A dominant 10-goal performance by big forward Marty Pask has ensured the Suncoast Lions will play a virtual elimination in their final AFLQ qualifying round at Fisherman’s Road, Maroochydore next Sunday.

The Lions will play Mt Gravatt for fifth spot after both had big wins over the weekend.

The Vultures pounded Labrador on Saturday, while Suncoast brushed aside bottom team Redland by 86 points today.

Pask booted a remarkable 10.6 in the final three quarters as Suncoast swept to a 22.17 (149)-9.9 (63) victory.

In a thrilling finale to what has been one of the closest state league seasons on record, every side in the top six could change position next week.

The Lions sit outside the top five on percentage behind Mt Gravatt, although neither can finish higher than fifth, meaning they cannot claim home advantage in the first week of finals.

Southport, Zillmere, Morningside and Broadbeach could each finish first to fourth depending on the results of their games next week. The first two and the latter two sides respectively play each other.

Suncoast know all they have to do is win, and they built some good momentum in their game yesterday after a sluggish start.

The Lions had 11 listed players available this week, which made a big difference, particularly Pask.

Omitted from the senior side which was belted by Richmond the previous week, Pask didn’t drop his head and blew the game open with a dominant second quarter.

Redland had the better of the play early, but missed three gettable set shots in the opening five minutes. The club’s leading goalkicker Craig Millar was lively throughout, but he missed two of the initial shots.

The Lions led 3.3-0.4 at quarter time but were far from convincing.

Pask, who had been quiet in the opening term, burst through a pack, gave off a handball, took it back and goalled from 50m on the run to open the second term and send his team on their way.

The 21-year-old kicked 3.2 for the quarter as the Lions stretched their lead to 28 points at the main break, and was lively in the third term again, setting up several goals.

He put on a clinic in the last term, taking a string of big pack marks sandwiched between two and three Redland players, blasted 6.2 of his side’s 8.5 for the term.

Pask received good support from Wayde Mills, who played a kick behind the play as a ruckman early and then held strong at centre-half-back later in the game.

Triple premiership player Chris Johnson got better as the game wore on in his third straight game for Suncoast, while Mitch Clark played the first half of the opening two quarters.

The Sunshine Coast teenage contingent was not as prominent as they had been in recent weeks, with state under 16 player Justin Myers and Toowoomba 17-year-old Zac Chimes picking up the slack around their more season Lions counterparts.

Myers showed great skill by foot he kicked the goal of the day with a left-foot snap on the boundary from 45m running away from the goals.

Chimes, who with twin brother Mac has been a regular top-up player over the season, had his best game of the season.

He booted two third quarter goals, should have had a third, and set up Pask for two more in the final term.

In fact it was a good day for Toowoomba players, with Chimes acknowledged by the Lions coaching staff as one of their best, and Bomber Brad Howard easily his side’s best.

Howard had been playing locally until midway through the season, when he ventured down the range to help out the wooden spooners. He was still running strongly at the finish and showed just why he has been invited to the state testing prior to the November national draft.

Millar always looked dangerous and finished with 3.4 for the day. He beat a succession of opponents, although he had his hands full with Jayden Attard in the last quarter.

Attard had been in the thick of the action in an on-ball role and was constantly ferreting out handballs from the middle of packs to players in better position.

Scott Harding was also lively throughout, while the Lions took complete control in the second half when Chris Johnson moved onto the ball.

Scores:

Suncoast Lions, 3.3, 9.8, 14.12, 22.17 (149)
Redland, 1.4, 4.6, 6.8, 9.9 (63)
Goals, Lions: Pask 10, Z Chimes, C Johnson 2, Marchant, Harding, Fixter, Myers, M Clark, Attard, Hamill, Allan 1. Redland: Millar 3, Bell, Wartova, Dean, Wirth, Hackett, Howard.
Best, Lions: Pask, Mills, Attard, Harding, C Johnson Z Chimes.
Redland: Howard, Millar, Paxman, Wells, Campbell