FQPL WRAP: We name QLD’s star grassroots footballers and teams
With footballs seasons across the Sunshine State well underway here is Football Queensland’s look at some of the top players from across the state. Find out who from your club made the list here.
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With unbeaten streaks on the line and teams eager to find form football fans across Queensland will be treated to some real blockbuster games.
Here is Football Queenland’s look at the big matches and the stars making their mark.
Information in this column is provided by the Football Queensland Media Team.
FQPL Far North & Gulf
The FQPL Far North & Gulf competition continues this week as we head into Round 8 with unbeaten streaks on the line in some top of the table clashes.
The unmissable men’s headline bout of the weekend features ladder leaders Leichhardt Lions hosting third placed Southside Comets in a battle with more than just top ranking on the line. The Comets enter the clash full of confidence after a dominant 6-2 victory in Round 7 as they look to break Leichhardt’s unbeaten streak while keeping the Lions’ many scoring threats at bay.
In the women’s competition, after a tough start to the season, Stratford Dolphins have started to grow in confidence after recent back-to-back wins placing them in fifth position.
This week the Dolphins will face a tough test as they host an unbeaten Edge Hill side currently sitting in second place after comfortable wins over Redlynch and Innisfail and the current Golden Boot leading scorer in their line-up.
Women
Friday April 26
Leichhardt FC vs. Southside Comets, Jeff Pezzutti Park, 8.30pm
Stratford Dolphins vs. Edge Hill Tigers, Nick Brko Field, 8.30pm
Saturday, 27 April:
Innisfail United vs. Mareeba United, Steve Corica Oval Innisfail, 5pm
Men
Saturday April 27
Marlin Coast Rangers vs. Redlynch Strikers, Pennell Field, 7pm
Innisfail United vs. Mareeba United, Steve Corica Oval Innisfail, 7pm
Sunday April 28
Leichhardt Lions vs. Southside Comets, Leichhardt FC, 5pm
Stratford Dolphins vs. Edge Hill Tigers, Nick Brko Field, 5pm
Round 7 Results
Men
Edge Hill Tigers 1 drew with Redlynch Strikers 1
Southside Comets 6 def Stratford Dolphins 2
Marlin Coast Rangers 1 def Mareeba United 0
Innisfail United 0 def by Leichhardt Lions 2
Women
Edge Hill Tigers 4 def Redlynch Strikers 1
Southside Comets 2 def by Stratford Comets 3
Innisfail United 0 def by Leichhardt Lions 5
South Coast
It’s been a whirlwind month for Gold Coast Knights starlet David Bolongi who was selected in the Subway Joeys squad for a two-week camp in Italy earlier this month, facing off against Switzerland U16 and the Inter Milan U17 squad.
Bolongi netted in the 107th minute as the Joeys defeated Switzerland 4-3 in a modified 120-minute contest.
Fellow Queenslander and current Brisbane Roar midfielder Quinn MacNicol was also on the scoresheet for Australia, while Rhys Williams also of the Brisbane Roar saw minutes.
The Joeys unfortunately went down 4-2 against Inter Milan, with Bolongi, MacNicol and Williams all being given plenty of valuable match experience against one of the world’s best youth teams.
Bolongi will be one to keep an eye on for the future, with his next immediate focus to continue to score goals for the Gold Coast Knights and break into the first team.
FQPL 3 South Coast Weekend Review
Despite the rain hanging around the coast last weekend, there were plenty of top matches played in the FQPL 3 South Coast competitions.
These are the players who performed best for their teams over the weekend as voted by the coaches
Men
Ormeau FC vs. Tweed United (3-2)
3 Mathew Hewitt, Wassell, Trevor Wassell
2 Gilles Dams Eelen, Arkinstall, Lachlan Arkinstall
1 JayJay Olivares, James Ollerenshaw
Southport vs. Gold Coast Knights (1-0)
3 Charlie Saunders
2 Luca Gasser
1 Andrew Ridden
Burleigh Heads vs. Surfers Paradise Apollo (0-4)
3 Jackson Boyd
2 Matthew Deehan
1 Brody Smith
Robina City FC, vs. Kingscliff (4-3)
3 Adam Endean
2 Jayden Sonter
1 Zeb Branton
Women
Coomera FC vs. Musgrave (1-1)
3 Georgia Grosskreutz, Olivia Camage
2 Chanelle Slyp, Rhilynne Perry
1 Joni Nedeljak, Natasha Jelacic
Northern Rivers vs. Magic United (1-2)
3 Elisa Brito, Sienna Rooney
2 Scarlett Terry, Hayden Afflick
1 Georgia Terry, Lucy Bill
NPL Men Match Preview
Moreton City Excelsior vs. Gold Coast Knights
It’s a 2023 NPL Queensland grand final rematch this weekend as the Gold Coast Knights head north to take on Moreton City Excelsior this Saturday night.
Coming off the back of five consecutive wins, Knights currently sit atop the table with seven wins and one loss from eight matches.
A comprehensive home victory against Brisbane City last weekend will put Knights in good stead for their toughest battle yet, going head-to-head against fourth placed Moreton City. Formerly known as the Moreton Bay United Jets, Moreton City were narrowly edged out by Knights at Suncorp in the 2023 grand final and will be out for revenge.
Star forward Marquez Walters will be a threat for the Knights backline to keep an eye on, with the 2023 golden boot winner currently leading the way yet again in 2024 with nine goals from eight matches.
Knights know that a win this weekend would send a real statement to the rest of the competition, while Moreton City will be eager to claw back some of the ground lost on the league leaders in the early stages of the season
It’s all to play for, keep up to date with the match from 5.30pm this Saturday if you can’t make it up to Wolter Park.
Whitsunday Coast
Round 6 of the FQPL Whitsunday Coast produced some interesting results.
Mackay Wanderers celebrated their first win of the season against Country United and Mackay Rangers and Whitsunday United both notched their second win of the season, with wins over Magpies FC and City Brothers, respectively.
In the men’s competition City Brothers earned their first win against Mackay Wanderers, providing a morale boost, notably with Phoenix Ridley making a worthy debut for the team. The highly anticipated showdown between Mackay Lions and Magpies culminated in a hard fought one-all draw.
Whitsunday United emerged as the better team against Mackay Rangers with a 2-1 win, a result that moved Whitsunday into the second spot while Rangers dropped to fourth on the FQPL ladder.
Round 6 Results
Women
Mackay Wanderers 1 – 0 Country United
Mackay Rangers 3 – 1 Magpies FC
Whitsunday United 2 – 1 City Brother
Men
City Brothers 3 – 1 Mackay Wanderers
Whitsunday Untied 2 – 1 Mackay Rangers
Mackay Lions 1 – 1 Magpies FC
Round 7 Preview
Round 7 of the FQPL Whitsunday Coast presents some challenging match-ups for teams in both the men’s and women’s leagues.
City Brothers will face an in-form Dolphins FC at home, while Mackay Rangers will take on the formidable Mackay Lions, known for their strong defensive and attacking power this season.
Whitsunday United will seek to secure a crucial three points as they host Country United on Saturday.
In the men’s division, City Brothers are set for a tough encounter against ladder leaders Magpies FC at home.
Mackay Wanderers will host Whitsunday United in another compelling matchup, while Rangers aim for their third win of the season against the league’s best defensive team, Mackay Lions.
Fixtures
Women
Friday April 26
City Brothers vs. Dolphins FC, City Brothers Field, 8pm
Mackay Lions vs. Mackay Rangers, Lions Field, 8pm
Magpies FC vs. Mackay Wanderers, Magpies FC, 8pm
Saturday, 27 April
Whitsunday United vs. Country United, Whitsunday United, 6pm
Men:
Saturday, 19 April
City Brothers vs. Magpies FC, City Brothers Field, 7pm
Mackay Wanderers vs. Whitsunday United, Wanderers Park, 7pm
Mackay Rangers vs. Mackay Lions, Rangers FC, 7pm
Sunshine Coast
Round 8 of the FQPL Sunshine Coast is here and there are some huge top of the table clashes lined up.
The headline match in the men’s competition will be the hotly contested battle between third placed Caloundra FC and second placed Noosa Lions FC.
Coming off a dominant victory in Round 7, Caloundra will be out to continue their winning momentum and end Noosa’s unbeaten streak, as team leading goal scorer Riley Campbell leads the line.
While a highly confident Noosa aims to continue their blazing start to the season and edge closer to taking the top spot off ladder leaders Woombye.
In the women’s competition, Gympie United host Noosa Lions in what promises to be a huge clash between the current fourth and second place ladder holders.
After a strong start to the season, Gympie will want to bury the memory of their back-to-back losses in Round 3 and 4 and continue their return to form following their Round 7 victory. After wet weather wreaked havoc on their recent rounds, Noosa will look to continue as they left off in Round 4 and maintain their unbeaten record while holding off Gympie’s leading scorer Emma Kraak.
Women
Friday April 26
Beerwah Glasshouse United vs. Kawana FC, Glasshouse Mountains Sportsground, 8.15pm
Nambour Yandina vs. Maroochydore FC, Yandina Sports Complex, 8.30pm
Wednesday May 1
Gympie United FC vs. Noosa Lions FC, One Mile Oval, 7pm
Men
Saturday April 27
Caloundra Lions vs. Noosa Lions, Caloundra FC, 3pm
Beerwah Glasshouse United vs. Woombye Snakes, Glasshouse Mountains Sportsground, 5pm
Nambour Yandina United vs. Gympie United, Yandina Sports Complex, 6pm
Baringa FC vs. Coolum FC, Baringa Sports Complex, 6pm
Kawana FC vs. Buderim Wanderers FC, Kawana Western Sports Precinct, 6pm
Round 7 Results
Men
Maroochydore FC 1 def by Kawana FC 6
Woombye Snakes 2 def Nambour Yandina 1
Buderim Wanderers 1 def by Caloundra FC 2
Coolum FC vs. Beerwah Glasshouse (postponed)
Noosa Lions vs. Baringa FC (postponed)
Women
Beerwah Glasshouse 1 def by Gympie United 2
Nambour Yandina 3 def Kawana FC 1
Woombye Snakes 3 def by Maroochydore FC 4
MiniRoos Team of the Week
The Under 10/11 girls team at Baringa Football Club is an inclusive, kind and encouraging team where everyone attends each week with a smile, ready to play their best and contribute to their team, all while having fun.
Though most families are quite new to Baringa Football Club, some of the girls have been playing with the club for 3-4 years and have played a crucial role in establishing the positive, inclusive culture that exists in the team today.
Baringa begins the 2024 season with a new coaching team of Jo (mother of Audrey) and Jacob (father of Lily) and in just a few weeks the two coaches have worked incredibly well to nurture the fun and positive community that exists within the team, which resulted in a win for the first game of the season.
Special mention also goes to the former Baringa FC coach Maurice for his fantastic efforts in coaching several girls in previous years and setting up the club and the team with a fantastic vision and welcoming environment.
Everyone in the team loves playing in the all-girls side as they form wonderful friendships while developing their football skills.
Ruby says soccer is her “happy place”, Eliza says it’s exciting “hearing everyone cheering on the sidelines” and Kadence is “excited about the new friends” she’s making this year.
The team is looking forward to a fun and exciting football season.
Player EOIs open for the FQ Academy Sunshine Coast Development Centre
Does your child dream of becoming the next Mary Fowler or Harry Souttar?
Football Queensland’s FQ Academy Sunshine Coast Development Centre is providing the opportunity for local players to craft their skills through high-quality and advanced training programs designed to support their development and long-term progression in the game.
Player expressions of interest are now open for girls born 2010–2015 and boys born 2011–2015 to register their interest in joining the FQ Sunshine Coast Development Centre’s 14-week program to be held in Term 2 (May–June) and Term 3 (July–September).
To find out more about the FQ Academy Development Centre and to register your EOI, head to the Football Queensland website.
Become a Coach
Football Queensland is hosting two coaching courses in the region next month for those interested in beginning their coaching journey.
A MiniRoos Certificate course will be held at Caboolture Sports FC on May 1, with the course encouraging coaches to nurture the development of players aged 5-9 years old through fun activities and games.
Those wanting to go a step further and gain a greater understanding of technique and the game’s basic principles can join the Foundation of Football course which will be held on May 8, 15 and 22 at Noosa Lions FC.
This course acts as a prerequisite for the ‘C’ Diploma for those wanting to continue to gain more advanced qualifications.
To find out more about upcoming courses and how to register, head to footballqueensland.com.au/coaching-courses
Darling Downs
It’s first versus third in the FQPL 3 Darling Downs men’s competition this Saturday as West Wanderers host Willowburn FC.
Sitting just two points off the league leaders, Willowburn will be looking to make an early season statement in their title defence but know they will face a stern test in the form of the free scoring West Wanderers.
West Wanderers boast current golden boot leader Jok Ayii among their ranks, who has been in fine form this season netting six times.
Ayii has been ably supported by Caelen Richardson, who himself has chipped in with four goals to make West Wanderers the highest scoring team in the league so far.
Willowburn will be looking to Brodie Welch to add to his four goals this season, as well as Marco Khouri who was named among the players of the month in March.
Last time out, Willowburn put five goals past Warwick, while a bye in the previous round has meant West Wanderers last played a competitive league fixture on March 23.
Make sure to head out to West Wanderers Field 1 at 5pm on Saturday to watch this one unfold.
Review
Despite the rain hanging last weekend, we were treated to an exciting restart to the FQPL 3 Darling Downs competitions after the Easter break.
These are the players who performed best for their teams over the weekend, as voted by their coaches
Men
Rockville Rovers vs. Highfields FC (1-0)
Rockville Rovers: Joshua Crestani, 3 Ameer Sulaiman, 2 Dilshad Khalaf, 1
Willowburn vs. Warwick Wolves (5-1)
Warwick Wolves Connor Bridges, 3 Mike Fodor, 2 Saxon Charles, 1
Gatton Redbacks vs. St Albans (6-3)
St Albans Scott Forknall, 3 Daniel Weber, 2 Riley Lobwein, 1
Women
Willowburn Black vs. Warwick Wolves (0-3)
Willowburn Black: Dakota Jones, 3 Dannielle Davis, 2 Jess Wilson, 1
Warwick Wolves: Sophie Simpson, 3 Emmaline Newley, 2 Angela Smith, 1
Rockville Rovers vs. Chinchilla (6-0)
Rockville Rovers Sheniya Bell, 3 Dawn Holden, 2 Steffi Wilson, 1
Willowburn White vs. Highfields Gold (19-0)
Willowburn White Courtney Morris, 3 Shandell Doro, 2 Zoe Doyle, 1
Northern
Round 6 of the FQPL Northern showcased some thrilling goalscoring action.
In the women’s competition, Kylie Bostick’s remarkable performance saw her netting five goals to lead Riverway to a comfortable victory over Burdekin.
In the men’s competition, MA Olympic faced a tough challenge from Townsville Warriors but emerged victorious with a 3-2 win.
Estates FC also impressed with a 4-1 win against Saints Eagles Souths, fuelled by Sadiki Mwinyi’s hat-trick.
Round 6 Results:
Women
Saints Eagles Souths 0 – 2 Estates FC
Riverway JCU 9 – 0 Burdekin FC
MA Olympic 9 – 0 Townsville Warriors
Men
MA Olympic 3 – 2 Townsville Warriors
Saints Eagles Souths 1 – 4 Estates FC
Rebels FC 0 – 5 Brothers Townsville
Riverway JCU 3 – 5 Burdekin FC
Round 7 Preview
Get ready for an action-packed weekend of football as Round 7 promises thrilling grand final rematches and intense rivalries.
Estates FC will host a double-header against their fierce rivals, Riverway JCU, in what is a crucial matchup for both their men’s and women’s teams.
A victory for the men could move them into fourth or even third place in the standings.
The highlight of Round 7 is the grand final rematch between Brothers Townsville and arch rivals MA Olympic.
Brothers Townsville clinched the premiership-championship double with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over MA Olympic in the men’s finals, while their women’s team endured a penalty shootout defeat, ending in a 4-2 loss to MA Olympic.
The last time these two clubs faced each other was in Round 3 of the Kappa Queensland Cup a few weeks ago, where MA Olympics’ women secured a convincing 5-1 win over Townsville Brothers, while Brothers Townsville’s men’s team secured a 5-2 win.
Expect a battle of attack and defence as both clubs boast formidable line-ups in both the men’s and women’s leagues.
Keep an eye on the goalscoring prowess of Jeremy Brockie (Brothers TSV).
Round 7 Fixtures:
Women
Saturday April 27
Estates FC vs. Riverway JCU, Victoria Park, 5:pm
Saints Eagles Souths vs. Townsville Warriors, Aitkenvale Park, 5pm
Men
Saturday April 27
Estates FC vs. Riverway JCU, Victoria Park, 7pm
Saints Eagles Souths vs. Townsville Warriors, Aitkenvale Park, 7pm
Brothers Townsville vs. MA Olympic, Hi Vista Park, 7pm
Sunday April 28
Burdekin FC vs. Rebels FC, International Park, 5pm
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