Four born and bred Queenslanders have been named in the initial squad for the AFL Players Association’s (AFLPA) Snaffle 22Under22 Team of the Decade.
It has been 10 years since the first fan-voted 22Under22 team was announced at the 2013 AFLPA MVP Awards. Coinciding with this milestone and the AFLPA’s 50th anniversary, the players’ union has opened voting to the public for the 22Under22 Team of the Decade.
Harris Andrews from Aspley Hornets, Keidean Coleman from Morningside, Eric Hipwood from Caloundra and former Southport Shark Rory Thompson have been selected alongside eight other Brisbane Lions players and seven Gold Coast SUNS.
All-Australian key defender Andrews was recruited from Aspley in the 2014 AFL Draft and named the NAB AFL Rising Star Nominee in 2015. That same year former NEAFL Hornet Hipwood was drafted. Fellow Lion and former Panther Coleman was picked up in the 2019 AFL Draft.
Thompson is the longest-serving Gold Coast SUNS player, having been with the club since the 2009 TAC Cup season as an 18-year-old. The former Shark was one of just four local players from the Gold Coast region selected for the inaugural 2011 squad. He went on to play 106 games across 12 seasons before injury forced him to retire at the end of last season.
SUNS teammates Noah Anderson, Wil Powell, David Swallow, Jarrod Witts, Brandon Ellis, Ben King and Jack Lukosius are also eyeing a spot in the exclusive team.
Former Gold Coast co-captain, Steven May, who came through the SUNS program from the Northern Territory, is also nominated.
The Gold Coast SUNS have had the most players selected over the last decade with 25 nominations while the Lions sit ninth overall with 13 players.
This year’s Lions contingent includes Brandon Starcevich, Hugh McCluggage, Zac Bailey, Conor McKenna, Joe Daniher, Lachie Neale, Jack Gunston and Josh Dunkley.
Fans have the opportunity to shape the final team of 22 by heading to vote.22under22.com.au and selecting their team. Voting opened today, Monday 20 February, and closes at midnight on March 1, 2023.
The final team will be announced on 9 March by the AFLPA.
