AFL Cairns Recruitment Tracker: All the ins and out in the 2024 off-season
The clubs of AFL Cairns have been busily recruiting for 2024, with a stack of key signings landing in the Far North. Take a look at the guns to watch as the season fast approaches >>>
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Manunda Hawks AFC have snared one of the premier young guns of Far North, signing Lachie Lovell from Cairns City Lions.
Manunda Hawks AFC have snared one of the premier young guns of Far North, signing Lachie Lovell from Cairns City Lions.
Lovell, 17, will suit up in brown and gold after originally intending to remain at Lions for the 2024 season.
Hawks senior coach Wayne Siekman said he is excited to welcome Lovell to the football club.
“We’re building our football club around a core six to eight 18 and under players that we played last year that have all got potential to take Hawks forward in the next five years,” Siekman said.
“We’re trying to target some of the better kids in the competition from other clubs that can be apart of that core young group before then adding experience players around them.
“With Lachie being the best in the U17s last year and U16s the year before, he was a serious interest to us.”
Lovell has had an impressive past couple seasons,
He won the Under 16 League Best and Fairest Medal in 2022, he then backed that up in 2023 with the Reg Lillywhite Medal (Under 17.5 League Best and Fairest Medal).
A versatile footballer, he has lightning pace and loves to jet down the wing and hit targets. Constantly applying pressure, he is fearless in the contest and isn’t afraid to matchup against the best.
He made his senior debut in 2021 and played five senior games at Lions.
Siekman, the former-Collingwood AFLW coach, said he started the conversations with Lovell in October 2023.
“He only played three games at Cairns City Lions last year, as a young kid with all the signings they’ve had already, how many games would he play at Lions this year,” Siekman said.
“I said that’s something you’ve got to work out if you’re going to be in their top 22.
“Hawks don’t promise games to anyone, but if you work hard and don’t miss a training you’ll be in our best 22.
“(Lovell) said ‘I love the direction of the club, how the program is set up, I’ll speak to ‘Flash’ (Lions coach Aaron Davey) and I’ll come back to you’.
“He came back a couple weeks later, he said ‘I spoke to Flash and I’m going to stay at Lions’.
“He reached out again last week, had another chat and now it’s all official and he’s signed with us for (2024).”
In a post announcing his move to Manunda, Lovell said it was a tough decision.
”The Lions have been a fantastic football club, have been so good to me especially as a junior and a part of some great teams and also the senior guys when getting opportunity to play over the last few seasons,” Lovell said.
“I am someone that is driven to be better and get the best out of myself and I want to be tested and improve to advance my football to the next level and I believe the best opportunity for me to do this is at the Hawks in 2024.”
Bulldogs lock-in big unit
Central Trinity Beach Bulldogs have bolstered their defensive ranks, securing big-bodied defender Luke Arandt for the 2024 AFL Cairns season.
Originally from NSW, Arandt moved to Darwin three years ago to play AFL for the Waratahs in the Northern Territory Football League.
The 195cm (6ft 4in) backman is now on his way to Cairns to suit up in the blue, white and red as the Bulldogs aim for premiership glory.
He replaces outgoing former Gold Coast Suns and CTB Bulldogs ruck, Zac Smith, who has headed to the Southport Sharks, and it will provide a big opportunity for a local youngster to learn from another quality player.
Arandt will likely team up with the emerging Caiden Gardiner who previously proved a capable second ruck to now fill the void and provide first use to the Bulldogs’ midfield brigade.
“I usually play as a lockdown defender and I try and use my height to my advantage,” Arandt said.
“I’m hoping to switch between the backline and help out with the ruck contests as well. I try and always do the team thing and get around the club as much as I can.”
Arandt said he was excited for the upcoming AFL Cairns season, with a familiar face recommending the move.
“Moving to Cairns for a change up,” Arandt said.
“I played footy in Darwin with Matt Blake and also my home club, Hay Lions, back in NSW.”
“He heard I was moving over, reached out and then Sam Blease got me on board.
“Pretty lucky I can travel around with footy and see the different parts of the country.”
A strong one-on-one defender, he uses his stature to crash the contest and snatch intercept marks. He possesses a powerful right boot and can pierce kicks and hit targets with pinpoint accuracy.
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Tigers continue signing spree
North Cairns Tigers have continued their off-season signing spree, locking in Ben Deluca and Dylan Jennings for the 2024 season.
Deluca arrives from Portarlington Football Club in the Bellarine Football League.
A Richmond Tigers fan, it wasn’t too difficult to convince Deluca to pull on the yellow and black for 2024.
Coach Sam Hughes said there was enormous belief within the Tigers’ football club in the direction they are heading after playing their first finals series since 2014.
“Ben (Deluca) is just a running machine from all reports,” he said.
“He’s just a workhorse with a really big engine, and I think he’s going to complement our outside game.
“Whether that’s through the wings or through the forward or back flanks, it’s an area we felt strong in 2023, and we want to build on our strengths.”
Jennings arrives from Tyrendarra Football Club in the South West District Football League in Victoria. He was recommended to the club by Tigers’ guns Dan Jackson and Ty Deans.
A key position backman, he’s an acquisition that will add depth and potentially strengthen the Tigers’ spine.
“Purely a connection recruit, he’s come up because some of his close friends are loving it here in Cairns,” Hughes said.
“He’s come up as a teacher and also wanted a bit of a change.
“These guys are just going to bolster our depth.”
Tigers have already pulled off a suite of deals, including the acquisition of 193cm (6ft 4in) Tate Gardiner and four other new faces from Victoria.
James Neale has also re-signed with the Tigers after flirting with the possibility of travelling away from Cairns.
His role as an inside midfielder and his explosiveness from stoppage will be tremendously valuable to the Tigers this season.
“Another part of our focus has been that inside stoppage game where both Saints and Crocs are really strong in that area,” he said.
“Inevitably, those two play off in the Grand Final, and it’s probably a part of our game where they got on top of us throughout the year.
“They were able to play a really strong stoppage game and get territory on us.
“We’re trying to be stronger around the footy, so we’ve got both bases covered, both an inside and outside game.”
Dan Charlesworth returns to where it all started
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
SANFL star ‘huge signing’
The Manunda Hawks have picked up one of the league’s best recruits as the next stage of their rebuild takes flight for 2024.
The Hawks recruited James Boyd, who has SANFL experience, from the South Cairns Cutters in a bid to stock up their midfield. Manunda coach Wayne Siekman said it was another step in the right direction for the club.
“Huge signing for the club, both on and off the field,” Siekman said. “(Boyd) will help develop the younger players and show them what it takes to play at a high level of football.
“The plan is to have him running through the midfield with (Troy) Barbero, two of the competition’s great midfielders together.
“But it also gives me another eye on the field and helps teach the younger players from a different voice but the same perspective.”
The Hawks recently advertised for an assistant coach’s position to help Siekman’s push to bring the club to a level of competitiveness that had lacked over the past few seasons.
Boyd showed interest in the role and spoke to both the head coach and president about the position of becoming and assistant coach-player for 2024.
Manunda’s newest recruit was a n elite player for the South Cairns Cutters for two seasons. Before coming to Far North Queensland, Boyd played more than 200 games for West Adelaide and Central District in the SANFL, where his achievements are significant. Boyd is a premiership player, four-time club best and fairest, five-time South Australian state representative and made the SANFL team of the year on five occasions.
“I met James when I was at West Adelaide in the SANFL and I remember this one game ended in a draw after he single-handedly helped them down from about a five-goal deficit,” Siekman said. “The class of the player will help bolster our midfield stocks.
“But it will help develop these younger blokes coming through the ranks as well.
“The best thing is he has already bought into the growth of the club, which is incredible to see.
“He already has been telling me about training programs for the group.”
The 34-year-old will be looking to take the next steps in his footy career as he approaches his twilight years.
“Whether his playing days are over in one, two or three years, he needs to make the choice that is best suited for him,” Siekman said.
“To have him as a coach for our club, it will help me, but in saying that, I hope I can help him as well.
“It is almost like adding another line coach to our coaching staff, which definitely helps me out.
“I am really excited to have him join our club and hopefully it helps us recruit a few more players.”
The Hawks will head into the Christmas break before returning to pre-season from mid to late January.
New recruits boost Tigers
North Cairns set to continue momentum up the ladder with fresh faces
The North Cairns Tigers’ pre-season kicks off on Wednesday as they aim to charge closer to premiership glory in 2024.
The Tigers have pulled off a suite of deals, which include the acquisition of 193cm (6ft 4in) Tate Gardiner and four other new faces from Victoria.
The club has finalised deals to secure Hayden Spiller, Dave DenBoer, Isaac Sinnott and Will Peterson, who will boost a side riding on the momentum after re-signing 11 players and playing their first finals series in 2023 for nine seasons.
Tate Gardiner will boost the ruck and key position stocks after a solid season with Panmure Football Club in the Warrnambool and District Football League during 2023.
Tigers co-coach Sam Hughes said he was excited to welcome the array of skilled recruits and was looking forward to seeing how they fit in when the pre-season begins in November.
“We don’t want to just pigeonhole (Tate into a position) straight away, but he played ruck this year back at Panmure in the district league,” Hughes said.
“We’re definitely in need of a ruckman, and there are opportunities for him to complement Travis Thorne, but we’re looking for a key forward, so he could have both a primary and secondary role.
“Isaac Sinnott has also arrived from Panmure and won the Under-18 league medal for Koroit in 2020. He can play as a hardworking, goalkicking midfielder.
“Hayden Spiller arrives from Geelong after playing the Tigers’ Dreamtime by the Sea clash against Cairns City Lions and will be reunited with his old Falcons teammate and Tigers co-coach Jason Tom.”
The Tigers have developed the transition out of the backline into a crucial pillar of their game plan.
Recruits Dave Denboer and Will Peterson have played across half-back in the past and could complement an already creative half-back brigade.
Hughes said he wants to build on the foundations of the 2023 while implementing new players.
“We certainly want to complement what we’ve already got and these (recruits) are certainly going to do that,” Hughes said.
“Whether that’s bolstering our speed off half-back or the wings, hurting teams on rebound but also defending the ground and not letting teams rebound on us. It’ll help educate the new boys about the brand and style that we play and hopefully they can adapt and learn their role for the side.
“We won’t know our best 22 and how it’ll all fit into place until the eve of round one.
Hughes and Tigers playing co-coach Jason Tom are continually looking into tactics of elite AFL clubs.
Hughes said a number of AFL sides such as the Brisbane Lions tried to play fast footy and quickly get possession on the outside.
Both coaches admire the way Collingwood are able to apply elite pressure all over the ground and give themselves opportunity to score from turnovers.
This could be a game style the Tigers model off in 2024.
Hughes said a number of factors contribute to the recruiting process, including scouting for positions, contacts back in Geelong and general word of mouth of players coming to Cairns.
“There’s certainly players we target and that might be a specific player and position,” Hughes said. “The ones we’ve signed so far have either seen the area and loved it or they’ve reached out through friends and are looking for something different.
“We’re in a position at the moment where players are showing interest which makes that recruitment process easier.”
Tigers will begin their pre-season with an AFLX tournament. The squad will be split into four smaller teams as they battle it out at Watsons Oval for bragging rights.
Originally published as AFL Cairns Recruitment Tracker: All the ins and out in the 2024 off-season
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