QAFL’s best footy back men in the business - colts, seniors
QAFL’s best footy back men in the business - colts, seniors - as finals’ fever grips the Australian football community.
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With finals’ fever having engulfed the colts and senior QAFL competition, we look at a group of players who are often the unsung heroes of teams.
They are the back men and defenders who not only prevent goals, but send possession rebounding up the other end of the field.
The competition is at the pointy end of the season, with the Palm Beach Currumbin colts awaiting the winner of this Saturday’s preliminary final between Maroochydore and Broadbeach, while in the seniors premiers Broadbeach await either Aspley or Redland-Victoria Point.
But from start to finish the back men have been critical to every team’s success
Here’s our tribute to the best in the business this season from both competitions.
RELATED LINKS
QAFL’S COLTS, SENIORS X-FACTOR PLAYERS OF 2022
QAFL’S MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS REVEALED HERE
COLTS
Palm Beach Currumbin
Luca La Verde
La Verde made his mark this season as a third tall, small forward defender who has had a terrific season.
He is excellent in one-on-one contests as well as knowing when to be the third man in and assist teammates.
Broadbeach
Cam Gillespie and Reagan Crees
Both men have been terrific for Broadbeach, with Gillespie’s composure and Crees’s defensive mindset a feature.
Sherwood
Owen Capling
A tall defender for the Magpies, he is absolutely elite one-on-one. Capling has an ability to attack the lines through overlap run while having elite foot skills to set up Sherwood’s attack.
Jack Gersekowski
Another tall down back, Gersekowski is a noted intercept marker in the colts competition.
He positions himself well around the ground and has a long, penetrating kick.
Wilston Grange
Riley Chugg, Hunter Easton and Aston Wilson
The Gorillas were fortunate to have this threesome on the defensive side of the ball. Nothing gets past Chugg who has been a key defender on the improvement each week.
Easton is the leader of the backline, an outstanding rebounding defender while Wilson plays well above his size while generating attacking opportunities.
Noosa
Tallis Buntain, Jed Bullman, Billy Bowes
Tallis Buntain is an intercepting defender who reads the ball well while Jed Bullman is a tough, tight marking defender who is fierce in the tackle.
Fullback Bowes is great overhead and is a good decision maker.
Aspley
Cooper Thomas
Thomas is a ripping fullback for the Hornets’ colts who has had a bit of everything this season - strength, speed, attack and an authoritative voice.
Maroochydore
Carter Pinder
Pinder displayed great overhead marking power while being so reliable week in, week out.
Surfers Paradise
Although Christian Milde was moved into the midfield at stages to give Surfers grunt, Milde shone when used as a key defender. And like Milde, Jake Tye did well to snaring intercept marks and winning possession while being able to create drive from half back.
Redland-Victoria Point
Fullback Stell Scriven has been extremely reliable and consistent who has read the play well, while Aiden Palfrey at half back (and in the midfield) was skilled on the ground and in the air.
SENIORS
Aspley
Daniel Joseph
A halfback from Tasmania, he is an elite kick who has had a great season.
Liam Dawson
The centre half back has proven to be an intercept marking king during the QAFL season.
He has had an amazing ability to read the ball and take countless intercept marks while repelling opposition players inside the 50.
Erin Wassley
Wassley is a tough, staunch defender who has a great left foot boot who plays tight.
Redland-Victoria Point
Mitch Stallard, Adrian Williams and Scott Miller
This terrific trio have worked wonders for the side this season, with Stallard’s one-on-one defender play and Williams’s exceptional intercept marking around centre half back highlights. But so too has been Miller’s tough, straight line rebounding out of halfback.
Labrador
Lukis Mann, Tom Ray and Seth Cantanse
This awesome threesome have been rocks for Labrador this season. Mann is a solid centre half back who is hard one-on-one, while Ray gives runs out of the back half while also having good foot skills.
Down back is fullback Cantanse who is a solid, strong marking fullback.
Noosa
Lachlan Flagg
Flagg is a Mr Reliable down back for Noosa, tough and courageous and someone who takes on the best forward each week without fear or favour. He keeps his composure no matter how hot the kitchen gets.
Mt Gravatt
Gavin Grose, Jonah Licht
This dynamic duo worked wonders for Mt Gravatt Vultures this season, with Licht excelling after he was moved down back as a forward where he has provided great rebound from halfback.
Palm Beach Currumbin
Benny McInney has been an intercept marking backman of note, with a great attacking offence side of his game.
Louie McLennan
In his first season as a senior player, the teenager displayed great discipline and was strong overhead. He proved reliable and was able to play that shut down role.
Callum McBurne
McBurnie is a great reader of play with enormous courage who can mark up on a tall or short player, while also having a great intercept mark in his game.
Maroochydore
Jackson Bury
Bury is a dynamic small backman who hardly ever wastes a possession and who tops the most metres each round.
Jordan Daniel
Daniel is an elite backman both in the air and on the ground. Daniel’s defensive first mindset makes him very difficult to play on.
Daniel Fleming
Tough and brave, Fleming can play on both small and big forwards. He has an extraordinary ability to win the ball under pressure situations.
Surfers Paradise
Jack Taylor
Fullback Taylor is rarely beaten in the one-on-one contests and consistently plays the fundamentals well.
He, key defender Nick Hay and Alby Jones at half back had big moments this season.
Broadbeach
Premiers and 2022 grand finalist Broadbeach have a nest of wonderful back men and defedners, including:
Josh Searl at half back has been composed this season while getting plenty of footy with high efficiency who enjoyed his best block of back to back matches during July.
Jonah Semmier
The young back pocket absorbed plenty of pressure early but always seemed to make the right decisions.
Wilston Grange
Daniel Bowles has been a game breaking centre half back this season, a real match winner while Matt Eagles has done the job whenever he has been moved down back from the ruck or playing forward.
Wilston Grange Fullback Joel Buderick also had his moments this season locking down key forwards from the opposition.
This weekend
Colts
9.15am Aspley Hornets, Graham Rd
Maroochydore v Broadbeach
PBC already in grand final
Seniors
2.10pm Aspley Hornets, Graham Rd
Aspley v Redland-Victoria Point
Broadbeach already in the grand final
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