Bond University QAFLW 2024 season preview: Key recruits, rising stars, coaches aims and so much more
On the eve of the 2024 Bond University QAFLW season, competition head coaches have uncovered their season aims, fresh faced recruits, players to watch and their side’s competitive edge. Read the full preview and have your say.
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With the first bounce looming, every Bond University QAFLW head coach has uncovered their off-season takeaways, list changes, season aims and key players to watch this season.
Round one will be played on April 6 with the regular season running until July 27 and the grand final to take centre stage on August 24.
Eight clubs will vie for the 2024 premiership flag across 12 regular season matches.
This season will also welcome four new head coaches across the league.
Ahead of round one the Courier Mail and Gold Coast Bulletin sports teams caught up with each side’s head coach to find out how pre-season had gone, their 2024 competition aims and which players they believe are ones to keep an eye on.
Bond University
Head coach: Andy Lovell
2023 result: Premiers
Unfortunately head coach Andy Lovell was unable to be reached for comment prior to the time of publishing.
Aspley
Head coach: Luke Glacken
2023 result: Runners Up
In just three seasons the Hornets have risen from a winless 2020 campaign to grand finalists in 2023.
Now the brown and gold are looking to go a step further.
“The squad has returned with real purpose in 2024 and weren’t scared to get their hands dirty in the off season,” Glacken said.
“The program has gone up a level and its created a healthy competition on the track which has translated into a higher standard of football.”
Biggest win: “The attitude of the players has undisputedly been our biggest win. We’ve come back united and determined, with every player challenging and lifting one another up. It’s a very exciting place to be at the moment. The whole group is really getting the best out of one another.”
Biggest Loss: No comment.
Players to watch:
- Louise Tyson and Jaimie Bryant: Coach Glacken said Tyson and Bryant had been two standouts in the pre-season. ‘Their speed and ferocity at the football has been unparalleled’.
- Emma Pittman, Jasmine Kawa and Tiarna Ernst: Three experienced players with a high level of football IQ. Glacken said they had been phenomenal on the track with regards to their leadership and ability to set the tone during training.
Why they’ll be competitive: “The Hornets have put in the hard work and added an extra dimension to our program from last year. The girls and the coaching staff have worked hard and raised the standard of the entire program- both on and off the field. We are tempering our expectations for 2024 and keeping our minds fixed on the next week rather than what the end outcome may look like. With an attitude and a work ethic like this, we feel the results should take care of themselves.”
Southport
Head coach: Peter Doherty
2023 result: Third
The Sharks enter the 2024 season as ‘leading contenders’ once again, but after a preliminary final loss left a sour taste in their mouth they face arguably their biggest test.
The Sharks only dropped one game last season, finishing 8 points clear at the end of the regular season, but lost both finals matches that saw them exit in straight sets.
This season is closer than ever with a handful of sides that can go all the way and head coach Peter Doherty liked what he saw in pre-season.
“I am really pleased with the body of work we have completed during the pre-season,” he said.
“We have had strong numbers in each session, which enabled us to build conditioning loads, develop skill bases, and work on ball movement and game plans.”
Biggest win: “The pre-season camp was outstanding. We took 54 athletes to North Stradbroke Island with the plan to work, have fun and get to know each other better. The group embraced the challenges, showed resilience, established Trademarks for the group and had a lot of laughs.”
Biggest Loss: “Undoubtedly, last year’s best and fairest winner Georgia Breward rupturing her ACL in a practice match has been the biggest setback. Georgia is a quality human, and it was so disappointing for her and the group to learn of the damage to her knee. She is a big loss for our group, one we must overcome.”
Players to watch:
- Dakota Barron: Tipped to add plenty of flair and excitement to the Sharks forward line,
- Georgia Davies: Ready to take her aerial game to another level after some highlight plays in 2023.
Why they’ll be competitive: “It is always difficult as we head into round one, not knowing the opposition and the work they may have done on and off the field. Aspley easily accounted for us in a practice match to show they will continue from last year, however I firmly believe that we improved as a group last year and will need to continue as we have fallen short of the competition’s best.”
Coorparoo
Head coach: Rory Lake
2023 result: Fourth
Incoming Coorparoo coach is former club premiership player Rory Lake who will undergo his first season in women’s football.
Lake played more than 100 games with the Kings before he took over as their senior men’s coach from 2015 to 2019.
“With a new coaching staff on-board we have spent the majority of our time rolling out our new ‘game style’ in the pre-season,” he said.
“We have done a lot of scenario based work and educating the players on how we want to move the ball or defend in certain parts of the ground and so on.
“It’s been a big change for the team, but we really can’t fault the girls for their efforts to take it all on-board and go out there and try and execute it.”
Biggest win: “I’ve been really pleased with the coaching team that we have been able to build, they have done a great job. That has been led by Leigh Harding who has come on-board as the Senior Assistant coach and we have also been able to recruit some players who will compliment some of the areas that we identified we needed some extra depth in. With the players in general, I knew from the outside that we had a great bunch within the group but now working with them closely they have blown me away with how much energy they bring, how competitive they are and how much they want to learn and get better every session.”
Biggest Loss: “As a new coach in the women’s space a lot of this is all unknown for me. I come in without many preconceived ideas about our playing group and our opposition. I know a little about our opposition and how they play etc but for most of this pre-season it’s been about just focusing on ourselves and trying to get the best out of our group. Whilst we have recruited well, we have had a high turnover of our list due to a variety of reasons.”
Players to watch:
- Ajla Fetahagic, Bonnie Farrell, Lucy Schneider and Jess Watts: We’re all key standouts last season and from all reports, have impressed again in the off-season.
- Chelsea Chesterfield: A player that had a solid year in 2023 but looks primed to take the next step this year. A big one to keep an eye on.
Why they’ll be competitive: “The women’s side at Coorparoo has always been a competitive bunch. Ever since I was watching them when I was involved with the male program they have always brought that competitiveness. They are really united and want to work hard for one another.”
University of Queensland
Head coach: Ross Clayfield
2023 result: Fifth
Losing more than 20 players in the 2022/23 off-season was always going to make things tough for UQ and the mass exodus meant it was the first time since becoming back-to-back premiers that they missed out on a finals spot.
Despite the large player turnover and their slow start to the year, Clayfield inspired his side to a four game win streak at the back end of the season.
Now they’ve managed to retain a number of their core group and head into 2024 with plenty of optimism.
“We’ve had a really consistent group together since the end of last year,” Clayfield said.
“We’ve brought in some new faces and some new ideas and we’re feeling quietly confident heading into the season.”
Biggest win: “I’m incredibly proud that we have a very consistent group of coaches that have stuck together over the past four seasons. I also feel appreciative to have some incredible leaders at the club who are committed to ensuring that the group develops genuine care and empathy for each other.”
Biggest Loss: “Whilst we’re super excited for Ava Seton and Brooke Sheridan, who are chasing their football dreams in the VFLW, we will definitely miss them around the club this year. Both are quality humans and quality footballers.”
Players to watch:
- Jessi Henning: Was a standout last season down back and will no doubt provide a significant presence in defence and in the ruck again.
- Lucy McCormick: Is another key defender but is ready to take the next step with her career as an athletic standout on both sides of the ball.
- Jane Childs: After a cruel ACL injury Childs is ready to put her best foot forward and provide a leading contact and communication point for her side this season.
- Gabi Simpson, Laura Clemesha, Bridey Condren and Monique Piutni: A handful of new netball recruits that are expected to add plenty of polish on and off the field.
Why they’ll be competitive: “Definitely feel that we’ve grown our depth across both seniors and reserves. We’ve maintained the bulk of our senior list from last season and we’ve added a series of quality mature players as well as three new young Brisbane Lions Academy players to compliment our already young and exciting list.”
Wilston Grange
Head coach: Phil Tonkin
2023 result: Sixth
Wilston Grange picked up five wins and nine losses last season but have held onto almost as many players as possible and new head coach Phil Tonkin will take over in 2024 after previously serving as the senior assistant coach.
Biggest win: “Definitely player retention. We’ve hung onto over 90 per cent of our senior squad from last year and then gained on top of that too which is excellent. It’s a good review of where we’re at as a club.”
Biggest Loss: “Our captain last year Chloe Litherland isn’t available due to her getting her ACL rehabilitation back on track. It’s a real shame but hopefully we can cover her in her absence.”
Players to watch:
- Keyshia Matenga: Was solid in the pre-season but has risen to another level in the Gorilla’s three practice matches. Has a fantastic overhead mark, finds space at the contest and is a good user of the ball.
- Taneka Dhadlie: Has transitioned from Mt Gravatt junior footy and has been labelled as an incredible utility player by her new coach Phil Tonkin. Brings plenty of energy and passion in her first year of senior footy.
Why they’ll be competitive: “Everyone is playing for one another. We’re a team that’s come back, built well and have got that real buy-in from the entire squad. They all know each other in and out which has built good unity and should get us to a few places later in the season.”
Maroochydore
Head coach: Paul Magher
2023 result: Seventh
Magher comes to the club with a long relationship with Aussie rules and most recent coaching stints at Redland Victoria Point and St Mary’s in Darwin.
“We started pre-season mid-November with good numbers, a lot of new recruits both locally, interstate and some that are now attending the university which has always been a nice breeding ground for us,” he said.
“There’s also a few girls on the rise that are from other local clubs that don’t compete in the QAFLW such as Noosa, Caloundra and Hinterland.”
Biggest win: “I’d say our high performance strength and conditioning coach Shannon Tucker has been keeping the girls very fit and getting them adjusted to the season without it becoming a burden. So his experience mixed with a few of our new exciting recruits have been the standouts for me during the pre-season.”
Biggest Loss: “It’s the unknown for me. I can’t say I paid a heap of attention to the competition last year, my eye was on it and I know who the top teams are and where everyone else was situated but there’s still areas that I need to get on top of as quickly as possible. We want to develop and build our women’s program like the top clubs have, I know that’s not going to happen overnight but I am bullish in the youth that we have at the club.”
Players to watch:
- Sara-Jane O’Grady: Was the club’s best and fairest winner last season, made the Bond University QAFLW team of the year as a key defender and has carried that form into the pre-season.
- Ellen Hopkins: Is a tall, key attacking weapon that found the scoresheet on a number of occasions for a Sunshine Coast division one side. Is now wanting to test herself at the top state level and has shown promise so far.
- Jesse McMillan: Another new recruit from Caloundra who kicked 37 goals and finished in the best player votes on seven occasions from her 11 matches.
Why they’ll be competitive: “I think we’re going to be a good team. We’re not a team of superstars, we need to gel together and use everyone’s key skill sets to the best of their ability. We can put a program together, play good team footy that might not be pretty but it’ll be competitive against some of the top teams.”
Yeronga
Head coach: Stuart Mackay
2023 result: Wooden Spoon
After a year off, Mackay has stepped back into the limelight in 2024 after previously serving as the assistant and head coach of the Yeronga Bond UniversityQAFLW side.
He said despite his time away from the club, he couldn’t shake the feeling of ‘unfinished business’.
“The relationships that I had developed with the existing Yeronga players for many years and also my own personal motivation of providing a genuine player pathway for emerging female talent in the south western side of Brisbane,” he said.
“The squads unity and understanding how each individual benefits the team and how they all can make an impact has been great to watch as it’s developed throughout the pre-season.
“We have had more than 25 new players join our group as well as four new coaches.”
Biggest win: “The existing Yeronga players have a fresh new outlook on how they can have a positive impact both on and off the field. With 25 plus new transfers to the group we are in a great position to take on the 2024 season.”
Biggest Loss: “Our biggest unknown would be our and others expectations. We go into the season knowing we are a competitive squad that will respect the opposition with a team first mentality and as a squad we will continue improving always.
Players to watch:
- Charlotte Millen: Has been dedicated all pre-season and has been pushing for mid field minutes. Mackay said it was also encouraging to see her setting team standards and upholding the squad values on and off the field.
Why they’ll be competitive: “None of our new players are from another QAFLW club, many are from the under-17s from last year and a few experienced footballers from interstate. We have had a huge surge of under-20 aged footballers this year and with the experienced heads it’s a great combination and extremely exciting, not only for Yeronga this year but for the years to come.”
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