Scott Lawton takes over coaching reins after Jason Cotter’s career move to the turf club
AFTER three seasons for as many premierships, club favourite Jason Cotter stepped down as coach after accepting a job with the Gold Coast Turf Club.
Sticking with tradition, the Sharks looked into their ranks and signed hard-nosed defender Scott Lawton as new captain-coach, following in the footsteps of Cameron O’Brien, who held the same role in 1992 and 1993.
Lawton, who had returned to the club the previous season, had previously coached a premiership with western New South Wales club Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong.
Loaded with 2000 premiership players, the Sharks started the 2001 season in familiar style, losing their first two matches.
The second loss was against Gold Coast rivals Broadbeach, who notched their first competition win over the Sharks, by 20 points at Merrimac Oval.
For their opening match against Mt Gravatt, the Sharks fielded 12 new players, among them Nick Raines, son of former Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Brisbane centreman Geoff Raines, and local product Terry Knight.
Luke Jenkins and Ashley Gehling signed from the VFL, Mark Mooney and NSW Country forward Adrian Hill were among other southern recruits to make their Sharks debut that day in the absence of injured Clint Watts, Shaun Coughlan and Troy Crossley.
Kevin Tandogac, of Turkish descent, also made his debut this season after moving down from Beenleigh and Peter English and Warren Tresider were signed from Victorian country.
With so much talent on board, the Sharks eventually finished as minor premiers and, when they beat powerful Brisbane Lions reserves by 31 points in the second semi-final, another piece of silverware seemed destined for the club’s bulging trophy cabinet.
But this was the year the Lions got serious, as it were, and they beat the Sharks by 12 points in the grand final a fortnight later.
(It was after this match that rumours surfaced that Brisbane bosses allegedly told coaching staff they were not interested in winning the local competition any more. The rumours were never officially denied by Leigh Matthews or any other Lions official).
Still, the side they paraded against Southport on September 23 that year was full of rising class and left one wondering if there was any side in the competition capable of beating them that day.
The Lions reserves side included Craig Bolton, Des Headland, Damian Cupido, Aaron Shattock, Ben Robbins, Richard Hadley, Jamie Charman, Joel Macdonald, Marcus Picken, Tom Tarrant and Dylan McLaren.
The Sharks had their moments, but not even a six-goal haul from rover Jamie Pilcher, who stood up when forwards Rod Mackayand Tresider were well held, was not enough.
Season details: Games played 20, won 15, lost 5.
Best and fairest: Mark Bradley.
Leading goalkicker: Rod Mackay (95).
MATCH RESULTS 2001
Round 1 (Apr 24):
MT GRAVATT 5.1 8.3 10.5 14.7 (91)
SOUTHPORT 2.1 3.2 3.4 5.6 (36)
Southport goals: R Mackay 4, M Bradley.
Southport best: M Bradley, L Jenkins, P English, N Raines, S Lawton.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 2 (May 5):
BROADBEACH 2.2 5.9 9.10 12.12 (84)
SOUTHPORT 2.3 4.5 7.7 9.10 (64)
Southport goals: R Mackay 3, J Pate, S Coughlan, L Jenkins, N Mansbridge, R Martin, M Bradley.
Southport best: M Bradley, P English, L Jenkins, S Coughlan, A McKee.
At Merrimac Oval, Broadbeach Waters.
Round 3 (May 12):
SOUTHPORT 4.2 6.5 10.11 14.14 (98)
REDLAND 3.3 5.7 9.7 13.7 (85)
Southport goals: R Mackay 5, C Black 3, A Hill, S Coughlan, B Hardy, T McKenzie, N Raines, T Knight.
Southport best: P English, S Coughlan, N Mansbridge, J Pilcher, A Devine.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 4 (May 19):
SOUTHPORT 6.6 9.9 13.14 18.17 (125)
WESTERN MAGPIES 2.0 2.0 5.1 8.4 (52)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, C Watts 4 A Hill 4, A Gehling, N Raines, J Pilcher, N Mansbridge.
Southport best: P English, S Coughlan, N Mansbridge, C Watts, M Bradley.
At Chelmer Oval, Brisbane.
Round 5 (May 27):
SOUTHPORT 4.3 10.4 13.6 15.11 (101)
MORNINGSIDE 3.2 4.2 5.5 7.8 (50)
Southport goals: R Mackay 5, C Watts 3, A Gehling 3, A Hill, A Devine, C Black, T McKenzie.
Southport best: C Watts, A Devine, T Crossley, S Lawton, M Bradley.
At Esplen Oval, Brisbane.
Round 6 (Jun 3):
SOUTHPORT 4.5 8.7 10.11 13.16 (94)
BRISBANE 2.2 7.3 10.3 12.7 (79)
Southport goals: R Mackay 3, C Watts 2, J Pilcher 2, S Coughlan 2, N Raines, C Black, P English, A Devine.
Southport best: C Watts, L Jenkins, S Lawton, S Coughlan, S Stephens.
At Heritage Oval, Toowoomba.
Round 7 (Jun 9):
SOUTHPORT 4.7 10.11 23.15 34.19 (223)
MAYNE 0.0 0.1 1.2 2.3 (15)
Southport goals: R Mackay 14, T McKenzie 6, J Pilcher 4, C Watts 3, J Pate, S Coughlan, B Hardy, B Fisher, S Stephens, A Devine.
Southport best: C Watts, R Mackay, J Pilcher, M Bradley, B Fisher, S Stephens.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 8 (Jun 16):
SOUTHPORT 3.4 4.7 8.10 9.15 (69)
LABRADOR 1.0 3.1 5.2 6.5 (41)
Southport goals: W Tresider 3, S Stephens 2, B Fisher, A Gehling, T McKenzie, R Mackay.
Southport best: S Lawton, M Bradley, B Fisher, S Coughlan, J Pilcher.
At Cooke-Murphy Oval, Labrador.
Round 9 (Jun 23):
NTHN EAGLES 2.7 5.8 11.11 17.14 (116)
SOUTHPORT 1.2 6.3 12.5 13.5 (83)
Southport goals: W Tresider 4, R Mackay 2, J Moffat 2, M Mooney, A Devine, A Gehling, S Coughlan, R Martin.
Southport best: S Coughlan, M Bradley, L Jenkins, J Pate, P English.
At O’Callaghan Park, Brisbane.
Round 10 (Jun 30):
SOUTHPORT 10.0 15.5 20.12 27.19 (180)
WESTERN MAGPIES 1.3 2.4 5.6 7.6 (48)
Southport goals: W Tresider 8, J Pilcher 3, S Coughlan 2, A Hill 2, A Gehling 2, P English 2, N Mansdbridge 2, R Martin, S Stephens, J Pate, S Lawton, C Taylor, J Moffat.
Southport best: M Bradley, S Coughlan, S Lawton, R Martin, A Gehling.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 11 (Jul 7):
BROADBEACH 2.2 4.3 6.6 9.9 (63)
SOUTHPORT 1.1 3.4 4.8 4.11 (35)
Southport goals: W Tresider 3, C Taylor.
Southport best: M Bradley, T Crossley, M Mooney, L Jenkins.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 12 (Jul 14):
SOUTHPORT 6.4 10.12 12.15 17.21 (123)
MT GRAVATT 2.4 5.7 10.10 14.12 (96)
Southport goals: R Mackay 8, C Watts 2, J Pilcher 2, W Tresider 2, A Hill, J Pate, B Fisher.
Southport best: L Jenkins, T Crossley, J Pate, W Tresider, M Bradley.
At Dittmer Park, Brisbane.
Round 13 (Jul 21):
SOUTHPORT 4.3 7.4 12.8 18.9 (117)
REDLAND 2.3 4.6 11.7 14.10 (94)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, A Hill 4, W Tresider 2, A Gehling 2, J Pilcher 2, J Moffat, L Jenkins.
Southport best: T Crossley, L Jenkins, A Hill, M Bradley, J Pate.
At Victoria Point.
Round 14 (Jul 28):
SOUTHPORT 5.0 9.2 14.9 16.11 (107)
MORNINGSIDE 2.1 4.2 5.2 8.5 (53)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, W Tresider 4, C Watts 2, A Hill, M Mooney, A Gehling, N Raines.
Southport best: W Tresider, L Jenkins, J Pate, N Raines, A Gehling.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 15 (Aug 5):
SOUTHPORT 4.1 7.2 9.8 11.11 (77)
BRISBANE 2.3 5.5 7.5 9.7 (61)
Southport goals: R Mackay 4, W Tresider 2, C Watts, S Stephens, N Raines, A Gehling, J Moffat.
Southport best: A Gehling, N Mansbridge, J Pate, T Crossley, M Bradley.
At the Gabba, Brisbane.
Round 16 (Aug 11):
SOUTHPORT 7.4 14.11 17.13 26.14 (170)
MAYNE 1.4 1.4 5.4 5.4 (34)
Southport goals: R Mackay 9, J Pilcher 3, C Watts 3, T Crossley 2, A Hill 2, J Moffat 2, M Mooney, A Devine, A Gehling, S Stephens, B Fisher.
Southport best: C Watts, L Jenkins, J Pate, N Mansbridge, R Mackay.
At Anderson Oval, Brisbane.
Round 17 (Aug 18):
SOUTHPORT 2.7 6.8 8.14 14.20 (102)
LABRADOR 2.2 5.4 5.4 5.4 (34)
Southport goals: R Mackay 6, W Tresider 3, J Pilcher, N Mansbridge, N Raines, K Tandogac, T Knight.
Southport best: S Lawton, J Pate, W Tresider, L Jenkins, N Raines.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 18 (Aug 25):
SOUTHPORT 4.9 8.11 15.17 20.19 (130)
NTHN EAGLES 0.1 1.4 1.5 6.5 (41)
Southport goals: R Mackay 11, W Tresider 3, C Watts 2, A Gehling 2, M Bradley 2.
Southport best: B Fisher, C Watts, R Mackay, M Mooney, A Devine, M Bradley.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Second semi-final (Sept 9):
SOUTHPORT 7.1 11.3 11.8 14.11 (95)
BRISBANE 1.2 3.5 4.8 9.10 (74)
Southport goals: R Mackay 3, W Tresider 3, M Bradley 2, S Stephens, J Pilcher, M Mooney, A Gehling, N Mansbridge, K Tandogac.
Southport best: M Bradley, L Jenkins, S Stephens, A Gehling, W Tresider, M Mooney.
At Giffin Park, Coorparoo.
Grand final (Sept 23):
BRISBANE 2.1 5.4 11.14 13.20 (98)
SOUTHPORT 4.5 8.6 10.6 13.8 (86)
Southport goals: J Pilcher 6, R Mackay 2, A Gehling, C Watts, A Devine, S Coughlan, M Bradley.
Southport best: J Pilcher, S Lawton, M Bradley, T Crossley, L Jenkins, S Stephens.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
