An outstanding junior squad will represent St Augustine’s College, at the AFLQ Schools Cup finals this week. Find out more about the team, and how to watch the competition here
They both won junior AFL Cairns grand finals for Saints, but Will Derrington and Noah Cockerell are determined to bring home more silverware before the year is up.
The duo form part of the gun junior squad assembled by St Augustine’s College, who will travel to the Sunshine Coast tomorrow for the AFLQ Schools Cup finals.
St Augustine’s smashed the competition locally and at the North Queensland Championship games at Mackay, and this premiership-winning duo is itching to take on the tough competition from the south.
The junior side will face Mountain Creek State High at 4.15pm, with the winner going through to Sunday morning’s grand final.
Aaron Hume, who coached the side during their Junior School Sport clash with St Andrews yesterday, said he expected the side to go well.
“Both teams are in with a really good opportunity to go all the way with this competition if they play their best, keep everything together and listen to their coach and senior players,” he said.
The team beat Townsville’s Ignatius Park College by 11 points in the NQ final.
“We played well down at Mackay, so we’re pretty confident,” Cockerell, who will slot into the back line, said. “This team has a few good players.”
Derrington said the side expected tougher contests on the ball, as well as a much faster game than what they’ve been used to in the Far North.
“Physicality will probably be a big thing, because they’re bigger boys,” Derrington said.
“Speed with the ball, it will be a lot quicker too. We just have to play our game and not get sucked into what they’re doing.”
The Cairns Post will livestream the AFLQ Schools Cup, with all games on Field 1 to be shown live at www.cairnspost.com.au.
