AFL Cairns: Dan Charlesworth returns to where it all started

Former Gold Coast Suns academy prospect returns to his junior club for the 2024 season.

Cairns City Lions will welcome home one of their much-loved cubs after Daniel Charlesworth locked in his return to the tropics.

Charlesworth played his junior footy at the Lions, following in the footsteps of extended family, then made his senior debut as a 15-year-old.

He moved to the Gold Coast along with current Geelong player Jack Bowes to join the Suns academy before becoming a consistent performer for the Southport Sharks in the NEAFL and VFL.

Daniel Charlesworth of Southport and Josh McGuinness of Brisbane Lions during the Round 17 NEAFL game played at the Wally Fankhauser Reserve, Southport, Gold Coast. Photo: Regi Varghese

He journeyed to his 50th game for the club this season, winning the John Gonard Trademark Award as the players MVP and finishing fourth in the best and fairest.

The defender will play a key role in replacing Aaron Davey on the field, after the former Melbourne Demon hung up his playing boots at the end of the season but is committed to coaching at the club for the next two years.

Charlesworth said he was excited to return to where his footy career began and don the Lions jumper.

“Massive excitement,” Charlesworth said.

“I always hoped I could return to the club and play some senior football.

“My father-in-law played for the (Lions) back when they were the Cobras.

“(He helped) build the current clubhouse at Holloways Beach, so there’s some special family ties with the place.

“When I was a junior at Cairns City Lions, the club was not very successful in the senior grade, but given their recent success, I’m hoping we can repeat that in season 2024.”

Dan Charlesworth in action for Southport Sharks

Lions 2021 grand final triumph against Cairns Saints snapped a 38-year premiership drought and made it back-to-back premiership successes the following season after a 95-point thrashing of Port Douglas.

They finished last season fifth on the table, missing out on qualifying for finals in the final round but will be looking to bounce back in 2024.

Spending most of his career as a defender, Charlesworth will likely slot into the Lions defence bringing a strong intercept marking game and one-on-one defence against key forwards.

However, he relished the opportunity of playing forward while providing ruck support for the Sharks in the 2022 VFL finals campaign.

Charlesworth missed out on the Sharks 2017 premiership after suffering from an ACL injury which stopped his chances of going to the draft that season.

Gold Coast Bulletin only Please check with Picture Editor before use. Gold Coast Suns NEAFL elimination final against Northern Territory Thunder at Metricon Stadium. Photo of Daniel Charlesworth tackled. Photo by Richard Gosling

Charlesworth said both his father, Stephen Charlesworth, and GC Suns NEAFL coach and Southport Sharks coach, Stephen Daniel, were crucial influences in shaping his footy career.

“My father (Stephen) played AFL so he’s the main reason I got into it.

“(One of my biggest influences) would be Stephen Daniel (SJ).

“He instilled into me that footy should always be fun.

“Combined with hard work, it can create a strong winning culture.”

Originally published as AFL Cairns: Dan Charlesworth returns to where it all started