QAFL, QAFLW 2025: Discover all the key personnel changes on and off the field ahead of the 2025 season
From ex-AFL players to champions returning to their junior clubs, the QAFL and QAFLW signing season is in full swing. Discover every club’s key on and off field changes.
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With pre-seasons kicking off across southeast Queensland, the QAFL and QAFLW signing season is in full swing.
We will chart every club’s ins and outs as well the key off-field changes to the their football department.
In the QAFL, two-club AFL man Cam Ellis-Yolmen and delisted Tiger Noah Cumberland headline the biggest signings, while a number of dominant QAFLW players have returned to Morningside and Moreton Bay ahead of their inaugural seasons in the competition.
The story will be updated regularly throughout the off-season, discover all the key changes thus far below.
QAFL
Aspley
Ins:
Half back Leo Connolly has been picked up by Aspley. He played seven AFL games for St Kilda and has VFL experience with the Casey Demons and Sandringham Dragons, where he won the 2022 club best and fairest.
18-year-old Charlie Hewitt has also joined the club. He’s a strong mark who can impact the scoreboard and has featured for the Lions academy. Is returning from injury and trained with the club at the back-end of the 2024 season.
Outside midfielder James Webb, who has represented Tasmania against Queensland, is set to make the move north to Aspley ahead 0f 2025.
Outs:
Winger Will O’Dwyer has been signed by Maroochydore for 2025.
Off-field changes:
Jarad Marsh has returned to the Hornets coaching panel as an assistant in 2025 after a year away with Sherwood. It will mark his fifth year as an assistant with Aspley since 2019.
Morningside
Ins:
The Panthers have poached to talents from their 2024 grand final opponents Redland Victoria Point, in the form of Brock Aston and Jack Rolls.
Southport player Aston made his VFL debut with the Sharks last season and has now switched his QAFL allegiance. He’s one of the competition’s premier midfielders and is a serious addition. Rolls is a Morningside junior who has NEAFL and VFL experience.
Warrnambool best and fairest winner and Hampden team of the year representative in 2024 Taylem Wason has also joined the Panthers. Expect to see his speed on show down back.
Reigning Hamilton best and fairest winner Ethan Knight has also joined the Panthers, fresh off a rising star award in the Northern Territory this year with St Mary’s.
In an interesting move, the reigning premiers have also added 20-year-old Peter Burke, who was an American Football tight end with the Oregon Ducks in College. Peter’s father Robert played with the Panthers over three decades ago.
Former mid-season AFL draftee Harry Arnold has moved to the Lions in the VFL and will be aligned with Morningside, while West Perth WAFL talent Tristan Hobley has also made the move to Morningside.
Redland Victoria Point
Outs:
The Sharks have lost both Brock Aston to Jack Rolls to grand final opponents Morningside, but in more positive news a number of big names have recommitted for 2025 including Darryl McDowell-White, Matt Hamelmann and Craig Malone.
Wilston Grange
Ins:
21-year-old midfielder/forward Tyler Belloni has committed to the Gorillas after spending 2024 playing for South Croydon in Melbourne’s Eastern League. He is a graduate for the Eastern Ranges program in the Coates Talent League.
Palm Beach Currumbin
Ins:
Palm Beach Currumbin made waves with the major signing coup of Levi Casboult, who will assume a dual role player and assistant coach. At the peak of his powers there were few contested marks unlike Casboult in the AFL, and he notched 197 games at the top level across his Carlton and Gold Coast careers.
Former Southport VFL player Rhys King was also been picked up after two seasons with Albury in the esteemed Ovens and Murray league.
Harry Benson has joined the Lions from the Geelong Football League, where the midfielder was a two-time league best and fairest winner.
The Lions have also picked up Nathan Scagliarini, who was Mt Eliza’s premiership captain in Victoria this year.
Outs:
2024 QAFL best and fairest winner Tom Hickey announced his retirement at the end of last season. Hickey had been a consistent star for the Lions at QAFL level and will leave a significant void.
Surfers Paradise
Ins:
The Demons made one of the biggest moves of the off-season in securing the services of former AFL Lion and Crow Cam Ellis-Yolmen. He played 48 games at AFL level and joins Surfers from the respected Ovens and Murray League in country Victoria.
Midfield duo Liam Viney and Oliver Burrows-Cheng have also joined the Demons for season 2025 from Bond University.
Off-field changes:
After losing esteemed head coach Matt Lappin to Southport’s QAFLW program, the Demons have added another big name coach after the promotion of assistant Sam Dwyer. Dwyer previously played 39 AFL games with Collingwood and 140 at VFL level with Port Melbourne.
Maroochydore
Ins:
Maroochydore has pulled off a major signing coup after securing the services of former AFL Tiger Noah Cumberland. A Roos junior, Cumberland is a five-time junior premiership player.
The Roos have also picked up Connor Reithoff from Tasmania.
Winger Will O’Dwyer has also joined the Roos from Aspley ahead of 2025, while Jake Warren has returned after two seasons in Victoria.
Labrador
Ins:
Both Luke Coombes and Cade Gregory, who have 86 senior QAFL games between them, are returning to the Tigers from Blackburn in Melbourne’s Eastern League.
Labrador have also added versatile and tall wingman Archie Grant from Morwell in Victoria’s Gippsland League.
Off-field changes:
Chris Rourke has been appointed 2025 QAFL coach of Labrador after Clint Watts’ mid-season departure. He was the club’s football operations manager in 2024, with the club keen to add someone who heavily involved in the Labrador community. Rourke has also coached Noosa at QAFL level and also spent 14 years at Ainslie where he won six premierships.
Broadbeach
Ins:
2021 Joe Grant medallist and premiership player Liam Nelson is Broadbeach’s latest signing after two seasons playing in Victoria where he won back-to-back best and fairests.
Brothers Darcy and Ryan Dienjes are also returning and will add some experience with over 200 senior QAFL games between them. 2019 Southport NEAFL premiership player Jack O’Shea is another set to return to Broadbeach.
Beau Bailey has been picked up by the Cats. He has experience in the VFL with Frankston and Sandringham and was Bonbeach’s reigning Best & Fairest winner. Jy Lane has also joined from Perth Football Club in the WAFL, while Matt Conroy is back to the club after a year away from football.
Adrian Speedy has also been signed from Mornington in Victoria, as has new tall forward Matt North. The pair won a premiership together.
Aidan Hare will come to Broadbeach from Peel Thunder in the QAFL.
Outs:
Club legend and 2021 premiership captain Josh Searl retired after 17 seasons and 205 games at QAFL level for the Cats. He had a resume rivalled by few.
Sherwood
Ins:
After winning the Bill Ryan Trophy as the QFA Divison 1 MVP with the University of Queensland, Connor Ashcroft has joined Sherwood to step up to QAFL level. Previously featured in the Giants under-18 academy.
Former Giants VFL player and 2022 Coates Talent League premiership player James Creighton has also selected Sherwood as his aligned club after moving to Brisbane’s VFL side.
Noosa
Ins:
Midfielder Matt Gaul has joined Noosa from Marby Park in the Essendon District Football League and has previously been on Williamstown’s VFL list. Will McKenzie has also returned after four seasons away, and last played at Keilor under Mick McGuane in the EDFL.
2023 Geelong VFL captain Angus Byrne has also joined the Tigers.
Mt Gravatt
Ins:
Looking to bounce back from a testing 2024 campaign, Mt Gravatt has been on an off-season signing spree.
Trio of brothers Josh, Jack and Lachlan James have all returned to their junior club. They have also added the explosive Ollie Elliott from Coorparoo, as well as Lex Rodger. Rodger is retuning to footy after three years pursuing MMA after last playing for Labrador in 2020.
Josh Smart has joined the Vultures after playing five games for the Redland Victoria Point reserves last season, and has previously figured for the Suns academy and VFL side.
Simi Vuniwaqalevu has come to the club after spending time abroad with the Australian Defence Force, who he represented in rugby sevens and Aussie rules. He’s a 195 centimetres tall and can play down back or in the ruck. Max Hoffman has also joined the Vultures from Cairns City and was selected in the AFL Cairns team of the year last season.
Former Suns academy player Lincoln Edgar has also signed, as has Jared Greenhill, Daniel Hogson, Jamie Whitehead, and Toowoomba Bombers premiership player Josh Liddington.
Former North Mackay Saints young gun Cohen Frith, who played in the club’s 2023 flag as a 16-year-old and impressed, has also joined the club.
Off-field changes:
Former Gold Coast Suns player Jarrod Harbrow and his brother Marc have been appointed head of player welfare at the Vultures in 2025 via leadership and mentoring organisation Harbrow Mentoring.
Coorparoo
Ins:
In big news, former Melbourne mid-season draftee - and brother of Brisbane’s Josh - Kyle Dunkley has joined the Kings for their maiden QAFL campaign. He’s played 38 VFL games across the past two seasons.
Former Lions academy player and Morningside Panther Damian Martin has been added, alongside promising young trio Bailey Burrows, D’Arcy Jones, and Jack Cosgrove. Jones is in Brisbane’s academy while Burrows has spent time with the Suns academy.
The newly added QAFL outfit has picked up Morgan Smith from the Sherwood Magpies reserves, as well as Noah Opris.
Key forward Jonah Licht also shapes as a big pick up, returning to the QAFL after a year playing for South Mildura. Across the NEAFL and QAFL he has over 150 games under his belt.
Off-field changes:
Former QAFL premiership player and goalkicking champion Troy Moncur has been added to the fold as a forward coach.
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QAFLW
Aspley
Ins:
Former Australian rugby sevens representative Georgia Smith is trying her hand at Aussie rules and is making the step up to Aspley from Sandgate. She represented South Queensland against North Queensland this year. Tall Emily Keehn is also crossing from Wilston Grange, she’s a versatile ruck who can play forward or behind the ball.
Aspley has also picked up potent goal-scorer Lyneeka Hollows from Mackay, who has been part of the dominant North Mackay Saints women’s outfit, with well over 200 senior goals to her name. Sherwood ruck and premiership player Emma MacDonald is also set to make the step up to the QAFLW with Aspley.
Off-field changes:
Ronan Lynch has joined the club as an assistant to work under Luke Glacken in 2025. He comes from the Gold Coast Suns where he was involved in the club’s academy.
Hornets players Rachael Anstey and Liam Dawson will also take up new development coach posts next season.
Southport
Ins:
Olivia Robertson and Olivia Maher are two recruits who have impressed new coach Matt Lappin in the pre-season. Robertson has payed VFLW footy with St Kilda, while Maher had spent time with Collingwood’s VFLW side.
From saints vflw, 19/20 - “She looks like she’s going to add to our group, good skills, coachable, good workrate.”
Olivia Maher - Pies VFLW, playing up north “Highly skilled, looks a ferocious tackler and plays at training with intensity, those two have caught my eye and I think they’ll add to our program.”
Outs:
Neesa Doyle and Selina Priest have left the Sharks.
Off-field changes:
Former AFL man Matt Lappin has returned to the club to head the QAFLW program as head coach after two years as a QAFL coach with Surfers Paradise. Lappin was previously involved with the Sharks as an assistant to the men’s program, and will bring an attacking philosophy.
Bond University
–
Coorparoo
Ins:
Two-time junior AFLW national championships player Christine Watson has joined the club after returning to footy from basketball. Chanel Fletcher has also been added and will double as an assistant coach.
Rose Clancy-Dillon has joined from the SANFLW and also has WAFLW experience, as has Lions academy product Daisy Minz.
Off-field changes:
Rory Lake has stepped down from the head coach role but will still be involved in the club, with assistant Ben Mackenzie named as his successor.
Marcus Gazsik will work as a new assistant, coming from the Southport under-17s. He’s also spent time at the Suns academy.
Wilston Grange
–
University of Queensland
Outs:
UQ has lost Roy sisters Gracie and Laura to their junior club, the newly promoted Morningside. Given their pair were both QAFLW team of the year representatives in 2024 they will leave a big hole.
Maroochydore
Ins:
The Roos have picked up goalkicking forward Amy Bisset who is moving north from Tasmania.
Outs:
Adren Quilliam has moved to new QAFLW addition Moreton Bay after two seasons at senior level with the Roos, as has Ellen Hopkins.
Yeronga South Brisbane
–
Morningside
Ins:
The Panthers have wasted no time preparing for their maiden QAFLW campaign in 2025, with sisters Gracie and Laura Roy returning. The Roys had been playing for UQ and both cracked the 2024 QAFLW team of the year. Gracie was a senior Queensland representative while Laura was picked in the under-18 Queensland team.
Have also welcomed back Lions academy product and two-time under-17 premiership winner Lucy McCormick, as well as fellow former Lions academy player Hano Tu’itahi and El Tu’itahi, who both took a year off footy in 2024.
Off-field changes:
Jen Revell is among the many big additions to the Morningside QAFLW coaching staff. Starting out in the Mackay region, Revell worked her way up to the post of AFLW assistant at the Suns in 2023, and will bring a wealth of experience to the Panthers.
2024 South Queensland assistant Clint Lauritsen has been involved in the club’s women’s program since 2018 and has also joined the assistant coaching group with Bre Koenen and Jess Malouf.
Malouf has played VFLW and captained Southport in the QAFLW IN 2023, while Koenen is of course an two-time AFLW premiership player and 2023 premiership captain.
Damien Richards will lead the inaugural campaign as head coach. He won back-to-back QAFLW flags with Coorparoo in 2013 and 2014. Has also been involved in the Lions academy and with th Lions as an AFLW development coach.
Moreton Bay
Ins:
Tahlia Smith has been added to the Lions inaugural 2025 QAFLW squad. The inside mid has moved south from Cairns where she was a premiership captain and three-time AFL Cairns team of the year select who also represented North Queensland in 2023.
Arden Quilliam comes from Maroochydore’s QAFLW team where she spent two seasons, and previously spent three years in the Lions academy.
Joining Quilliam from Maroochydore is Ellen Hopkins who has returned to the club after a season testing herself at QAFLW level. She figured in Moreton Bay’s 2023 flag, booting 58 goals that season. Hopkins also kicked three goals for Queensland against Tasmania this year.
2024 QAFLW team of the year selection Jessica Davy has also returned to the club where she spent more than a decade and is a five-time best and fairest winner. She will double as an assistant coach.
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