thynne , H. Kiel
Southport best: B. Headland, D. Weymouth, W. Mills, B. Davis, F. Pope, D. James
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 12 (June 16):
SOUTHPORT 3.3 7.6 15.10 17.13 (115)
QUEANBEYAN 1.3 4.8 5.11 8.12 (60)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 4, J. Milani 3, A. Knight 2, C. Hughes 2, S. Seddon, A. Flagg , E. Mallan , G. Screech , S. Whish-Wilson , J. Burge
Southport best: D. Wise, S. Whish-Wilson, T. Daniel, J. Milani, J. Burge, S. Seddon
At Dairy Farmers Park

Round 13 (June 23):
SOUTHPORT 1.1 7.1 11.4 13.5 (83)
BRISBANE LIONS 7.2 13.6 20.9 24.18 (162)
Southport goals: C. Hughes 4, J. Baxter 3, J. Milani 2, H. Kiel 2, S. Seddon , F. Pope
Southport best: D. Weymouth, D. Wise, S. Seddon, W. Mills, F. Pope, B. Headland
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 14 – Bye

Round 15 (July 7):
SOUTHPORT 2.5 8.9 13.13 19.16 (130)
LABRADOR 1.3 2.5 9.8 9.9 (63)
Southport goals: C. Hughes 4, J. Baxter 3, J. MILANI 2, S. Seddon 2, A. Flagg 2, G. Screech 2, T. Daniel , N. Trevena , S. Whish-Wilson , J. Burge
Southport best: S. Seddon, S. Whish-Wilson, J. Baxter, B. Headland, D. James, J. Burge
At Cooke Murphy Oval, Labrador

Round 16 (July 14):
SOUTHPORT 6.3 16.6 19.11 23.16 (154)
MORNINGSIDE 0.6 3.7 5.10 5.11 (41)
Southport goals: A. Flagg 3, J. Baxter 3, S. Seddon 3, H. Kiel 2, D. James 2, J. Milani 2, C. Hughes 2, N. Trevena 2, J. Burge 2, F. Pope , S. Russell
Southport best: B. Headland, W. Mills, J. Burge, S. Seddon, D. James, B. Davis
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 17 (July 22):
SOUTHPORT 7.4 10.6 17.9 19.12 (126)
ASPLEY 0.3 3.5 5.10 11.18 (84)
Southport goals: A. Flagg 4, J. Milani 3, J. Baxter 3, C. Hughes 3, E. Mallan 2, S. Russell , B. Davis , D. James , H. Kiel
Southport best: J. Burge, B. Davis, A. Flagg, B. Headland, S. Whish-Wilson, J. Baxter
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 18 – Bye

Round 19 (Aug 4):
SOUTHPORT 0.3 2.5 4.7 7.8 (50)
NT THUNDER 2.4 5.9 6.13 12.20 (92)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 2, C. Hughes 2, S. Russell , W. Mills , S. Seddon
Southport best: B. Headland, K. NIiklaus, F. Pope, B. Merrett, T. Daniel
At TIO, Darwin

Round 20 (Aug 11):
SOUTHPORT 4.2 10.8 17.12 23.15 (153)
SYDNEY UNI 1.3 2.4 6.7 9.8 (62)
Southport goals: C. Hughes 5, A. Flagg 4, J. Milani 3, J. Baxter 3, H. Kiel 3, A. Devine 2, F. Thurlow , F. Pope , B. Merrett
Southport best: J. Milani, C. Hughes, K. NIKLAUS, H. Kiel, J. Burge, A. Flagg
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Round 21 (Aug 18):
SOUTHPORT 6.4 11.6 14.9 16.15 (111)
BROADBEACH 2.1 4.5 11.9 14.11 (95)
Southport goals: J. Burge 2, J. Baxter 2, G. Screech 2, S. Russell 2, E. Mallan 2, F. Pope 2, A. Flagg , C. Hughes , F. Thurlow , J. Milani
Southport best: F. Pope, E. Mallan, D. Weymouth, D. Wise, J. Burge, T. Daniel
At H.A Oval

Elimination/Qualifying Final (Aug 25):
SOUTHPORT 5.6 6.8 9.12 9.13 (67)
BRISBANE LIONS 1.1 3.8 7.9 14.18 (102)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 2, G. Screech 2, C. Hughes 2, A. Knight , D. James, H. Kiel
Southport best: D. Wise, B. Headland, W. Mills, K. Niklaus, D. Tucker, T. Daniel
At Coorparoo

Semi Final (Sep 2):
SOUTHPORT 2.3 5.3 7.5 10.9 (69)
REDLAND 0.3 3.7 5.11 9.12 (66)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 4, E. Mallan 3, C. Hughes , A. Flagg , H. Kiel
Southport best: E. Mallan, J. Baxter, T. Daniel, H. Kiel, D. James, F. Pope
At Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks

Preliminary Final (Sep 8):
SOUTHPORT 2.7 2.9 7.10 12.11 (83)
NT THUNDER 5.2 8.8 11.9 18.12 (120)
Southport goals: J. Baxter 3, E. Mallan 3, C. Hughes 2, J. Milani, F. Thurlow , W. Mills , A. Flagg
Southport best: W. Mills, H. Kiel, F. Pope, J. Burge, T. Daniel, D. Weymouth
At H.A Oval, Mermaid Waters