Prodigal son Cotter makes a triumphant return to Shark Park
WHEN Southport thought they had to look for another coach after Danny Brennan’s success in 1997, the logical replacement was at the club’s doorstep.
Jason Cotter had always been earmarked for a return to the Sharks after building an impressive coaching record in his three seasons away in the Gold Coast AFL competition.
The circumstances behind Cotter’s return could be seen as rather strange, given Brennan‘s 1997 side won the grand final by 94 points, but there were indications he was going to retire on a high note, so the Sharks chased Cotter.
Brennan, in fact, was to be a late applicant for the coaching job, but the Sharks had already done a ‘deal’ with Cotter, who had a tremendous record away from the Sharks.
In 1995 he took Palm Beach-Currumbin to the GCAFL flag, ending a 10-year drought. Cotter then switched to Broadbeach, where he won another GCAFL flag and also broke a 10-year drought for the Cats.
In 1997 Cotter steered Broadbeach to the finals in the club’s first year at QSFL level.
Chris Smith proved a great pick-up at centre half-back and was runner-up in the B@F. And former VFL utility Julian Shanks was also a top recruit in the midfield.
And Cotter was not the only one to return from Broadbeach. So did forward Rod Mackay, seemingly over his 1997 bust-up with the Sharks.
This was the season in which Clint Watts made people take notice and he finished the year off in a blaze of glory by being named Joe Grant Medallist for best-on-ground in the grand final triumph against Morningside.
The grand final side was:
Backs: Ian Dargie, Dean Bowtell, Shaun Stephens.
Half-backs: Clint Watts, Chris Smith, Shauin Coughlan.
Centres: Richard Maloney, Shaun Ballans, Adam McKenzie.
Half-forwards: Craig Mansbridge, Justin Hodgkinson, David Bain.
Forwards: Gary Hayes-Dewar, Rod Mackay, Nick Mansbridge.
Rucks: Adam Cooke, Julian Shanks, Shane Young.
Interchange: Craig Wilson, Rob Panozzo, Mark Smith, Nathan Balshaw.
Grand final details:
SOUTHPORT 3.4 4.8 10.13 12.15 (87)
MORNINGSIDE 3.1 5.3 7.6 11.10 (76)
GOALS: Southport: C Mansbridge 3, S Young 2, N Mansbridge 2, R Mackay 2, C Watts, G Hayes-Dewar, A McKenzie. Morningside:S Kednna 4, B Ryan 2, T Lynn 2, M Barton, P Cook, M Ward.
BEST: Southport: C Watts, G Hayes-Dewar, D Bowtell, N Mansbridge, S Coughlan. Morningside: B Ryan, T Short, S Kenna, P Sherwood, M Wellington, C Edwards.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
Season details: Games played 19, won 15, lost 4.
Best and fairest: Shaun Ballans.
Joe Grant Medal: Clint Watts.
Leading goalkicker: Rod Mackay (92).
MATCH RESULTS 1998
Round 1 (Mar 29)
MT GRAVATT 4.1 9.3 12.8 18.11 (119)
SOUTHPORT 7.0 9.3 12.6 16.6 (102)
Southport goals: R Maloney 3, R Mackay 3, M Young 2, M Harrison 2, J Shanks 2, N Mansbridge, C Mansbridge.
Southport best: S Stephens, F Webb, C Watts, M Harrison, M Hounslow.
At Dittmer Park, Brisbane.
Round 2 (Apr 5):
NTHN EAGLES 3.2 6.6 8.8 14.10 (94)
SOUTHPORT 1.2 2.2 3.5 9.8 (62)
Southport goals: R Mackay 5, M Harrison, F Webb, M Young, S Young.
Southport best: S Ballans, I Dargie, J Hodgkinson, C Watts.
At O’Callaghan Park, Brisbane.
Round 3 (Apr 11):
SOUTHPORT 5.9 11.13 16.20 21.23 (149)
MAYNE 3.1 4.5 9.7 12.10 (82)
Southport goals: R Mackay 8, F Webb 4, S Young 3, S Stephens 2, D Bain 2, N Mansbridge, R Maloney.
Southport best: S Ballans, D Bain, S Stephens, R McKay,J Hodgkinson.
At Anderson Oval, Brisbane.
Round 4 (Apr 18):
SOUTHPORT 1.0 5.6 9.10 14.19 (103)
BRISBANE 2.5 3.6 3.8 3.8 (26)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, D Bowtell, S Young. C Watts, J Shanks, F Webb, S Ballans, M Pike, A McKenzie.
Southport best: G Hayes-Dewar, F Webb, R McKay, N Mansbridge, J Shanks, S Ballans.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 5 bye
Round 6 (May 2):
SOUTHPORT 5.3 8.7 10.9 11.12 (78)
MORNINGSIDE 0.1 3.3 4.6 6.9 (45)
Southport goals: D Bain 3, R Mackay 2, J Hodgkinson 2, R Maloney, N Mansbridge, C Wilson, M Pike.
Southport best: S Ballans, C Mansbridge, C Smith, G Hayes-Dewar, J Hodgkinson.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 7 (May 16):
SOUTHPORT 4.5 10.7 11.11 14.14 (98)
MAROOCHYDORE 1.0 4.3 6.7 7.8 (50)
Southport goals: R Mackay 7, L Hughes 2, J Hodgkinson 2, S Ballans, N Mansbridge, C Wilson.
Southport best: D Bowtell, S Young, S Ballans, J Hodgkinson, D Bain, L Hughes.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 8 (May 23):
SOUTHPORT 3.5 11.9 15.12 20.18 (138)
BROADBEACH 0.2 2.2 6.5 8.5 (43)
Southport goals: N Mansbridge 4, S Young 3, L Hughes 3, R Mackay 3, J Shanks 2, C Leslie, C Mansbridge, S Ballans, D Bain, C Wilson.
Southport best: D Bain, J Shanks, S Young, S Ballans, M Harrison, N Mansbridge.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 9 (May 31):
SOUTHPORT 4.2 11.4 17.10 26.16 (172)
LABRADOR 3.2 3.4 4.4 6.5 (41)
Southport goals: R Mackay 10, L Hughes 5, S Young 3, C Black 2, N Mansbridge 2, C Mansbridge, S Stephens, A Devine, J Hodgkinson.
Southport best: C Mansbridge, C Smith, D Bain, R Mackay, L Hughes, C Watts.
At Cooke-Murphy Oval, Labrador.
Round 10 (Jun 6):
SOUTHPORT 6.0 9.1 10.5 15.10 (100)
MT GRAVATT 3.2 6.5 10.6 13.7 (85)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, S Stephens 2, C Wilson 2, L Hughes 2, J Hodgkinson 2, J Shanks.
Southport best: J Shanks, C Watts, S Stephens, R Mackay, C Mansbridge.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 11 (Jun 20):
NTHN EAGLES 0.3 1.8 5.12 8.15 (63)
SOUTHPORT 4.1 6.4 7.5 8.7 (55)
Southport goals: C Wilson 3, R Mackay 3, M Pike, C Mansbridge.
Southport best: R Panozzo, C Smith, A McKenzie, S Ballans, J Shanks.
At Fankhauser resercve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 12 (Jun 27):
SOUTHPORT 7.3 12.7 17.18 25.27 (177)
MAYNE 2.2 4.3 5.3 7.6 (48)
Southport goals:R Mackay 8, C Wilson 4, L Hughes 3, C Mansbridge 2, C Watts, S Ballans, J Shanks, L Black, M Smith, S Coughlan, M Young, M Pike.
Southport best: J Shanks, R Panozzo, C Wilson, C Watts, L Black.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 13 (Jul 4):
SOUTHPORT 6.5 6.8 8.10 9.13 (67)
BRISBANE 2.2 2.5 2.10 8.13 (61)
Southport goals: C Wilson 3, M Smith 2, J Shanks, S Coughlan, A McKenzie, J Hodgkinson.
Southport best: M Smith, A McKenzie, J Shanks, C Mansbridge, C Wilson.
At the Gabba, Brisbane.
Round 14 (Jul 19):
MORNINGSIDE 5.2 9.4 12.4 13.8 (86)
SOUTHPORT 3.3 8.6 10.7 10.7 (67)
Southport goals: R Mackay 2, S Stephens 2, S Young, R Maloney, J Hodgkinson, D Williams, S Ballans, C Wilson.
Southport best: J Hodgkinson, S Ballans, C Watts, A McKenzie, C Mansbridge.
At Esplen Oval, Brisbane.
Round 15 bye
Round 16 (Aug 2):
SOUTHPORT 3.3 9.9 14.11 24.12 (156)
BROADBEACH 5.1 6.3 7.3 9.4 (58)
Southport goals: R Mackay 10, R Panozzo 2, C Mansbridge 2, D Harrison 2, A Cooke 2, R Maloney, G Hayes-Dewar, S Stephens, S Coughlan, L Hughes, A McKenzie.
Southport best: S Stephens, S Young, A McKenzie, A Cooke,.S Coughlan, R Panozzo.
At Merrimac Oval, Broadbeach Waters.
Round 17 (Aug 8):
SOUTHPORT 6.2 10.6 12.8 16.13 (109)
MAROOCHYDORE 3.4 4.6 6.7 6.8 (44)
Southport goals: R Mackay 5, C Mansbridge 3, D Harrison 2, A Cooke 2, M Young 2, S Stephens, R Maloney.
Southport best: R Maloney, I Dargie, S Young, S Stephens, C Smith.
At Fisherman’s Road, Sunshine Coast.
Round 18 (Aug 15):
SOUTHPORT 3.2 7.6 9.8 12.10 (82)
LABRADOR 3.3 6.3 8.6 9.9 (63)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, S Coughlan 2, R Maloney, D Bowtell, S Young, M Young.
Southport best: R Maloney, C Smith, N Balshaw, S Young, A McKenzie.;
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Qualifying final (Aug 22):
SOUTHPORT 3.6 5.10 9.12 12.16 (88)
MT GRAVATT 1.0 3.1 3.4 5.5 (35)
Southport goals: R Mackay 5, S Young, C Mansbridge, D Bain, N Mansbridge, I Dargie, L Hughes, C Wilson.
Southport best: J Shanks, C Smith, S Young, A McKenzie, S Stephens, C Mansbridge.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
Second semi-final (Aug 30):
SOUTHPORT 4.5 6.9 8.13 9.18 (72)
MORNINGSIDE 1.1 3.2 4.5 9.7 (61)
Southport goals: S Young 3, R Maloney, D Harrison, N Mansbridge, C Wilson, R Mackay, J Hodgkinson.
Southport best: R Maloney, D Bowtell, S Young, C Watts, J Shanks, J Hodgkinson.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
Grand final (Sept 13):
SOUTHPORT 3.4 4.8 10.13 12.15 (87)
MORNINGSIDE 3.1 5.3 7.6 11.10 (76)
Southport goals: C Mansbridge 3, S Young 2, N Mansbridge 2, R Mackay 2, C Watts, G Hayes-Dewar, A McKenzie.
Southport best: C Watts, G Hayes-Dewar, D Bowtell, N Mansbridge, S Coughlan.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
