Brisbane Lions move into rugby league heartland
Brisbane Lions establish historic foothold in a traditional Qld rugby league region that Carlton coach and Lions premiership legend Michael Voss once called it home. Revealed here.
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The Brisbane Lions have established a historic foothold in traditional rugby league heartland country as it looks to tap into the bludging sporting rich Logan region.
Mabel Park SHS will be the Lions launching pad into opening up the code to the region’s vast sporting catchment which includes a large Polynesian community which traditionally follows the likes of Queensland State of Origin great Josh Papalii into rugby league.
The city has produced recent Queensland sporting icons like Cameron Smith (rugby league), Israel Folau (rugby and league), current Wallaby Jordan Petaia, Olympic medallists Mollie O’Callaghan (swimming), Logan Martin (BMX) and Ashley Moloney (athletics) - and now the Lions want its slice of the sporting talent which can be found in most streets of the city which is just south of Brisbane.
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Brisbane Lions AFLW star Courtney Hodder has been employed as a Student Support Officer at Mabel Park SHS at Slacks Creek, while the Mabel SHS playing grounds will be used as a general training base for budding Aussie rules players.
“The Logan region and the school especially is a big rugby (league) school so I am doing some talent ID, and seeing if we can find people in cross code sports and get them into our Academy and one day play both rugby (league) and AFL,’’ Hodder said.
She said developing talent in its backyard was part of the Brisbane Lions charter. The Lions were now based at Springfield in the Ipswich City Council region, but just a 15 minute drive from Logan.
“At the moment at the Lions, we have people coming from all over and we just want to build from the talent we already have in the Brisbane region and Logan region, searching near more so than far,’’ Hodder said.
Hodder said she was aware Logan was a diverse multicultural community and she would love to see boys and girls from all backgrounds try the sport.
Girls’ participation in a code which was previously the domain of boys is booming thanks to the Streetsmart Queensland Schools Cup which engages schoolboys and girls from across the state each year.
“I hope we can slowly get more girls involved,’’ Hodder said.
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Logan already has a strong and proud Australian football community with the likes of the Springwood Pumas, Park Ridge Pirates AFC and QFA powerhouse Beenleigh Buffaloes among the flag bearers for the code.
The region also produced arguably Queensland’s greatest ever player, Lions legend and current Carlton coach Michael Voss (Trinity College, Beenleigh), and a host of other elite players including:
Alex Sexton (Suns): He played at Springwood AFC which is just 2km from Mabel Park SHS and who has now played over 100 games for the Suns.
Jesse Wardlaw (Brisbane Lions AFLW): Of Maori heritage, the Lions goal sneak attended school just down the road from Mabel Park SHS (John Paul College) where she was an elite netballer.
Nathan Colenso (Morningside): The son of former Collingwood player Andy Colenso who has been a driving force at the Park Ridge Pirates, Colenso is an outstanding player in the QAFL who has been signed by Williamstown VFL for 2023.
Riley Greene (Sherwood): Another Park Ridge Pirates junior who plays the house down for Sherwood in the QAFL.
Cooper Anderson: The versatile Labrador AFC forward is a Beenleigh junior who kicked goals for fun in the QAFL.
Dakota Baron (Suns, Yeronga AFC): The 15-year-old from Park Ridge SHS is a Suns Academy player who made the All Australian under 15s this season. She is athletic, tall with strong hands overhead who can play ruck/forward.
Ryan Gilder (Lions, Calamvale JAFC, Sherwood JAFC): While technically not from Logan, the under 16 Brisbane Lions Academy representative hails from the Calamvale leopards which is spitting distance from the Logan City Council boundary. A student at Calamvale Community College, Gilder is also an outstanding volleyball player.
Tommy Hurst: From the Park Ridge Pirates Hurst, 20, will be a strong contender for the club’s senior B&F award for a second time after another outstanding year.
Rieley Halasz: A 19-year-old forward from Park Ridge, Halasz had another great year at senior level and was a reliable goal kicker.
Andrew Sorbello: Sorbello is a 17-year-old from Park Ridge Pirates who has now played two years of senior footy and is a regular in the side who keeps improving every game.
Nicole Christian: Christian was runner-up to Kimber (Beenleigh Buffaloes B and F award) and was also the Players player of the season and the leading goal kicker.
Rookies on the rise at Beenleigh include players like Kimberley Luck, Rhett Griffin, Emily Veivers, Kori Åkerlind and David Stray.
Che Kimber: Kimber was the Beenleigh senior women’s best and fairest winner who, while being a key backline player, plays all over the ground.
Park Ridge Pirates spiritual leader Andrew Colenso said he welcomed the Lions decision to establish a foothold in the region.
“This just goes to show that they have identified the talent in this area and want to encapsulate it via the schools,’’ he said.
“As the Lions and Suns have more success, I can only see AFL growing in this region.’’
Colenso said the Lions were on a winner working in the Logan region.
“Having started Park Ridge Pirates some 13 years ago, I am amazed at the rich talent that has and is still emerging in the Logan area,’’ Colenso said.
“After watching years of junior and youth footy during this time as well as fair amount of school footy, I have witnessed some terrific kids in the region.’’
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