South Queensland (SQ) will rely on a mix of new talent and experience when they take on North Queensland (NQ) in the upcoming Queensland representative clash.
AFL Queensland has today revealed the SQ squad list, which is headlined by former AFL, NEAFL and QAFL players, as well as decorated players from within the QFA, Darling Downs and Wide Bay ranks.
Community Football Manager Queensland, Barry Gibson, said it would be a different looking squad to the SQ team who’ve won the last four meetings.
“This year’s SQ squad somewhat represents a changing of the guard, as the team in years gone has been well represented by players from former QFA Division 1 heavyweights Noosa and Maroochydore, who are no longer eligible (due to now being in the QAFL),” he said.
“The squad boasts a good mix of experience and youth, which has proved to be a good nucleus of the team make up under coach Danny Craven over the past four games.”
The game will played as the curtain raiser ahead of the Round 13 Toyota AFL Premiership game between St Kilda and Adelaide Crows at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Saturday, 12th June.
Bolstering experience to the squad includes Springwood’s Rowan Page; the highly decorated QFA Division 1 player has won multiple league Best and Fairest Awards and played in SQ in the first iteration of the revamped series back in 2014, as well as 2018 and 2019.
Also from Springwood, Greg Friis returns to the squad having played in 2014.
Last year’s Best on Ground medal recipient in the QFA Division 2 South Grand Final, Zach Templeton from Kenmore is on the list, alongside Pine Rivers’ Liam Rutledge. Big things are expected from the key position player, who played over 50 QAFL games for Sandgate and a season in the NEAFL with Aspley.
New to Sandgate this year, former Melbourne Demons player Josh Wagner joins the squad.
Along with Mayne’s Jack Coghlan, former Aspley NEAFL player, and Caleb Brown, an experienced midfielder who played for SQ in 2014.
Darling Downs’ players Jono Leidig (South Toowoomba) and Thye Clarkson (Warwick) return to the squad, as does Wide Bay’s Matt Schlein (Bay Power) and Josh Wheeler (Bay Power).
One to watch, and new blood to the SQ squad is Zac Quinn from Mayne; the exciting athletic young player has emerged as a quality Division 1 player over the past two seasons and 2021 marks his first call up.
The North Queensland squad list will be announced next week, following this Friday night’s Genesis Health and Fitness Allstars Match at Cazalys Stadium.
SQ Squad List:
QFA DIV 1
MAYNE
Cameron Perkins
Zac Quinn
Caleb Brown
Jack Coghlan
Ryan Eyles
COORPAROO
Ben Lynch
Shayle Korander-Matheson
Brandyn Grenfell
Jack Lake
Jack Tomkinson
Jeremy Hirst
SPRINGWOOD
Rowan Page
Jai Kennealy
Greg Friis
CALOUNDRA
Jacob Watson
Brad Kimberley
Josh Keleher
Luca Mason
Max Jacobsen
BEENLEIGH
Jack James
Sean Goode
Callum Eddy
UQ
Jordan Williams
ASPLEY
Lachlan Sherwood
Finbar Delbridge
DIV 2 NORTH
IPSWICH
Jack Boston
KENMORE
Zach Templeton
Isaac Luhrs
PINE RIVERS
Coen Harker
Liam Rutledge
HINTERLAND
Jacob Knight
Dom Killworth
REDCLIFFE
Jaidon Patching
SANDGATE
Lachlan Marolla
Sam Lubke
Josh Wagner
DIV 2 SOUTH
BOND UNIVERSITY
Harry Ireland
Jaidon Pengelly
BURLEIGH
John Boxer
BYRON BAY
Declan Bevan
Will McBride
COOLANGATTA
Ryan Pantic
Josh Westerberg
Zach Westerberg
TWEED
Ethan Sekac
Conor McDowell
DARLING DOWNS LEAGUE
SOUTH TOOWOOMBA
Jono Leidig
WARWICK
Thye Clarkson
COOLAROO
Jayden Smith
WIDE BAY LEAGUE
BAY POWER
Matt Schlein
Josh Wheeler
ACROSS THE WAVES
Damian Mcrae
