Page 14 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW

FEMALE
FEMALE FOOTBALL ON THE RISE IN QUEENSLAND
Massive growth in 2012 has seen AFL become one of the fastest growing female sports in the country, and Queensland - with a combined increase of 332% across club, school, NAB AFL Auskick and Cadbury AFL 9s programs - is helping lead the way.
SEQ
The SEQ Women’s League welcomed Palm Beach Currumbin and Griffith Moorooka into the competition for season 2012. Both teams thrived, with Palm Beach Currumbin just missing out on a Preliminary Final position to a spirited Kedron. Yeronga proved too good for the second year in a row, taking Premiership honours over Zillmere in a thrilling match. Fifteen year old Tayla Harris from Zillmere Eagles was a standout, winning the Rising Star and best and fairest awards in her first year in Open Division.
CAPRICORNIA
AFL Capricornia Protector Alsafe Women’s League went to full capacity in 2012. Glenmore became the sixth club to join the league with all clubs in the region now fielding a women’s team. Gladstone took out the Premiership over Yeppoon in a curtain raiser to the men’s senior game with Katie Selhorst from the Gladstone Mudcrabs claiming the best and fairest award.
CAIRNS
AFL Cairns Women’s League braved the tropical heat of their Summer season to finish in March. North Cairns AFC won out, claiming bragging rights over Centrals at season end. Tigers’ Selina Goodman topped off a stellar season with a best and fairest medal.
YOUTH GIRLS
Youth Girls Football continues to boom with both the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast introducing Under 15 Youth Girls Club Competitions in 2012. Cairns relaunched their Under 16 Youth Girls Competition and Brisbane saw their Under 15 and Under 18 competitions continue to improve in numbers.
Popular 9-a-side primary school girls competition, the Carol Berry Cup, was renamed the Brisbane Lions Cup/Gold Coast Suns Cup (depending on region) and rolled out state-wide. This was
a fantastic step forward with the girls enjoying the intrastate competition at the same time as the boys. Caningeraba SS and Kruger SS won the Gold Coast Suns Cup and Brisbane Lions Cup respectively.
The Youth Girls Cup in South East Queensland was a big success with more schools competing in the secondary schools competition than ever before under the new format. Grace Lutheran College won the Junior Division with football heavy weights Mountain Creek SHS winning the Senior Division.
The Brisbane Lions Cup secondary school girls competition also expanded in some regions to incorporate the carnival day format into a six week competition. The 15-a-side competition in SEQ is one of the premier competitions for school girls with many going on to representative honours. Mountain Creek SHS continued their dominating run by winning both junior and senior division finals.
NAB AFL AUSKICK
Queensland continues to have strong female Auskick numbers with 6,300 girls playing in 2012, representing 25% of the Queensland total.
JULIA PRICE
FEMALE PROGRAMS MANAGER
10
2012 Year in Review