AFL Queensland: 25 rising stars of the game

The AFL is on track to hit record participation numbers in Queensland, and these 25 junior talents are leading the way.

More people are playing Australian rules football in Queensland than ever before on the back of the state’s hosting of the2020 AFL Grand Final and more than 75 games last season.

Auskick, community football and school-based competitions are all growing, while women and girls now make up nearly half of all participants in Queensland.

It comes as the re-emergence of the Brisbane Lions as a footy force has delivered the club an all-time membership record of31,000, passing the previous record of 30,941 set in 2004 after the historic premiership three-peat.

Brisbane TV audiences for Round 1 of the AFL last weekend were also up 47 per cent on last year, and 54 per cent compared to 2019.

Players registered with clubs in Queensland is forecast to hit 40,000 in coming weeks – the highest ever, according to AFL Queensland.

Twins Laquoiya and Litonya Cockatoo Motlap headline a list of rising AFL stars coming out of Queensland.

Laquoiya (left) and Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap from the Cairns City Lions. Picture: Russell Freeman

The nieces of former Essendon and Port Adelaide excitement machine Che Cockatoo-Collins grew up in Cairns and are signed to the Gold Coast Suns AFLW program.

Laquoiya is regarded as one of the best kicks in the program the Suns have ever seen.

Both sisters were last week named in the Queensland under-19 women’s squad that will compete in the NAB National U19 Championships on the Gold Coast from April 12-15.

And they make the list of 25 Queensland emerging AFL stars...

Jaspa Fletcher

Club: Sherwood

Son of former AFL player Adrian, Jaspa plays inside, wing or forward. Possesses great game sense and decision making. Deadly around goals either distributing or kicking them himself.

Ben McCarthy

Club: Morningside

Growing into a natural leader. Plays predominantly at half-back. Reads the play well. Has great endurance. Captain of the successful St Laurence’s College First XVIII.

Matthew Hollier

Club: Mt Gravatt

Is an exciting talent. Rangy line breaking player with his penetrating kick and speed. Has very good composure in traffic.

Mitch Howson

Club: Morningside

Competitive key position player who is a strong mark, but equally adept at ground level. Coming of extended injuries and one player to watch.

Ravi Schofield

Club: Noosa

Speedy and agile player. He is very coachable and has a big upside. Skill attributes that will translate to multiple positions and roles in time. High endurance athlete and hard worker.

Mikayla Pauga

Club: Bond University

National Academy member, plays through the middle of the ground and has great defensive pressure.

Alana Gee during the Northern Academy Series match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Brisbane Lions. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

Bella Smith

Club: Maroochydore Roos

National Academy member, plays forward and through middle. Really good goal smarts.

Maggie Harmer

Club: Maroochydore Roos

National Academy member, plays half back and on ball. Has a really good ability to read the play.

Charlotte Mullins

Club: Aspley Hornets

A 17 year old, plays on ball and through forward line. Natural footballer.

Ella Smith

Club: Aspley Hornets

Also 17, won the yo yo test for the U19 Lions Academy. Very good rower as well. Been good on the wing.

Teagan Levi

Club: Bond University

One of our only academy players named in the AFLW National Academy. She is an inside midfielder who loves to run with the footy and is hard at the contest. Her older sister Madi Levi plays in the Suns AFLW team. Teagan has a background in rugby 7s.

Giselle Davies

Club: Bond University, came from Southport Sharks juniors

Giselle is a key defender with a great set of hands and uses the footy really well. She shows great leadership and is one of the Suns Academy 2021 co-captains.

Rising AFL junior Ravi Schofield. Picture: Supplied

Jed Foggo

Club: Palm Beach Currumbin

Northern New South Wales product, grew up in Uki. He can play across halfback and as a big bodied midfielder with a booming left foot.

Bodhi Uwland

Club: Burleigh

He’s a strong and powerful midfielder that can play across halfback and half forward. He attacks the contest and is a very competitive player.

Marlin Corbett

Club: Byron Bay Magpies, playing for Surfers Paradise Demons this year

Northern New South Wales footballer out of Byron Bay. Clean with his hands, a great ball user and at 17 he’s one of the youngest in the SUNS U19 squad.

Litonya Cockatoo Motlap

Club: Cairns City Lions

Inside mid-halfback. She’s really improved her running capacity over the past 12 months since she’s relocated to the Gold Coast. She’s got a really nice skillset, kicks the ball nicely and got good hands. She and Laquoiya travelled with Simon Black to the reef as part of the 2020 Premiership Cup tour.

Laquoiya Cockatoo Motlap

Club: Cairns City Lions

Half-back flanker. Excellent skillset. She’s probably one of the best kicks of the footy in the female program that the Suns have seen. She’s really improved her work rate, since arriving on the Gold Coast. Stand out player in Cairns, won the Joe Butland medal for best and fairest player in the AFL Cairns women’s comp.

Litonya Motlap playing in the AFL Cairns Women's preliminary final match between the Cairns City Lions and the North Cairns Tigers. Picture: Brendan Radke

Austin Harris

Club: Cairns Saints, now at Broadbeach

Left foot outside midfielder. Possesses excellent speed and agility. Member of the AFL National Academy. Third year on the Gold Coast and will be a key player in this year’s U19 Suns program.

Ryan Pickering

Club: Hermit Park (Townsville)

Developing tall who is played through the ruck and is a key defender. He came to footy a little late (about 14 when started playing) but has really shown improvement in his competitiveness, his athleticism, and his overall skillset. Relocated to the Gold Coast last year.

Thomas Carey

Club: Hermit Park

Had a knee reconstruction in 2019. Came back and played senior football for Hermit Park last year and was one of the best performers in the Townsville senior competition. Plays half forward half back. 188cm tall and takes a really nice mark and beautiful kick of the ball.

Siobhan Ross

Club: Thuringowa Bulldogs

She’s 15 and is in the high-performance Townsville group. Plays as a key forward and has a great goal sense. Excellent overhead mark.

Neive Ryan

Club: Thuringowa Bulldogs

She won the best and fairest medal in the Townsville U15 youth girls competition in 2020. She’s a defender, excellent reader of the play and makes great decisions with the footy.

Ella Smith Picture: David Layden Photography

Maison Staas

Club: Bakers Creek (Mackay)

Mason is 190cm wing halfback, left footer who possesses an extremely long kick. Has a lot of time when he has the footy in hand. He’s just played in the U17 North Queensland academy series for Mackay.

Alana Gee

Club: North Mackay Saints

An absolute standout in the Mackay AFLW competition last year. At 16 years old, she won the senior women’s best and fairest medal by 12 votes. She’s an inside midfielder, great endurance, super competitive and she’s played all the games for the Suns U19 side against the Lions this year.

Will Bella

Club: Bakers Creek, but now playing for Palm Beach Currumbin on the Gold Coast

Key forward who is a strong mark and a good kick at goal. His sister Lauren players for the Suns AFLW side and was last week nominated as the NAB Rising Star. Will’s third year on the Gold Coast. He’ll play for the Suns U19 team this year and be a key target upfront.