After the Bali horror, 2003 was always going to be tough
THE Sharks landed a truckload of name recruits for a season when the memories of the October 2002 Bali bombing atrocity still burned strong.
The off-season tragedy, which claimed the life of Billy Hardy, was surely a spur for the Sharks to avenge their 2002 grand final loss and when so many talented newcomers arrived, hopes were high.
Recruits included Andrew Dimattina (ex-Collingwood) and his younger brother Frankie, David James ( Hastings), Darren O’Brien(Glenelg), Rick Bowden (Labrador) and Joe Georgiades ( Perth), while strapping Coolangatta teenager Anthony McKee also signed.
McKee started the season off with a bang, kicking 15 goals in the opening three matches at full-forward, but his form tapered off after that.
It was a pretty handy list of newcomers. O’Brien went on to glory days with the club and eventually became captain, stepping down from that role at the end of the 2008 season.
The Sharks picked up a handy ruckman in David Jansen, but they also lost a significant number of senior players.
Adrian Hill, Ash Gehling and Brad Fisher were among the departures to second division Burleigh and champion ruckman David Round spent the second part of the season struggling with a knee injury. Rugged midfielder Craig McGough also left, moving to Surfers Paradise.
During the season future AFL listed Andrew Raines (from Palm Beach-Currumbin) made his Sharks debut.
Unfortunately for the Sharks, they could not ‘do it for Billy”. They won their first three games at home, but it was eventually the width of a goalpost that cost them the chance to play in a grand final.
In the dying minutes of the preliminary final against Mt Gravatt, a kick for goal from wingman David James, one that would have put the Sharks up by five points, brushed a post to level the scores.
Then, after fellow Bali survivor Adam Devine was denied what was clearly a free kick for mark interference, Mt Gravatt rushed the ball forward and the Vultures kicked a match-winning behind.
After all the human tragedy the club had been involved in, it was a sad way to depart the premiership race – basically the width of a goalpost denying the Sharks a spot in the grand final.
In round seven, Labrador became the first State League side not to kick a goal in a premiership match against Southport. The final score was 21.15 (141) to 0.5 (5). Southport held Labrador scoreless in the first half and the Tigers had just one point on the board at three-quarter time. Season details: Games played 20, won 15, lost 5.
Best and fairest: Darren O’Brien.
Leading goalkicker: Shaun Coughlan (43).
MATCH RESULTS 2003
Round 1 (Apr 19):
SOUTHPORT 5.2 13.7 20.10 28.16 (184)
REDLAND 1.1 3.1 5.3 7.5 (47)
Southport goals: A McKee 7, D Round 3, A Dimattina 3, D James 3, C Richardson 2, M Nguyen 2, J Pate, S Coughlan, C Taylor, A Devine, J Ryan, B Martens, D O’Brien, D Jansen.
Southport best: D Round, A Dimattina, L Jenkins, D James, A McKee, D O’Brien.
At Fankhauser Resere, Musgrave Hill.
Round 2 (Apr 26):
SOUTHPORT 2.3 9.5 12.8 17.11 (113)
MT GRAVATT 2.2 4.2 6.4 7.8 (50)
Southport goals: A McKee 6, M Flynn 2, J Ryan 2, S Coughlan 2, C Taylor, D James, D Round, L Carroll, F Dimattina.
Southport best: D Round, A Dimattina, L Carroll, A Devine, A McKee, M Flynn.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 3 (May 3):
SOUTHPORT 6.3 12.5 17.10 21.13 (139)
NTHN EAGLES 0.1 1.2 5.5 9.6 (60)
Southport goals: D Round 3, A McKee 3, C Richardson 2, M Nguyen 2, M Flynn 2, D O’Brien, 2, J Pate, S Coughlan, C Taylor, L Jenkins, L Carroll, A Dimattina, D James.
Southport best: D James, D O’Brien, D Round, R Bowden, L Carroll, M Nguyen.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 4 (May 10):
BRISBANE 2.0 6.0 8.3 10.9 (69)
SOUTHPORT 1.2 3.3 5.5 6.7 (43)
Southport goals: F Dimattina, A Devine, M Flynn. M Nguyen, A McKee, D James.
Southport best: A Morrison, T Crossley, L Jenkins, J Ryan, A Devine.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 5 (May 18):
MORNINGSIDE 4.2 9.7 13.11 18.12 (120)
SOUTHPORT 4.6 6.8 9.11 12.14 (86)
Southport goals: M Addinsall 4, A Dimattina 2, M Nguyen 2, B Martens, L Carroll, S Coughlan.
Southport best: A Dikmattina, L Carroll, S Sheppard, A McKee, M Flynn.
At Esplen Oval, Brisbane.
Round 6 (May 24):
SOUTHPORT 2.2 4.3 8.5 12.13 (85)
BROADBEACH 6.2 7.3 12.6 12.8 (80)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 2, M Nguyen 2, M Wollington 2, A McKee 2, C Taylor, J Ryan, A Dimattina, D James.
Southport best: D Jansen, S Young, J Ryan, M Nguyen, M Wollington.
At Merrimac Oval, Broadbeach Waters.
Round 7 (May 31):
SOUTHPORT 4.4 11.8 16.12 21.15 (141)
LABRADOR 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.5 (5)
Southport goals: M Nguyen 5, J Ryan 5, D James 2, M Flynn 2, J Georgiades 2, A McKee 2, S Sheppard, A Devine, L Jenkins, C Taylor.
Southport best: M Nguyen, L Jenkins, J Ryan, C Taylor, S Young.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 8 (Jun 7):
SOUTHPORT 8.6 17.7 21.12 30.13 (193)
MAYNE 1.1 4.5 6.5 10.8 (68)
Southport goals: A McKee 9, J Georgiades 4, D James 4, L Jenkins 3, M Nguyen 2, J Ryan 2, A Lathouras, C Taylor, A Devine, M Flynn, D O’Brien, D Jansen.
Southport best: D O’Brien, D James, A McKee, L Jenkins, S Young.
At Anderson Oval, Brisbane.
Round 9 (Jun 14):
SOUTHPORT 5.1 8.3 12.7 16.14 (110)
WESTERN MAGPIES 2.5 4.9 5.12 5.14 (44)
Southport goals: L Jenkins 3, S Coughlan 3, D Eagleton 3, J Georgiades 2, L Carroll, A Devine, A Lathouras, J Ryan, M Nguyen.
Southport best: L Jenkins, L Carroll, S Coughlan, D Robson, J Georgiades.
At Chelmer Oval, Brisbane.
Round 10 (Jun 28):
SOUTHPORT 4.1 9.10 15.12 18.19 (127)
MT GRAVATT 5.2 8.4 13.9 18.12 (120)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 6, J Ryan 3, J Georgiades 2, A Dimnattina 2, S Young, M Nguyen, A Devine, L Carroll, D O’Brien.
Southport best: D O’Brien, L Jenkins, J Georgiades, S Coughlan, A Dimattina.
At Leyshon Park, Brisbane.
Round 11 (Jul 5):
SOUTHPORT 6.2 12.2 16.3 17.6 (108)
REDLAND 2.4 4.6 5.11 12.17 (89)
Southport goals: A Dimattina 5, S Coughlan 4, M Nguyen 3, J Ryan 2, D O’Brien, T Crossley, D Eagleton.
Southport best: A Dimattina, J Ryan, D Jansen, L Carroll, M Nguyen.
At Victoria Point.
Round 12 (Jul 12):
SOUTHPORT 5.4 11.6 14.8 18.8 (116)
MORNINGSIDE 1.2 4.5 7.10 10.11 (71)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 7, M Nguyen 3, A Dimattina 2, A Devine, J Georgiades, D O’Brien, D James.
Southport best: S Coughlan, J Ryan, A Dimattina, D James, R Bowden.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 13 (Jul 19):
SOUTHPORT 3.5 6.8 18.9 25.14 (164)
LABRADOR 1.1 4.4 5.4 9.5 (59)
Southport goals: D James 7, M Flynn 4, D Round 3, S Coughlan 3, R Bowden 2, J Ryan, 2, D Eagleton 2, S Young, T Crossley.
Southport best: D James, L Carroll, D Jansen, M Van Rossum, C Taylor.
At Cooke-Murphy Oval, Labrador.
Round 14 (Jul 26):
SOUTHPORT 6.7 12.10 21.10 27.15 (177)
WESTERN MAGPIES 1.2 3.3 4.3 5.5 (35)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 4, M Nguyen 4, D James 3, D Eagleton 3, D O’Brien 2, S Young 2, J Georgiades 2, M Pitura, L Carroll, A Dimattina, D Round, A Devine, L Jenkins.
Southport best: D O’Brien, S Young, R Bowden, L Carroll, J Pate, M Nguyen.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill (lights).
Round 15 (Aug 2):
SOUTHPORT 1.3 6.7 11.9 13.10 (88)
BRISBANE 5.3 8.5 11.8 12.10 (82)
Southport goals: J Ryan 3, M Nguyen 3, L Ryswyk 2, D Jansen 2, D Round, S Young.
Southport best: D O’Brien, L Ryswyk, D Jansen, L Jenkins, J Ryan.
At the Gabba, Brisbane.
Round 16 (Aug 10):
NTHN EAGLES 3.2 10.5 14.6 17.7 (109)
SOUTHPORT 6.1 6.3 11.7 12.10 (82)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 3, D James 2, L Carroll 2, A Raines, D O’Brien, L Ryswyk, A McKee, J Ryan.
Southport best: D O’Brien, R Bowden, S Coughlan, L Carroll,
At O’Callaghan Park, Brisbane.
Round 17 (Aug 16):
SOUTHPORT 3.2 3.7 7.7 8.12 (60)
BROADBEACH 0.4 0.5 4.7 4.7 (31)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 3, L Jenkins, J Georgiades, A Dimattina, D O’Brien, D James.
Southport best: L Ryswyk, D O’Brien, M Addinsall, D James, J Ryan.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 16 (Aug 23):
SOUTHPORT 9.11 15.15 22.21 29.22 (196)
MAYNE 0.1 2.3 2.5 3.6 (24)
Southport goals: L Jenkins 10, S Coughlan 4, J Ryan 3, D James 3, S Young 2, M Nguyen 2, A Devine 2, F Dimattina, A Dimattina, L Ryswyk.
Southport best: L Jenkins, A Dimattina, J Pate, A Devine, D Jansen, S Coughlan.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill
Qualifying final (Aug 31):
BRISBANE 6.0 11.2 13.3 15.5 (95)
SOUTHPORT 1.4 5.8 7.10 10.14 (74)
Southport goals: D James 3, M Nguyen 2, L Jenkins, A Devine, J Ryan, D Round, A Dimattina.
Southport best: D James, R Bowden, C Taylor, M Wollington, M Nguyen.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
First semi-final (Sept 7):
MT GRAVATT 4.2 8.5 10.11 12.13 (85)
SOUTHPORT 2.3 4.4 11.8 12.12 (84)
Southport goals: M Nguyen 2, J Ryan 2, A Dimattina 2, A Devine, J Georgiades, D Round, M Flynn, L Ryswyk, A McKee.
Southport best: D O’Brien, R Bowden, D Round, D James, C Taylor, M Flynn.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
