By Beth Newman
10 Days to go until the State Triple Header, headlined by the QAFL v VAFA match. Here are 10 reasons to get around it:
1. A chance to beat a powerhouse
The headline match – the QAFL v VAFA – will give our Queenslanders an opportunity to prove themselves against the premier amateur competition in the country. They’ve had some extra training and they’ve already played a match, so it will be a test, no doubt. This will give players and fans a chance to see where we’re at and take some bragging rights away from those pesky southerners.
2. Regular rivals will come together
One of the beautiful things about rep footy is that the best from every team come together. Players who would normally line up against each other are suddenly on the same side, working together for one goal.
3. The Q is back.
Victoria has the ‘Big V’, SA the red, gold and navy, WA the black swan, and now Queensland returns to the Q. The symbol represents so much about Queensland footy and every player will relish the opportunity to pull it on. It harks back to Queensland’s history and also heralds a new area of representative football. The QAFL team is the only senior rep team to wear the jumper, and it should mean a lot to each man out there.
4. Talent at all levels being recognised
There is a rich history of representative football in Queensland, but rarely before have so many players had the chance to don a representative jumper, be it for the QAFL or one of the North or South Queensland sides. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with players and coaches speaking of how much it means to them. In particular for some of the South Queensland players, who have travelled hours just to be a part of the training program.
5. See history being made
The women’s all-star match will see the selection of the first Queensland women’s team to play a standalone game outside of the National Championships. Normally, these years are “off” years, but now our talented women will fight it out to participate in a June 21 double header in Tasmania, a curtain raiser to the NEAFL v TSL match. Queensland will be taking its best players and they will all be on show at Burpengary.
6. See AFL players in action
Four of the women in the All-Star match will be lining up at Etihad Stadium on June 29, for whether the Western Bulldogs or Melbourne. These women are not just the best in our state, but some of the best footballers in the country, and they rarely get the spotlight. This match will be key in their preparation for that match, and there’s no doubt that Emily Bates, Leah Kaslar, Emma Zielke and Tayla Harris will be out to continue to improve their standing.
7. Footy on a long weekend
The Queen’s Birthday weekend is one everyone looks forward to, splitting the year in two, but with beach weather long gone, it’s always hard to find something to do. A full day of footy addresses that problem with ease, and after a great day of footy, you’ve still got a whole day of weekend left.
8. Queensland in the spotlight.
The QAFL game will be live streamed and there are no other senior matches in the South-East on that day, putting Queensland’s top community footballers in the middle of the action. There are few chances for the maroon to take centre stage, so it should be a massive deal.
9. State footy in Queensland
This is the only senior representative match on the Queensland footy calendar this year, with NEAFL matches in NSW and Tasmania. Rep footy only comes around once a year, so it’s worth getting excited for.
10. It’s free!
What other reason do you need? Three games of high quality rep footy, all for free. Hard to find much better value than that.
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