For these athletes there where triumphs, big improvements, opportunities to shine on the big stage and heartbreaking injuries.

Mahalia Cassidy

AGE: 23

SUBURB: Murrumba Downs

SPORT: Netball

CLUB: Queensland Firebirds

The Pine Rivers Netball Association product debuted for the Queensland Firebirds in 2015 and had her first official season with the team in 2016. Coach Roselee Jencke said in 2016 Cassidy was “a really gutsy, determined, never-say-die player and has all the attributes the Diamonds will be looking for one day very, very soon”. Cassidy suffered a pre season knee injury before the 2017 season, which was to be her breakout season, and did not return to the court until 2018. She starred for the Firebirds in 2018, and is looking to “continue to improve my game and my confidence on court”. “And win a premiership with the Birdies in 2019,” Cassidy said.

Liam Taylor

AGE: 20

SUBURB: Murrumba Downs

SPORT: Baseball

CLUB: Redcliffe Leagues Padres

Taylor, who played in the Padres’ Major A side in 2016 and got a call-up to the Brisbane Bandits as a development player. At the time Padres baseball operations manager Brendan Vassallo said he was a “good, young, up-and-coming” player with a big future. Taylor secured a position at Kansas Independence Community College in the United States in 2017 and played a year with that college before transferring to North Iowa Area Community College for his sophomore year.

Kirrily Siebenhausen

AGE: 18

SUBURB: Fitzgibbon

SPORT: Swimming

CLUB: Rackley Swimming

Siebenhausen won silver in the 16 years girls 100m freestyle at the Queensland championships in December 2016 and also won bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii. Coach Damien Jones said Siebenhausen had “a very, very big future in the sport”. In 2017, Siebenhausen made the Australian team for the World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis; she was part of the 4x100m relay team that finished fifth. She also made her first open final at the Australian Short Course Championships; finishing 7th in the 50m freestyle. In 2019, Siebenhausen will compete at the national championships in April, and the world championship trials mid year.

Jacob Anderson

AGE: 21

SUBURB: Stafford

SPORT: Hockey

CLUB: Pine River St Andrews

Anderson, who debuted for the Queensland Blades in 2016 and scored three goals, has excelled since. The Mackay product won a silver medal with the Blades in the 2017 Australian Hockey League, and won the Sultan of Johor Cup tournament in Malaysia with the Australian Under-21 team in the same year. In 2018, helped Pine Rivers St Andrews Hockey Club qualify for its first Brisbane Hockey League grand final since 1975, won gold with the Blades in the AHL, made his debut for the Australian Kookaburras against Argentina in Darwin in September, and scored his first international goal in Australia’s 5-2 win over Malaysia in Darwin at the tournament. Anderson, who has been named in the national senior men’s squad for 2019, said his aim was the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said he was “a good striker who can play midfield”, adding he was “a good player for the future”.

Taylor Brown

AGE: 25

SUBURB: Mango Hill

SPORT: Rugby league

CLUB: Redcliffe Dolphins

The talented front rower was looking to play consistent Intrust Super Cup in 2017, which was his fourth season with the club, and was keen to win a top tier premiership. He is ready to impress in 2019 after a 2018 plagued by injury. Brown featured seven times in the BRL team in 2018, after surgery on a broken foot before the season started. After months of rehabilitation, he got back on the field only to re-injure the same foot leading him again to the surgeon’s table. Brown worked hard to get back and finished the season with a BRL grand final appearance. Intrust Super Cup coach Adam Mogg said it was not that long ago that Taylor was one of the best players on the field at Suncorp Stadium in 2016 when the club played Burleigh in the Intrust Super Cup grand final. “Browny was one of our best that day so we know he is a handful at ISC level which is why we are glad he is back,” Mogg said. “Hopefully a bit of luck with injury this season and he will be a valuable asset to the top squad.”

Joseph Champness

AGE: 21

SUBURB: Joyner

SPORT: Football

CLUB: Newcastle Jets

ABOUT: The forward was one of Brisbane Roar’s young guns at the beginning of 2017, on the cusp of playing A League. The former Albany Creek Excelsior junior and Moreton Bay United player trained with the A League side during pre season in 2016 and played for the National Youth League (NYL) side. Champness has since played for the Australian under-23 side and is now playing A League for Newcastle Jets; he is making his way back from a foot fracture he suffered in the pre-season.

Tayla Harris

AGE: 21

HAILS FROM: Cashmere

SPORT: Australian football/boxing

CLUB: Carlton

In 2017 Harris was the Brisbane Lions’ first marquee female player signed for the AFL National Women’s League. She said “it’s time to show everyone this is not a gimmick” at the time. The 2017 All Australian player, who moved from the Brisbane Lions to Carlton before the 2018 season, remains with Carlton for the 2019 AFLW season. Harris has also turned to professional boxing, and recently fought for the Australian middleweight title at Melbourne Pavilion, but failed to claim it with the bout finishing in a draw. She has since been named WBA Boxing No. 7 in the world.

Liam Wilson

AGE: 22

HAILS FROM: North Lakes

SPORT: Boxing

CLUB: All Star Boxing, Pine Rivers PCYC

Wilson, who hailed from Caboolture, was described by coach Ben Harrington as “next level” in 2017, when he aimed to make the Australian Commonwealth Games team. “He could be pound-for-pound the best boxer in the country,” Harrington said at the time. Fast forward to now, Wilson has competed at the Commonwealth Games and since turned professional. He boxed brilliantly in the main undercard to the Jeff Horn and Anthony Mundine clash at Suncorp Stadium to win the Australian super featherweight title in only his third professional bout. Wilson next wants to win a world title.