Gold Coast QAFL coaches detail the most damaging players in the competition

With 11 Rounds of the 2019 QAFL season gone, each of the head coaches of Gold Coast’s four state league clubs rank the top three opposition players who have provided their biggest headache so far this year. Here are the most damaging players they have seen.

WE all know them.

Players who can break games open, arrest any momentum you thought you had and keep coaches awake at night wondering how they can be stopped.

Each team has one, a player who poses the greatest threat to a win because of the influence they can have on a game and the damage they can cause you.

With 11 Rounds of the 2019 QAFL season gone, each of the head coaches of Gold Coast’s four state league clubs rank the top three opposition players who have provided their biggest headache so far this year.

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS + JABRA WIRELESS HEADPHONES

JESS SINCLAIR (Palm Beach Currumbin coach)

1. Andrew Smith (Mt Gravatt: He is a superb ruckman and player. When we played them (in Round 4) we planned for him because he does drop back into the hole and takes a lot of marks.

Round 2 QAFL Australian rules game between Broadbeach Cats and Mt Gravatt at Subaru Oval. Photo of Benjamin Hancock (left) and Andrew Smith (right). Photo by Richard Gosling.

2. Alex McKay (Labrador): The onballer is a clearance machine and got hold of us when we played them (in Round 8). He is certainly one we will have to put more time into next time we play Labrador.

3. Jayden Crawley (Mt Gravatt). I think the centre-halfback might be out for the year now but when we played them he played a really good game. He was really impressive and hard to stop.

Honourable mentions: Surfers Paradise brothers Brody and Cassidy Haberfield.

Jack Austin (left) of Western Magpies and Jayden Crawley of Mount Gravatt contest a mark during the QAFL match played at Mount Gravatt, Saturday, April 6, 2019. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese)

BEAU ZORKO (Broadbeach Cats coach)

1. Jack Anthony (Palm Beach Currumbin): There is no doubt Jack is probably a different player to what he was when he played in the AFL. The speed of the game and endurance needed in our game compared to the high speed of the AFL means he has been able to get himself bigger and stronger which makes him incredibly difficult to man-up against. At Palm Beach where it’s a big more congested and he can use his body, he is a weapon for them. He is very hard to stop.

Jack Anthony kicked 10 goals for Palm Beach Currumbin against Wilston Grange at Salk Oval on Saturday, August 18. Picture credit: Nelson Herbert, Nelpix.

2. Jack Yelland (Surfers Paradise): He has been very good for Surfers. He has added a different dynamic to their midfield and is a similar mould to someone like Jayden Rymer for us. He is a bigger bodied midfielder and very influential for them. He played a really good game against us (in Round 5).

Round 9 of the QAFL Australian rules competition. Surfers Paradise (Demons) v Mt Gravatt at Sir Bruce Small Park. Photo of Jack Yelland being tackled. Photo by Richard Gosling

3. Alex McKay (Labrador: A new recruit for the Tigers and someone that, if you let them get off the chain, can really damage you and when he is kicking the ball to (Bryce) Retzlaff, Labrador probably turn with a bit of belief into the second half of the year. I think you will see them make a charge at the five.

Honourable mentions: Henry Joyce (Morningside)

SIGN UP NOW FOR OUR FULL ON FOOTY GOLD COAST AUSSIE RULES NEWSLETTER

LIAM BURKE (Labrador Tigers coach)

1. Haydn Kiel (Surfers Paradise/Southport): He is Southport-listed and if he gets up and going he will be an absolute trump card for Surfers Paradise at the business end of the season. He is built for finals footy and the big stage.

Round 9 of the QAFL Australian rules competition. Surfers Paradise (Demons) v Mt Gravatt at Sir Bruce Small Park. Photo of Haydn Kiel. Photo by Richard Gosling

2. Stephen Thynne (Palm Beach Currumbin): He is relentless with his work rate and ability to impact a game of footy. I think he would be really hard to contain for four quarters. You can slow him down throughout a game but he is still going to produce big numbers because he has desire and pride in his performance.

Palm Beach-Currumbin's Stephen Thynne in action at the QAFL Big Coast derby between Labrador and Palm Beach-Currumbin to decide the minor premiership on Saturday. Photo: Jerad Williams

3. Blake Erickson (Broadbeach): He has started to look dangerous and played well against us (in Round 6). He is starting to get going and if he hits his straps in the second half of the season he will be pretty unstoppable.

The Broadbeach Cats QAFL team will be wearing different guernseys this weekend as they raise money for Dementia Australia. Broadbeach Cats playes, Blake Erickson and Jackson Fisher at Subaru Oval. Picture: Jerad Williams

BRAD MOORE (Surfers Paradise coach)

1. Jack Anthony (Palm Beach Currumbin): The big guy up forward is always hard for any opposition to counter against. He has been a big part of Palm Ceach Currumbin’s success. He is injured at the moment but he is the one who sits at the top of the tree.

2. Henry Joyce (Morningside). He has been a great conclusion coming from Aspley to there and has been a big part of their side. He is an agile midifelder and goes forward and kicks goals.

Round 4 QAFL Australian rules game between Surfers Paradise Demons (blue) and Labrador Tigers at Sir Bruce Small Park. Photo of Alex McKay. Photo by Richard Gosling

3. Alex McKay (Labrador): He has been fantastic from the start and won the Anzac medal when we played them (in Round 4). He has added a lot of grunt in their midfield and has led the way with the standards he has set at Labrador. He is a really powerful midfielder.