The Broadbeach Cats have named their Team of the Decade including playing life member Josh Searl

The Broadbeach Cats have revealed their Team of the Decade including playing life member Josh Searl.

JOSH Searl was only six-years-old when he started playing junior football for the Broadbeach Cats.

Now more than 20 years on, the playing life member and two-time club Jim Stubbs Best and Fairest winner has notched up his latest achievement – Broadbeach team of the decade selection.

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“It’s a massive honour and I am pretty stoked to be selected as there are some amazing footballers on that team,” the 29-year-old said.

“I’ve played footy with every guy on that team but it’s just a shame we’ll never get the chance to all play together.”

Broadbeach Cats team of the decade selection Josh Searl. Supplied.

Searl was always destined to play footy.

His dad Tim had always played and Josh was keen to follow in his footsteps which led them to them joining the Cats.

“My first memories are playing at 7am in the morning or on Friday nights when I was five or six,” Searl said.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing and mum and dad said I was more interested in talking to my teammates than chasing the footy.

“The Cats are my second home and there’s probably maybe two weeks a year where I’m not there three or four times a week.”

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A junior and NEAFL reserves premiership player for the club, there’s one achievement that still eludes him.

In 2018, Broadbeach qualified for QAFL Grand Final eventually falling 100-66 to Palm Beach Currumbin.

“I don’t really care too much about the other stuff anymore, I just want that senior premiership and then I can retire happy,” Searl said.

“It’s a bit of a blur that day because people build it up so much and try to tell you it’s just another game but it’s not and afterwards we were all hurting despite our reserves winning their grand final before us.

“In 2011 when we won the NEAFL reserves premiership, we played Aspley up in Brisbane and finished third or fourth so people didn’t think we’d make it and then we were down at half time and managed to get up by a few goals.

“That was great but I’d love a senior premiership.”

Action from the North Eastern Australian Football League match between the Broadbeach Cats and the Northern Territory Thunder, held at H&A Oval, Broadbeach Waters, Gold Coast. Photo of Josh Searl.

As a 140-game player and QAFL team of the year selection, Searl has experienced the highs and lows of football – including a handful of painful injuries.

As a junior, Searl snapped his posterior cruciate ligament which led to knee trouble later in life before a dislocated bone in his foot forced him to fly to Melbourne for a special scan to identify the problem.

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“We didn’t know what it was for two or three months so I kept playing on it before we eventually figured it out,” he said.

“I’ve also had hamstring trouble as well in 2018, probably because I didn’t warm up properly one session and then it went on me next session in the warm-up.

“It’s taken me 10 years too long to figure everything out.”

And now for the first time since he was a kid, Searl is being forced to take an extended break from football after the QAFL season was postponed.

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“I took a bit of a break for the first few weeks because we all knew it was going to be quite a long layoff but everyone is just excited to start training and playing again,” he said.

The Broadbeach Cats team of the decade was selected by life member Brendan Howard, general manager Jason Cotter, secretary Regan Sheehan, life member and president Dale Perkins and football operations manager Matt Littlechild.

Back

Matt Fife - 83 Games / 8 goals between 10’-19’

Club captain and 100 game player. A no-frills tough defender, Fifey regularly was matched up on dangerous opponents and very rarely had his colours lowered.

Nathan Quick - 148 games / 46 Goals between 10’ & 19’

Nathan joined the club age 6, playing around 200 junior matches. Playing life member of the senior club with 158 club games and captain of 2018 Grand Final side. Nathan over a long period of time has skilfully balanced organising defensive structures, intercept marking and creative run from the back six.

Broadbeach QAFL players and Life members Josh Searl and Nathan Quick. Picture Glenn Hampson

Ryan Dienjes - 84 games / 46 goals between 10’ - 19’

1 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophy

Broadbeach junior and was awarded senior club playing life membership last year, notching up 141 senior games. Ryan has over many years been a very smart footballer influencing many games with clever positioning and a long and accurate kick.

Half back

Evan Panozza - 34 Games / 3 Goals between 10’ & 19’.

1 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophy

Evan was recruited to the club from Southport having previously had a decorated VFL career. Panozza was known for his meticulous preparation providing great leadership which assisted the club’s rise in performance in the two years he was at the club.

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Darin Stewart - 72 games / 29 Goals between 10’ & 19’

Darin was the mainstay of the Cats backline for eight seasons playing all 54 matches in the club’s NEAFL days after being recruited from Tasmania in 2007. Known for his vertical leap, fearless defending and interesting kicking style, Darin’s abilities at CHB and service to the club were outstanding.

James Royes - 76 Games / 25 Goals between 10’ & 19’

James came to the Cats via the Suns Academy and quickly became a heart and soul Broadbeach player having represented the club on 76 occasions. Royesy is known for his physical approach to the game often inspiring others with bruising tackles. Is athletic and an extremely versatile player, often being used in all areas of the ground within a single game.

Centre

Kallen Geary - 49 games / 23 Goals between 10’ & 19’

Brother of St Kilda captain Jarryn, Kal played in 49 of the club’s 54 NEAFL matches and was able to combine elite endurance with skill to be a match winner on many occasions. Geary’s recovery and preparation for matches was second to none.

Blake Erickson - 42 Games / 27 Goals between 10’ & 19’

1 x Grogan Medal

1 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophy

Recruited to the club full time from Southport in 2017, Blake quickly established himself as the QAFL’s premier midfielder winning both the Grogan medal and club Best and Fairest in 2018. Blake’s ability to win the contested ball, provide great run and deliver skilfully on both sides makes him a player that the opposition pays plenty of attention to.

Broadbeach Cats players, Blake Erickson and Jackson Fisher at Subaru Oval. Picture: Jerad Williams

Luke Shreeve - 61 Games / 35 Goals between 10’ &19’

A mainstay on the wing during the club’s NEAFL days before a stint at Southport, Luke represented the club on 61 occasions before a debilitating knee injury curtailed his career after the 2017 season which saw Shreevey named at half forward in the QAFL team of the year. An elite runner and booming kick, Shreevey was most damaging often penetrating lines and breaking games open despite opposition attention.

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Half forward

Nick Burton - 56 Games / 69 Goals between 10’ & 19’

Burto arrived at the club in 2012 and has represented the club on 56 occasions, returning to the club after a stint at Southport. Nick is known for his fearless attack on the ball at times having no regard for his own safety.

Kieran Emery - 53 games / 81 Goals between 10’ &19’

Recruited from Sydney, Kizza played 53 of the clubs 54 NEAFL matches. Often matched up on the competition’s premier defenders, Emery’s greatest strength was his ability to mark the ball at full stretch and for a tall player he had a nice kicking action.

Josh Searl - 111 games / 85 Goals between 10’ &19’

2 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophies

A Broadbeach junior, Searly has served the club for over 20 years and is a senior playing life member having notched up 140 senior games despite struggling at times with injury. A dual Best and Fairest winner and club captain, Searly is without doubt one of the club’s most decorated players, named in the 2019 QAFL team of the year. Is known for his outstanding decision making and damaging use by foot.

Forward

Taylor Haley - 86 games / 158 Goals between 10’ &19’

1 x Ray Hughson League Goal Kicking Award

Recruited from Tasmania in 2008, Tayls was a key player for the Cats for 102 matches over 8 years and was a key leader in the club though the transition from NEAFL to QAFL football. Winning the Ray Hughson Medal in 2014 with 67 was a great achievement, as was being named in the QAFL team of the year.

Jason Eagle - 34 games / 128 goals between 10&19.

1 x Ray Hughson League Goalkicking Award

The big Eagle lobbed in 2011 from Redland and kicked 128 goals at NEAFL level over 2 years including winning the Ray Hughson Medal in 2012. The customary lead, mark low down and roll was enjoyed many times over at the Cattery and the booming left foot a feature of his goalkicking. Eagle kicked bags of 11 twice in 2012 against Labrador and Aspley, and a few games were won largely off his boot.

Matt Fowler - 20 games / 97 Goals between 10&19

1 x Ray Hughson League Goalkicking Award

Club captain Fowler came to the club in 2018 after considerable success at WAFL and NEAFL level. In 2018 Chook was a key plank in the club’s march to the Grand Final winning the Ray Hughson Medal for competition goal kicking with 67 goals, and being named at full forward in the QAFL team of the year.

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Followers

Mitch Brewer - 62 Games / 51 Goals between 10&19

Big Mitch came to the club from Coolangatta in 2010 and represented the club on 62 occasions. While known for his at times dominant ruck work and ability to take a mark and kick a goal, Mitch was deceptively strong also at ground level for such a big guy.

Andrew Boston - 14 games / 24 goals between 10&19

As a junior of both Broadbeach and Southport, Bozzo has represented both clubs at senior level also with distinction. Andrew kicked 24 goals in 14 games at NEAFL level as a 17 and 18 year old before being drafted to the Gold Coast Suns, which was an outstanding achievement. Bozzo kicked bags of 5 and 6 against Morningside and Mt Gravatt respectively prior to being drafted, with his clean hands and elite kicking skills a feature.

Broadbeach local and Broadbeach AFL club midfielder Andrew Boston before he was drafted by the Suns.

Dayne Zorko - 34 games / 57 goals between 10 & 19’

2 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophies (4 in total)

1 x Syd Guildford Trophy (2011)

1 x Zane Taylor Medal (2011)

Dayne came to the club from Surfers Paradise as a 17 year old in 2007 and is arguably the club’s best ever player representing the club on 79 occasions (34 during the last decade), winning 4 consecutive Best and Fairest awards (2 in the last decade). Tink won the Syd Guilford trophy in 2011 and also the Zane Taylor medal for best on ground in the NEAFL representative game vs WAFL in a performance that earned an AFL opportunity where he has become a multiple best and fairest winner and captain of the Brisbane Lions.

AFLQ at Merrimac Oval. Broadbeach Cats versus Aspley. Cats #1 Dayne Zorko.

Interchange

Korey Fulton - 26 games / 49 Goals between 10&19.

Fults is without doubt one of the most decorated players in the clubs history. In this decade, Korey was co-captain of the club in 2010, kicking a very handy 31 goals for the season including a match winning effort from the boundary in the dying seconds to defeat a very strong Brisbane Lions reserves at Coorparoo, and in 2011 played some pretty handy NEAFL football swinging forward and back.

Ryan Pantic - 114 games / 40 goals

2 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophies

Ryan represented the club on 114 occasions and is a dual best and fairest winner. Always played with terrific heart and fearlessly committed to contested situations in the midfield usually clashing with bigger bodied opponents. Pants also had a knack of accumulating possession and rarely missed targets.

Benji Neal - 66 games / 64 goals between 10&19

Benji has been a consistent performer for the Cats since coming to the club in 2016, having played 66 games and kicking 64 goals. Benji’s pace on the ground has allowed him to run down opposition players on numerous occasions often changing momentum our way.

Jackson Fisher - 14 games / 17 goals between 10&19

1 x Jim Stubbs Best & Fairest Trophy

Jackson was recruited to the club in 2019 and had immediate impact playing representative football and winning the Best and Fairest in his first year at the club. Fisher’s foot skills are at times eye-catching and midfielders that can also go forward and average more than a goal a game are invaluable.

Brandon Chadwick - 89 Games / 66 goals between 10&19.

The finals selection in the team of the decade, Hawk joined the Cats via the academy in 2014 and has played 89 games since. Known for his hard running, ability to pressure the opposition, Chadwick also knows where the goals are kicking 67 in that time.