QAFL Player Focus: Bodhi Uwland (Broadbeach)

EXCITING Gold Coast SUNS Academy talent Bodhi Uwland returned to the QAFL Seniors grade on Saturday, lining up in defence as Broadbeach downed Labrador to book a grand final spot. A high flier who chimes in with eye-catching intercepts, Uwland has represented the SUNS Academy at NAB League level and got six VFL games under his belt in 2021. His form saw him named as Gold Coast’s male academy player of the year, having previously earned Allies and National Draft Combine selection. We put Uwland’s semi-final performance under the Player Focus microscope this week, breaking down his game quarter-by-quarter. >> Up the Grades: Prospects playing senior footy

POCKET PROFILE

Bodhi Uwland Broadbeach/SUNS Academy/Allies

DOB: 25/07/2003 (18) Height/Weight: 185cm/84kg Position: Medium Defender/Midfielder

Strengths: Vertical leap, intercept marking, kick penetration

2021 Averages:

VFL: 6 games | 12.5 disposals | 4.0 marks | 1.8 tackles | 0.7 inside 50s | 1.7 rebound 50s | 0.1 goals (1 total) NAB League: 2 games | 24.0 disposals | 4.5 marks | 5.5 tackles | 5.0 inside 50s | 3.5 rebound 50s | 1.5 goals (3)

2021 QAFL Seniors, Semi-Final 1 | Labrador 9.13 (67) def. by Broadbeach 9.17 (71) #40 Bodhi Uwland (Broadbeach) Quarter-by-quarter: Q1 Looking to make good on his call-up from the Reserves, Uwland started brightly with his most productive quarter in terms of pure numbers. He was stationed in a familiar defensive post but roamed high up the field, tracking his opponent and taking up aggressive positions behind the ball. A capable intercept marker, Uwland was sometimes caught out when looking to intercept, running under the ball as the seniors moved it a touch further and more efficiently to start off. It meant he had to rove front and centre at times, rather than flying for marks. One of his forays up the ground ended in a score, as Uwland snuck free in the corridor to mark uncontested, before moving straight on and unleashing a shot with bounced over the back for a behind. He looked to use that booming kick up the other end too, launching a kick-in to half-back with good penetration. Uwland was overall quite effective with his ball use, notching three kicks and two handballs including one breach of either arc to showcase his ability to impact on the attack. Q2 The second quarter was easily Uwland’s most quiet, as essentially all of his work was done without the footy. He again tracked the play all the way up to his attacking half and helped set a high line for Broadbeach’s defensive press, but could have been a touch more urgent on the way back. Uwland did make some better follow-up efforts as the term wore on though, laying tackles which interrupted a couple of quick Labrador breaks in transition. In a ball winning sense, that reaction-based movement meant he saw less of it, despite working into space on the outer. Q3 Uwland came back relatively well in term three after a quiet second quarter, picking up four kicks, two marks, and a couple of rebound 50s as his booming kick came to the fore from defence. He positioned a little deeper and was made to do some defensive chasing, including one effort to pressure Pearce Hanley inside defensive 50 which showed he was warming well to the finals intensity. His two marks were taken uncontested, but Uwland looked to move the ball on quickly with one, kicking laterally to the wing, while the other was sent long down the line to a contest. Uwland got similar meterage with another kick-in and overall produced a handy period of play as Broadbeach fought off Labrador’s run of play. Q4 Uwland again did not see as much of the ball as Broadbeach got back on top for the win, but he popped up with an absolutely clutch tackle late in the piece. He also finally got a good run at the aerial ball, launching in packs to impact a couple of opposition set shots which fell short. His highlight for the day was the aforementioned tackle, which may well have been a goalsaving one at half-back as Labrador surged through the corridor and looked to be headed deep inside 50. With his couple of disposals, Uwland was again effective and played the percentages, rounding out a promising performance as the Cats held on for a spot in the decider.
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