Meet the Ryan Catholic College girls flying the flag for North Queensland at AFL Queensland Schools Cup

Ryan Catholic College’s best young Aussie rules footballers are set for their biggest challenge of 2024. Hear from coach Vanessa Brage to find out why this is the school’s most competitive squad yet.

Ryan Primary Girls AFL Team are attending the State Titles in Maroochydore. (Back row L-R) Elliot Edwards, Milla Creenaune, Millie Huggett, Abbey Guy, Phoebe Gordy, Lexie Bloxsom, Isabelle Need, Alliyah Suckling, Aura Solomona, (front row L-R) Chelsea Drummond, Georgia Chapman, Felicity Doll, Sienna Hirvonen, Willow Wilesmith and Khaleesi Wilesmith, (Absent) Finella Keir and Reese Achilles. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Ryan Catholic College’s best young Aussie rules footballers are set for their biggest challenge of 2024 at the AFL Queensland School Cup finals in Maroochydore.

Ryan’s primary school girls’ team returns to the state finals for the second time in three years after dominating the local and regional finals of the statewide competition.

Watch every game of the AFL Queensland School Cup finals live and exclusive on KommunityTV, available with your subscription to this masthead. See the full schedule below.

The school had three teams reach the regional finals – primary school boys and girls, and opens girls – but had just one team progress to this week’s state finals.

Vanessa Brage is co-co-ordinator of the AFL Academy at Ryan Catholic College alongside Leonie Bonke, and she said this year’s team was shaping as the most competitive the school had ever fielded.

“I remember when we went two years ago, none of our girls played AFL – it was just a team of athletes, whereas this year we do have a few more of those AFL players,” Brage said.

“As the years come through, the girls get more familiar with the game, they see the AFLW, and they see that there’s a potential there for them.

“My biggest hope for these girls going down there is that they have fun and play competitively.”

Ryan Primary Girls AFL Team are attending the State Titles in Maroochydore. (Back row L-R) Elliot Edwards, Milla Creenaune, Millie Huggett, Abbey Guy, Phoebe Gordy, Lexie Bloxsom, Isabelle Need, Alliyah Suckling, Aura Solomona, (front row L-R) Chelsea Drummond, Georgia Chapman, Felicity Doll, Sienna Hirvonen, Willow Wilesmith and Khaleesi Wilesmith, (Absent) Finella Keir and Reese Achilles. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The 2024 AFLQ Schools Cup finals will see 71 matches played across three action-packed days from Friday, October 11, at the Maroochydore Multisports Complex on the Sunshine Coast.

Ryan will play every team in its division on Friday before being split into different pools for Saturday.

Brage said she was hoping to see a lot from outstanding year 5 player Khaleesi Cruize Wilesmith, who starred for the team in the North Queensland finals.

“She is a gun, we are so lucky that she’s in year 5, because that means we get to keep her on our team for next year,” Brage said.

“She will have the experience to lead the team next year and this year she’s been such a versatile player. We can put her in defence, the middle-line or in the forward line, and no matter what you do, you know she’s going to play hard and she’s going to do the job that you ask her to do.”

Ryan’s first game of the state finals will be against Mango Hill State School, with first bounce at 11.30am on Friday, October 11.

Originally published as Meet the Ryan Catholic College girls flying the flag for North Queensland at AFL Queensland Schools Cup