Meet the under-10 stars of Gold Coast junior Aussie Rules
We’re shining a light on the under-10s competing in junior Aussie Rules on the Gold Coast. From the kids who give their all each week in training, to the unsung heroes and more, check out who made our list of 40+ players with bright futures here.
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From Dayne Zorko, to Nick Riewoldt to Havana Harris, the Gold Coast has become a hotbed of rising AFL/AFLW talent.
In the first part of our ongoing series, we are celebrating the stars of junior footy in the region.
Starting with the players in the 10 and under age groups, we have highlighted the elite talents, the underrated guns and the kids who give their absolute all in training and on the field.
Check out the young guns making their mark from your club below.
Palm Beach Currumbin
PBC Lions Maroon coach Matt Carroll was full of praise for the efforts his under-10s side has put in throughout the year.
He said the team is a fantastic group of kids who continue to develop each week.
Abel Collins
Collins is one of the bigger bodies in the team and leads the way with his competitive nature and physicality.
Josh Blundstone
A tall left-footer who can move the ball up the field quickly with his impressive kicking ability.
Harvey Gleeson
A tenacious footballer who loves the contested footy and tackling.
Sam Raeck
He may be small in stature but he is a mighty presence on the field. Raeck loves putting hit head over the ball and battle hard each and every week.
Robina Mudgeeraba Roos U8s boys
Khan Venville
Earned the nickname Khan-age due to his incredible intensity.
He is a bull on the field who gives 100 per cent effort every second but balances that inside hard-nosed attitude with great skills and poise.
Roos officials have compared Venville to Tom Liberatore.
Cooper Jansen
Jansen is an exciting all-round talent with all the tricks in the bag.
He has a beautiful kick and picks up several touches throughout the contest.
Jansen is one of the standout talents in the group and earned comparisons to Zach Merrett.
Duke Zorko
Zorko has an incredible knack for just finding the footy.
He is hard at the contest and full of energy.
Much like Brisbane Lions star Kai Lohmann, Zorko loves to kick a goal and has a goal celebration for every occasion.
Robina Mudgeeraba Roos U8s girls
Indii Nolan
While only small in statute, she’s a quick and evasive goal sneak who improves every week and plays like Suns star Charlie Rowbottom.
Billie Anderson-Gomularz
Remember the name, Anderson-Gomularz is a star in the making.
She has great balance, clean hands and wonderful skills.
She shows ability well beyond her years and plays like AFLW star Monique Conti.
Robina Mudgeeraba Roos U9s girls
Ariyah Skeet
Only new to footy, but already showing real potential.
A teammate that players love to play alongside. She’s fast, agile and determined and plays like Ash Riddell.
Robina Mudgeeraba Roos U9s boys
Bailey Philpot
Philpot reads the play beautifully, never wastes a possession and is a hugely determined competitor.
He is a midfielder who likes to kick a goal and often sets up chances for his teammates.
Roos coaches have compared him to Jack Sinclair.
Austin Harris
Harris has silky skills, great balance and is a natural footballer.
He finds the ball with ease, has clean skills and is a real asset to the team.
Harris has shown similar skills to Jake Soligo.
Robina Mudgeeraba Roos U10s boys
Angus Zorko
Zorko is competitive and combative player with skills to match.
He can play inside or outside, kicks goals and never wastes as possession.
He is incredibly passionate about the game and plays like Dayne Zorko.
Archie Colless
A skilled footballer with booming left foot.
Colless is a ball magnet who is hard to tackle and has great hands.
He is a talented, well-rounded player reminiscent of Marcus Bontempelli.
Byron Stephens
Stephens is small in stature, but has a massive heart and goes all day.
His tackling and pressure is elite and he has great evasiveness in congestion.
Roos officials have drawn comparisons to Jayden Short.
Tweed Coast Tigers
Byron Stewart
Don’t be fooled by the laid-back name and chilled vibe Byron Stewart is a fierce Tiger on the field who loves nothing more than a bone-rattling tackle and a hard contest.
Leo Ericson
Equally at home on the catwalk or the footy field, Ericson weaves through defenders like they’re training cones before launching booming goals from long range.
Theo Cox
Left foot, right foot, it doesn’t matter. Cox is the complete package and glides across the ground with silky skills and composure beyond his years.
Ollie Topper
Like a stick of dynamite, Topper explodes at the footy, loves a good sidestep and rarely misses the big sticks.
Luka Els
If attitude was a stat, Els would be leading the league.
He brings elite effort, silky hands, and a team-first mindset every time he pulls on the jumper.
Sam McLindon
When McLindon sets his sights on the ball, there’s no stopping him. He is gutsy, determined, and built for the contest.
Fred Whiting
A natural forward with an uncanny knack for sniffing out the goals. Whiting always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
Harry Little
Don’t let the surname fool you, Little plays with massive heart and spirit. A true team player who loves a goal and really loves the celebration.
Bailey Northcott
Northcott soars through packs with ease, taking strong marks and launching long-range goals - often followed by a signature backflip that gets the crowd going.
Labrador Tigers
Labrador coach Mark Trathen has been impressed by the way the large cohort of under-9s players Alfie Trathen, Hugo Trathen, Jake Bros, Leo Dummett, Davidson Roberts, Jax Fisher, Finn Paisley, Dash Cousens and Olivia Langford have all stepped up playing at under-10 level.
‘They have seamlessly integrated into the U10’s team and have impressed me with their ability to take on the game with no fear of playing against older, bigger kids,” he said.
Rivva Eliason
“Should be playing U8’s and has come into the U10’s team, showing maturity beyond his years. I would consider him one of our best players,” Trathen said.
Teddy Le Gassick
This is Le Gassick’s first year at the club and his effort and hunger for the game has been a standout.
Trathen labelled him as one of the team’s most valuable members.
Jax Fisher
Another player in his first year with the club, but also in his first ever season of Australian football.
“He was quite tentative in his first few weeks. However, in the last month, I have seen a massive improvement in his intensity, both at training and in the game. It has been fantastic to see the growth in his game and also see him grow in confidence in general,” Trathen said.
Broadbeach Cats U10 Leopards
Tommy Baker
A little ball of energy that loves a challenge and kicking a goal.
He brings a cheeky persona and his long-range goals and ability to attack the ball are a standout.
Pierro
“Switching across from rugby to Aussie rules for the first time, I’ve been blown away with
the P-Train’s natural ability,” coach Rhett Sutton said.
His athleticism is a joy to behold as he brings great lateral movement and speed and has all the tools to become a star.
Lachie Deller
A coach’s player, Deller never misses a session, is keen to learn and goes above and beyond at training to enhance his development.
He is incredibly versatile and dominates any position on the field.
Broadbeach Cats U10 Cougars
Harvey Kidney
A reliable left-footer known for his precision by foot, Kidney thrives in contested situations at ground level.
He is dedicated to continual improvement and consistently pushes himself to develop his football skills during training.
Joshua Taylor
A right-footer with outstanding accuracy, Taylor displays a selfless, team-first attitude.
He’s a versatile player who embraces any role required, always putting the team’s needs above his own.
Harrison Hillier-Ferry
A powerful long kick and strong overhead mark, Hillier-Ferry is a genuine utility capable of playing in multiple positions across the ground.
His adaptability and presence make him a valuable asset in any part of the field.
Broadbeach Cats U10 Panthers
Taj Sinclair
The engine room of the Panthers, Sinclair is always a bundle of energy on the
field and at training.
He has super hand and foot skills and whenever he gets the ball you know he is going to find a target.
If you are within arms reach and have the ball Taj will be straight onto a tackle and won’t let go.
Christian “Capybara” Beechey-Thornton
Beechey-Thornton loves his footy and is always ready to go on game day.
He has a team-first focus and is always ready to encourage and help his team on the field. With quick hands he has linked up with other teammates to move the ball through the middle this year.
Michael “Pickle” Farrell
Farrell is another with great foot skills in the Panthers line up.
With a beautiful right foot kick, he is always looking to move the ball forward and provide a scoring opportunity.
A very talented athlete, he was also selected in the Queensland State Gymnastics team recently.
Ollie “The Boss” McIntyre
McIntyre is the youngest on the team, but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. Dedicated to training and improving his skills, he has a deadly bullet pass that he loves to use. He is always at training and on game day loves to take charge on the field.
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