We breakdown Gold Coast’s 2024 U16 girls development squad with an eye to the future
With an eye to the 2026 AFLW draft and beyond, we run the rule over all the talent developing in the Suns’ U16 girls academy. Discover the top prospects and strengths of every player.
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From Northern New South Wales to Logan, Gladstone to Cape York, and the Darwin metropolitan area, the Suns academies span much of Australia’s north.
As a result, they also develop many of the its finest Aussie rules talents.
With an eye to the future, this masthead will be breaking down all of the 2024 Gold Coast academy squads, analysing the key traits of every player and identifying the sought after draft prospects.
First up, we run the rule over the the Suns’ under-16 girls talents, many of who have their sights firmly fixed on the 2026 AFLW draft.
Among a bevvy of practice matches, the squad played two official games at the under-16 girls national development championships in April.
It was tough going as they suffered heavy defeats at the hands of Western Australia and the Brisbane Lions Academy, but that doesn’t mean the group was void of talent and potential.
Discover the profile of every player below.
Stephanie Aguinaldo
Aguinaldo is one of the most versatile talents in the Suns program. Her athletic pedigree includes high-level walking, netball, and rugby league. She didn’t have a local club and had only been playing school footy but impressed with her leadership and co-captained the Suns’ under-16s. The top-ager is a key forward or inside midfielder that drives her legs powerfully, plays all over the ground, and is explosive. Notched at 18s game against the Lions too.
Keely Andrews
A Townsville product, Andrews is a powerful and raw forward. She’s a netball convert that reads the play well but is still developing her fundamentals. Played against the Swans 16s and kicked a goal. Long-term prospect.
Allegra Bandiera
The 15-year-old was a talent combat athlete but transformed into an excellent wing option in Gold Coast’s under-16 program. She’s up and comer and her commitment and desire to improve was exceptional. Also shifted to the ruck in the back-end of the Suns’ season.
Emily Beaver
Beaver has height on side and is still in the early stages of her development. She’s a long-term prospect and a taller player who’s still developing. She’s worked on her running technique, kicking technique, picked up a single hand ball drop and her confidence is building.
Joelene Billett
Powerful key forward Billett has very good foot skills, she marks on the lead well and kicks accurately. She shifted to full back for the last two Suns games in a bid to expose her to new football, and there was lots of learning but she played really well.
Summer Browning
Browning is very athletic, played on the wing and also at half forward. Her biggest attribute is her repeat effort running, and highlights of her working from one side of the ground to the other were used by coaches as a good example for her teammates to follow. She assists at contest, has good foot skills, and has developed her overhead prowess.
Allie Cameron
Cameron is still only 15 and a talent to be super excited about. She’s a midfielder with ultra explosive speed that comes from a surf lifesaving background. She’s also clean below her knees which really stood out. Was a pivotal member of the Suns outfit this season, and she can also shift forward and hit the scoreboard.
Maddie Campbell
Campbell hails from north Queensland and moved to the Gold Coast at the start of the year. She’s a forward turned rebounding defender with a damaging left foot kick that can open up the game. She also notched an 18s appearance against the Calder Cannons.
Meg Childes
The younger sister of exceptional QAFLW talent Jane, Meg also comes from north Queensland where she was first spotted at the Townsville trials. She’s a lightly framed ruck with a vertical leap that really excites you. The first contest Suns coaches saw her in, she put her knee onto the shoulder of the opposing ruck. Also has good leg speed.
Billie Cook
Cook is still underage in the 16s and stood out for her courage and attack at the footy in a practice match against Brisbane. She also has good foot skills and is a strong one-on-one player for a small footballer. She’s coachable and hardworking.
Grace Cooper
An exciting prospect that’s still 15, Cooper is a very determined and focused individual who lives and breathes football. She’s known for following up her feedback and researching, and also has good foot skills. She began as inside midfielder and her one-on-one contest work is also very strong. She was moved to fullback in her last game and her opponent had seven first half goals, in Cooper’s first time playing down back she kept her to just three in the second half in a really impressive showing.
Sage Crossley
The younger sister of Southport VFL co-captain Brayden, it should come as no surprise that Crossley is a tall ruck with a very good understanding of her tap zones. She missed the national development championships as she was carrying injury, but her overhead marking is solid too.
Ellie Da Ros
She’s still inexperienced but her athletic profile is really exciting. She has explosive speed, agility, a strong vertical leap, and strength – all the little things that you don’t see from other talls. She can fly high in the contest and knows how to ride the defender to pluck some great grabs.
Lacey Dutton
Was the 16’s vice-captain this year and is a smart footballer. She’s a half forward that has the ability to read the play well, is a connection player, and wins ground ball. Is also a talented handpasser and can free her receivers.
Grace Frost
Another north Queensland player from Townsville, Frost has a great ability to win the football and be clean which is really pleasing. She’s a high IQ player who widens her vision well to spread the field and isn’t always looking down line.
Heidi Grimster
Grimster may be one of the quietest footballers in the program, but she has her fundamentals down as well as anyone else. Her overhead marking is also strong, and her tackles are flawless. She’s a good kick and more exposure on game day will continue to develop her skills.
Eva Hooper
A Townsville-based player that captured attention very quickly in the trials, Hooper’s strength and courage is second to none, and she’s great defensively – but can also play a multitude of role in the midfield – making her the ideal all-round footballer. Her foot skills improved throughout the program and she’s strong overhead. Leadership is another strong suit of Hooper’s and she was a vice-captain.
Ella Johnston
Johnston is a running half back with height who has an impressive footy IQ. She’s a hybrid defender that can play tall or small, and the coaches also had a look at her down forward.
Jessica Large
A north Queensland product with electrifying speed, she likes to be outside with her pace but can also play inside and her run down tackles are fantastic. The coaches were excited by her workrate to outnumber and she’s clean by both hand and foot. A good prospect.
Azahri Loats
Loats played against Sydney, but returned to home to north Queensland afterwards, however she flew down again to feature in the Brisbane game. She’s a strong marking centre half forward who can also ruck or play centre half forward. Is good below her knees for her height and her repeated tackle pressure is her biggest weapon.
Lily Moana
One of the youngest players in the program, Moana is just 14 years old and a very exciting prospect. Her leg speed, endurance, IQ, and ability to impact multiple contests are her greatest attributes.
Tara Nieass
Nieass is another exciting prospect that’s ranked very highly. She’s 15 and polished by hand and foot, was arguably the best kick in the program. She was used off the wing and has a good vertical leap, as well as a great understanding of positioning and how to be damaging. A great talent.
Keanah Russell
Russell was the only underage player in the 16s program last year, making her the only repeat player in the Suns’ 2024 crop of talent. She co-captained the group and is a tough back-pocket/midfielder who’s aggressive and strong in the contest. Has a good left foot kick but missed the last three games through injury.
Mistee Sagigi
Sagigi is from Thursday Island and hadn’t played football until a year ago. She was identified on Thursday Island and immediately impressed when she came down for trials to look like she’s been playing for years. Has good fundamentals, and uses her exceptional speed to run-down tackle and explode out of contests.
Nikki Sandeman
Sandeman is a small forward with a good IQ and positioning. She reads the play well and can act as a connector down forward. She also finds space and uses it well, has good foot skills and a good lead too.
Jesse Sewell
A lightning fast back pocket whose explosiveness is a valuable weapon. She’s not too bad by foot and can leave congestion quickly.
Asia Single
The younger sister of Gold Coast AFLW player Lucy Single, Asia has impressed in the program. Her kicking skills and overhead marking are strengths. Her game is underpinned by her versatility and she can play on the inside or outside in the midfield and at half back. An exciting prospect.
Chelsea Smyth
A midfielder that converted to a back pocket, she’s strong at the contest and her tackle pressure is great. Also very mature on the field and her kicking is another strength.
Charli Sunderland
Unfortunately Sunderland was injured before the carnival but she’s a speed machine who was often taking three or four bounces in the practice matches. A natural half forward flank but could shift to the wing due to her speed.
Zoe Taylor
Taylor hails from Brisbane and resides right on the edge of the Suns Academy zone. Unfortunately she was held back by injuries this year and didn’t get a clean run to showcase her good foot skills and marking prowess.
Natalie Whatman
The Palm Beach Currumbin State High product has already represented Queensland in school footy. She trialled as an inside midfielder but would later find her home in the backline. She’s a strong intercept player that can impact the contest as a key defender. Also runs from half back and reads the play well.
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