20 Bundaberg soccer players to watch
They’re the region’s best and most skilled players. The NewsMail takes a look at 20 of the region’s incredible footballers and what drives them to be their best. See the list:
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Football - it’s one of the region’s most popular sports that has spawned some amazing players through the decades.
We take a look at 30 of the region’s local players who are at the top of their game.
Dylan Leggett
Waves Men‘s Captain Dylan Leggett has been playing many seasons in the region, with many matches to his name.
Leggett‘s amazing work on the field has landed him in the position of captain for one of Bundaberg’s biggest clubs.
Hayley Millard
Hayley Millard is a force to be reckoned with.
The United Park Eagles player helped take out Bingera in a 4-2 win earlier this month.
Her performance was so stunning, her club termed her “outstanding”, saying she held defence for the entire game, earning her player of the match.
Ethan Bailey
Ethan Bailey scored 2022 Player of the Year for under-13s in his club ATW.
No doubt we'll be seeing more from this young champion.
Kijah Stephenson
Kiyah started her career in Bundaberg, playing with Diggers at just four years‘ old.
She then moved on to Aston Villa and travelled twice a week to the Sunshine Coast to join the Fire in the NPL.
By 15, she‘d moved to Brisbane to join the Brisbane Roar youth set up where she played multiple seasons.
In 2020, she was nominated at for the FQ Young Footballer of the Year award.
Brisbane City FC described Kijah as “a young talent every club wants”.
She has just signed with Brisbane Roar.
Gary O’Donnell
Bingera FC player Gary O’Donnell knows all about the love of football - he hails from Ireland.
Born in England and moving to Bundaberg three years ago, the 36-year-old has shown himself to be an impressive asset to his club.
He’s currently in his third season with the club.
In his first season, he was joint-top-scorer, in his second, he hit 44 goals and in 2022 he’s in the top position for goals.
It was during O’Donnell’s second season that he was selected as part of the Wide Bay select side against Brisbane Roar.
O’Donnell says he’s been “kicking a ball” since he was seven or eight, and enjoys playing on the Aussie fields that are a little less muddy than those in his home country.
Bingera is celebrating 100 years in 2022.
“I’m from Ireland and was brought up playing football my whole life, I’m just shy of scoring 100 goals for bingera in just under three seasons and I would like to give a massive thanks to all the players in the team that have been creating chances for me over the years,” O’Donnell said.
“ I’m top goal scorer in the wide bay this season and I got selected to play against A-league side Brisbane Roar last season.”
Bowie Young
Under-15s champ Bowie Young took the 2022 ATW FQPL gong for Players Player.
Another young local talent to watch.
Michael Stayte
Michael Stayte has scored nine goals in 13 games this season, but has been a regular top five goalscorer in this league for over the last 10 seasons.
“I’ve been playing for 27 years now, obviously I play a team sport so a lot of my achievements have been because of the teams I’ve played in, winning multiple comps and cups and a undefeated season in there,” he said.
“Have won a couple golden boots.”
Stayte had some winning advice for youngsters in sport.
“Make sure you work hard practice and have as much fun as you can!” he said.
Lachlan Young
Under-15s star Lachlan Young took the 2022 ATW FQPL gong for Player of the Year and no doubt will be one to watch.
Tayla Zielke
Tayla Zielke is a natural star when it comes to football.
Not only has she won the Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Women’s 2022 Women’s Golden Boot and Player of the Year, but she’s a much respected member of her club, Across the Waves, too.
Josh Brillante
Josh Brillante is one of Bundaberg‘s most well-known success stories in football and sport in general.
Currently 29, Brillante was named captain of Melbourne Victory ahead of the 2021/22 season.
In his younger years, he played with the Waves, Bundaberg Spirit, Queensland Academy of Sport Men‘s Football Program and Gold Coast United.
From there, he went on to carry out stints with the Newcastle Jets, ACF Fiorentina, Loan to Empoli, Loan to Como, Sydney FC, Melbourne City and Xanthi.
Brillante was also chosen for the 2018 world cup in Russia.
Mason Enkelmann
Mason Enkelmann is kicking goals for a young lad.
The young champ will certainly be one to watch after receiving a Players Player award from his club Across the Waves, in the under-13s category.
The young gun has a wonderful football future on the horizon.
The under-15s gong went to fellow champ Riley Dexter.
Mitch Langerak
Mitch Langerak is another Bundaberg champ who made it big on the world scene.
Now aged 34, Langerak played for the Bundaberg Waves between 2003 and 2005.
His career would go on to span clubs including VfB Stuttgart, Nagoya Grampus and the Socceroos.
Patrick McMahon
Patrick McMahon is an up-and-coming champ to watch.
At 17, he was the only player from Wide Bay to gain selection in the Queensland Schoolboys team allowing him to head off to the Nationals in Sydney.
He plays in the Wide Bay FQPL team for Bingera.
Cooper Lloyd
Bundaberg’s Cooper Lloyd eats, sleeps and breathes the sport he loves, football.
So much so that his room is littered with football items from the football bean bag he is sitting on in the photo, football-themed light globes, and his bed and floor littered with football stuff.
And now, he is excelling at the game.
In 2020, he started playing for the Wide Bay Buccaneers under-9s after a dominant year of football and futsal.
The young champ has scored many a goal.
Madison Masterman-Smith
Women‘s soccer captain Madison Masterman-Smith has been playing up a storm on the field.
Recently playing in the Wide Bay North Division 1 Women‘s, she’s got a long list of games under her belt.
In 2012, she scored a massive 11 goals in one match playing in the Bundaberg Under-16s Girls.
Tariq Munkayilar
Tariq Munkayilar scored a massive 29 goals to take the 2022 Golden Boot award for under-13s.
He players for ATW.
Certainly a stunning player to keep an eye on.
Taylor Summer
Taylor Summer has been termed a “superstar no matter what she does on the field”.
Her club, United Park Eagles, named her Referee of the Month in July and her club had many a kind word to say about her.
“Taylor is a committed first year referee always accepting appointments, taking feedback on board and has progressed her skills rapidly, now assisting on senior matches,” they said.
Matthew Grima
Under-15s star for ATW Matthew Grima managed 22 goals to earn his Golden Boot trophy.
No doubt young Matthew will be another top player to watch in the coming years.
Ethan Christensen
Another 2022 ATW awards winner is Ethan Christensen.
The young star is the under-15s recipient of the Player of the Year trophy and no doubt has a bright sporting future ahead.
Ruby Rowlands
Ruby Rowlands is a top scorer in every sense.
The United Park Eagles Football Club champ this year received the Football Queensland Women‘s Goalkeeper of the Year award for 2022.
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