AFL SEQ under 17 girls – 80 Players to Watch this season
AFL SEQ under 17 Div 1 girls footy season launch: Here’s 80 Players to Watch from an ace youth Aussie rules competition which the Lions and Gold Coast Suns’s AFLW talent scouts were sure to monitor.
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From incumbent All Australian representatives, Lions and Suns Academy players to first time players, there will be a place for everyone in the 13 team, under 17 girls south east Division 1 AFL SEA competition.
And the www.couiermail.com.au will be there to cover matches each Sunday in this booming arm of the code - along with the prospects of Div 2 teams Morningside and Mt Gravatt.
Weekly reports will dovetail with our current QAFL colts coverage, and extensive coverage of the QAFL seniors and women by our News Corp sister organisation, The Gold Coast Bulletin.
TOP QAFL and QAFLW PERFORMERS AFTER 3 ROUNDS
Round one will see a powerful Maroochydore, featuring a number of Lions Academy players and members of its unbeaten under 15s, play arch rivals Broadbeach.
Sandgate will be the venue for two Coastal away teams when Maroochydore play Broadbeach on Sunday.
The competition includes a side from the Northern Rivers, the Tweed Coast Tigers, who have talent from as far away beautiful riverside Ballina.
“All the Northern Rivers Clubs are right behind this great team,’’ said coach Steve Foreman. “We will be sharing home rounds between our clubs to keep footy alive and invigorated at community grass roots level.’’
“The Northern Rivers Junior AFL Clubs have been producing some exceptional female players for many seasons now. With some great work from clubs including Tweed Coast Tigers, Murwillumbah Vulcans, Ballina Bombers, Byron Bay Magpies and Brunswick Valley Bulldogs, we have combined a great team of girls to launch our 17s girls team.’’
Surfers Paradise will be fielding its first U17 girl’s team. “We have 16 players on our list but it is jam-packed with talent,’’ said coach Chanel Fletcher.
“In a pre-season practice match day at Bond, we went through undefeated and were missing our Suns Academy players. We are excited about the new experience in the 17s and the challenges that are ahead.’’
Wests Juniors will be one of the benchmark teams, with many of the 2022 under 17 Div 2 premiership group, along with players from the runners up in Div 1 North under 15 side, returning to play in this side.
Yeronga, fresh from a finals’ berth last season in its return to the under 17s, will have depth as the club uses the competition as a pathway toward its QAFLW program.
“These girls have been a force in our two practice matches with some girls even earning themselves spots in the QAFLW team,’’ said coach Jessie Baltus. “We are very excited to see how much the girls can grow and develop this year,’’ he said, adding six girls were in either the Lions or Suns Academy.
After narrowly missing out on finals last year the Wilston Grange under 17 girls were keen to go one step further this year and play finals football.
“Many of last year’s players have made a successful transition up into senior football but the remaining girls are keen to push this year’s group for further success,’’ said coach Jamie Sceney.
“We have been really fortunate to have some quality players from other clubs join our program adding to the great bunch of last year’s U15’s that have come up and a few girls that are completely new to the game. The energy around training has been fantastic.’’
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Redland-Victoria Point
Olivia Petrillo: Petrillo is a full forward who attacks the ball hard and has a great kick. She recently played for the Brisbane Lions under 16 Academy team which won the Div 2 national championship.
Chloe Campbell: Campbell is a defender or midfield player, highly skilled with exceptional hands who always finds time and space in the traffic. She never panics under pressure.
Clara Cooke: Cooke will play wing or halfback where she will read the play as well as anyone. She has a sensational kick and uses the ball well.
Harlee McIllwain: This centre half forward has a great overhead mark and terrific vertical leap. She also has a nice turn of speed. McIllwain is an excitement machine who was also a part of the Lions under 16 Academy team
Olivia Hamilton: Half forward flanker Hamilton has good hands, a good turn of speed who knows where the goals are and is capable of kicking bags of goals.
Anneliese Neary: A midfielder and defender, Neary is a hard running player who gets plenty of the ball. She is in the Lions L3 Academy.
Tyra Bell-Brooks: The halfback flanker and dual premiership winner provides plenty of run off the backline. She reads the play well
Annie Wallace: Wallace plays midfield and forward and has a great turn of pace. She gets plenty of the ball and applies elite pressure
Harriet Knijff: Midfield and forward, Harriet is a dual best and fairest winner who runs all day and gets plenty of the ball.
Tiffany O’Keeffe: O’Keeffe is a centre half back, tough and aggressive who has a great kick as well. She is a two-time premiership winner who provides plenty of run off the backline.
Ebony Milne: You may not see a lot of this midfield/forward in the under 17s, so highly thought of is she in the QAFLW competition with Yeronga. A Brisbane Lions Academy Level 3 program athlete, Milne has exquisite skills, with remarkably clean hands below her knees and overhead. She is an elite kick of the football who has represented Queensland on multiple occasions.
RELATED LINKS
50 COLTS PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR SEASON 2023
BUMPER COLTS 1 ROUND 1 ACTION – REPORT HERE
THE BEST 28 PLAYERS FROM THE QAFLW’s 2022 SEASON
Surfers Paradise
Alicia Gordon: A hardworking player who always has her head over the footy. Gordon has clean skills and applies great tackling pressure.
Alice Minahan: Coming back from injury, Minahan is a damaging player who is super versatile and can play any position.
Chaise Montey: – An in-and-under midfielder but also can rotate to a key back. Great ability to read the play and defensive skills.
Sunny Lappin: We saw Lappin in the Schools Cup last year where she shone. She is new to the club and a bottom age player, but she is an exciting player to watch with strong overhead marks and great athleticism.
Aasha Elliot: Elliot is an absolute athlete across multiple sports. Look out for her powerful and super fast running off halfback.
Coorparoo
Chloe Gaunt: A tall Forward in her second year at Coorparoo, Gaunt is such a talent she will also play QAFLW women’s in 2023. He is a super talented and really quiet achiever.
Kameryn Bray: A new recruit from Mt Gravatt, Bray will play in the midfield where she will be a great ball winner with Lions Academy experience.
Lucy Arklay: A young veteran, Arklay has played over 100 games for Coorparoo Juniors. She continues to develop and really stand out with her footy skills and game knowledge.
Sienna Ibrahim: A midfield player, Ibrahim is coming off a successful campaign with the Brisbane Lions under 16 academy which won its championship division.
Sherwood Magpies
Lauren Monson: Monson has exceptional closing pace with a desire for relentless tackling.
Georgia Lwin: She has experience money can’t buy. The established tall is capable of dominating the ruck and making contests.
Zoe Tame: Every team needs a Zoe Tame. She is a no fuss type, a competitive defender who is rarely beaten
Daisy Minz: Minz is an athletic tall, exceptional in the air with a huge running capacity. You grow tired as a spectator just watching her.
Sophie David: Hard at the ball, David is an in and under midfielder with a booming left foot.
Audrey Pick-up: Watch out for this crafty small forward with exceptional reading of the play.
RELATED LINKS
QAFL: Every teams’ full season preview including list changes, players to watch
QAFL Coaches and captains have revealed who they think will make the grand final
FULL SENIORS SEASON PREVIEW HERE
Wests Juniors
Claudia Dargie: She will be full of confidence after being best on ground in the grand final last season. Dargie is a skilful, hard running midfielder.
Charlotte Russell: Another premiership winner from the Div 2 side last season, Russell will present as a tough midfielder or utility type.
Eva Sartor: Wests will be well served in the midfield, with his prolific centre player and repeat best and fairest winner returning to the fray.
Nickkie Shaw: Shaw is just what the doctor ordered, a tireless, rebounding defender or midfielder.
Tweed Coast Tigers
Allanah McNally: Winner of Best and Fairest U13 and U15 female Player in the Gold Coast competition, McNally is a tough and gritty rover that always gives 100 per cent with her workrate..
Billi Hutton: Outstanding in the ruck, Hutton is a Tigers on field leader and mobile marking option. She is a Gold Coast Suns 16s Development Squad Player.
Jade Rettenmaier: Outstanding forward with pace, and with a strong overhead mark, she has elite kicking skills on the run. She was a member of the cictorious Aus Gaelic Football touring group to the UK earlier this year.
Laini Mostert: Meet this powerhouse Tigers forward, a footy player with stacks of pace and terrific skills across the ground.
Bonnie Starling: Starling is a highly skilled defender who has great aerial skills. She is a real reload specialist.
Bree Puntigam: Highly valued on ball player or winger. She is an aggressive footy player in any contest and able to find good options consistently.
Savannah Hampson: Tough and unrelenting defender, Hampson has great kkills and commitment at every contest.
Charlee Salmon: A new player from NT, Salmon has elite ball handling and kicking skills. She is a real X-Factor player.
RELATED LINKS
BUMPER QAFL COLTS ROUND 3 ACTION HERE – REPORT
HOW’S THIS FOR THE TOP 50 FOOTY TEENS OF 2022
DRAFT WATCH: Stars of the U16 national championships
Broadbeach
Annabelle Foat
She has a very good brain and uses it to her advantage through the midfield. She also has great leadership qualities. “That’s why she made the All Australian team last year,’’ said coach James Dofter.
Sienna Burnham: Another All Australian selection, Burnham has speed and football ability that makes her a very hard player to handle. “Keep an eye on this girl,’’ Dofter said.
Dakota Baron: She is from the sporting mecca of Logan City (Park Ridge SHS) and will be a great addition to the Cats in her first season with the club. Another All Australian player, she has great making and has an even better vertical leap. “She is one player with a big future,’’ Dofter said.
Sienna Blair: Blair is a quiet work horse, someone who many believe is an underrated player. “It is great having her at our club,’’ the coach said.
Yeronga
Sophie Dunne: Dunne made her debut in the forwards in the Devils’ QAFLW side last week after a strong pre-season. Her use of the footy, skills and body positioning is years above her age.
Ila Streeter: She gained valuable experience making her debut in Yeronga’s QAFLW reserves last week. Stretter is an up and coming outside midfielder already showing great knowledge, positioning around the ground and skill through the midfield. She will push forward and kick a few snaps.
Claire Fraser: A centre half forward with a great set of hands and silky skills, Fraser is a player that can evade defence and finish off in front of goals. Fraser has played a trial game in Yeronga’s senior side.
Amelia Leigh: An exciting player to watch, Leigh reads the play well. She is hard at the contest and wins the footy and disposes of it nicely. Leigh is another girl coming through with polished skills.
Sandgate
Montannah Fabian: The Hawks will be well served by Fabian, a forward/ruck with a load of skills who loves the tough stuff and comes from good stock. She leads by example week in week out.
Emmerson Brady: A midfielder who reads the play well, Brady has good skills with a big tank who gives everything she has.
Vianne Stillman: Another midfielder with good pace and skills, Stillman is a strong mark and aggressive defender who finds plenty of footy.
Kendra Uzelac: This young full forward has a great set of hands, a good kick who loves the tough stuff and who is hard to handle one-on-one.
Chloe Rogers: Rogers is a versatile player who displays great awareness both ends of the field. She is a very good defender with plenty of skills.
Teleah Hennah: A tall forward with a great overhead mark, Hennah has a good kick off the footy and knows how to find the goals.
Wilston Grange
Mia Geere: A super talented young player from the Lions Academy, Geere is a local junior who has all the attributes of a great footballer. She has sublime skills, reads the game well and can play any position on the field.
Sophia Allen: Allen is another one of our young Lions Academy players who has an unrelenting attack on the ball and player creating a fierce physical contest wherever she plays. She plays half back or midfield and will be a tremendous asset in either role.
Tayla Simpson: Simpson is a wonderful addition to our team, coming from Jimboomba and the Suns Academy. An attacking defender who hates to get beaten. She uses her run and long kicking to great effect, turning defence into attack.
ummer Hamilton: Another recruit from Jimboomba via the Suns Academy, this young lady is fast. Real fast. A pressure forward with a great goal sense. Hamiltonwill also compliment the Gorillas midfield as an impact player.
Tweed Coolangatta
Nakeisha Drew-Perkiss: Nakeisha is a dashing half back who reads the ball extremely well. She is rarely beaten in a one-on-one situations and is great at contested ball meaning that she can be thrown in the midfield.
Evie Emmett: An explosive on baller who’s remarkable stand out is her burst from congestion. She is great at winning contested ball and works hard both forward and defensive.
Ava Maher: A flashy centre half forward who flies for any ball within her reach, Maher is an extremely athletic player which makes her ground ball and second efforts an outstanding feature.
Allira Palmucci: Allira is a key pillar at centre half back, who reads the ball extremely well. Intercept marking is a pivotal feature of her game and when in possession of the ball, uses it skilfully.
Aleah Stringer: Aleah is a silky winger and midfielder with a high footy IQ whose exceptional skills of run and carry are a real indispensable feature of her game.
Burleigh Bombers:
Stormie Holub-Huttunen: Holub-Huttunen, a co-captain, is a versatile utility player who excels in ground ball receives and sets up well behind the football to offer cover across the halfback line.
Bronte Parker: Co-captain Parker plays throughout the midfield and provides great drive with her athletic running ability and pinpoint kicking. Bronte is also part of the GC Suns U16 Squad.
Izzy Lowe: Regarded as an emerging leader, Lowe is a centre half forward that reads the flight of the ball beautifully, she has exceptional skills overhead and is a reliable set shot.
Lilly-Ann Ryder: Another highly rated for her leadership qualities, Ryder is joining the team this year with silky skills and great overhead marks. She’s a part of the GC Suns U16 Squad and we’re excited to see what she can do for us.
Alanna Welsh: Welsh is an ever-reliable defender who can easily find herself placed in the forward line also. She was a standout in the grand final with her intercept marking and use of the ball.
Southport
Peyton Mackie: Last year’s Division 2 best and fairest, of the league, Peyton’s game has very few weaknesses. She is a great inside ball winner and is strong in the air. Mackie has a penetrating kick and knows where the goals are.
Jordan Donnelly: This year’s captain, Donnelly has a fearless approach to the game. She has a nice right foot kick and is a good mark for her size. If you take her on, you do it at your own peril as she is a tackling machine. She is often found at the bottom of the pack winning hard ball.
Kaitlin Mercer: A strong, hard player, Mercer can play all the key positions. She has a great mark, reads the game well and has a booming right foot kick. Mercer is a fantastic leader and has spent the off season training in the women’s program.
Shyla Bauer: In only her second season, Bauer is a natural. With a great game sense, she reads the ball as good as anyone in the competition. Bauer has a great long kick, excellent hands and can run all day.
Lizzie Andres: From playing state netball to half back flank and the midfield for the Sharks. Andres is a competitive beast that does not take a backward step. She mops up everything off the half back line and her skills are sublime.
ROUND 1, south east Division 1 competition.
Burleigh Bombers v Wilston Grange
Southport v Yeronga Devils
Broadbeach v Maroochydore
Sandgate Hawks v Tweed Coolangatta
Wests Juniors v Sherwood Magpies
Surfers Paradise v Coorparoo
Bye: Redland-Victoria Point
Morningside under 17 Div 2
After back to back premierships, Morningside is looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding, with a fresh list in 2023.
Eighteen members of the 26 girl squad are new to the team, with several taking up the sport for the first time. “With four members of our 2022 team now in the Lions Academy representative squad, we look forward to developing a new batch of future stars,’’ said Panthers coach Alan McGrath.
Eden Taylor: A fast improving ruck, with good skills and lightning speed.
Isabelle Bailey: A hard working inside midfielder always willing to push into the backline to support our defenders.
Poppy Priestley: New to the club, Poppy is a strong key forward with a fierce attack at the contest.
Ella Christensen – a bottom age, versatile player who can play multiple positions. Good skills and sharp game sense.
Mt Gravatt under 17 Div 2
“This year we find ourselves in Division 2 where I think is the perfect fit,’’ said Vultures coach Damien King. “We have had a large exodus of players chasing their dreams to play for QAFLW clubs which means we have merged with Jindalee to form a side.
“With this years focus on having fun and creating senior footballers for our clubs, we can’t wait to get into the year ahead.
Taneka Dhadlie: One of Mt Gravatt’s captains, Dhadlie reads the play well and loves the contest.
Jessica Williams: An athletically gifted player, Williams has a hunger to improve herself. She is in good form and stood out in our practice matches.
Enah Desic: Decis oozes leadership and has a footy IQ beyond her years. She is dangerous with or without the football.
Tiana Limperakis: “I was told she was a smart forward, but she has also put in a ton of work over the pre-season,’’ said coach Damien King. As a result she looks set to move through the midfield.
Shae Gordon: Gordon has dominated the Vultures running and agility session. “I can’t wait to see her slicing through traffic,’’ Gordon said.
Originally published as AFL SEQ under 17 girls – 80 Players to Watch this season
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