In focus: Player profiles for every U17 and U19 Queensland squad member
The spotlight shines bright on Queensland’s netball heroes as we delve into the player profiles of every U17 and U19 squad member. Get to know the 62 athletes who are vying for a maroon dress. More details:
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As the dust settles from Nissan State Titles, we shine a spotlight on the 62 athletes named in the Queensland Under-17 and Under-19 squads in 2023.
Get to know their playing history, plus who is most likely to don the maroon at the 2024 National Netball Championships.
From the Gold Coast to Peninsula and far west, meet the teen talents gearing up for their next challenge.
UNDER-17 QUEENSLAND SQUAD (30)
Simone Botha – Barastoc Panthers – Outside chance
Botha is new to the scene in 2023, having made her first Nissan State Titles appearance and topping it off by making the Under-17 squad. She is a classic holding goal shooter who has years ahead of her to perfect the craft and learn from experienced squadmates. As the only Panthers to make this age group cut, Botha will strive to make her name known.
Marley Burns – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Probable
M Burns is a tall but mobile goal shooter who can transition into the goal attack role when needed. She has a strong hold against top defenders and can switch it up with rolls and baseline drives to fend off a less-versatile goal keeper. With her twin sister by her side, Burns’s reading of the play is next level.
Rio Burns – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Likely
R Burns is a diverse midcourt player who can cover all three positions (wing defence, centre and wing attack) with ease, depending on her team’s needs. Her speed and read of the play allows her to lose a player in attack, and stick on one when defending. Her vision into the circle is impeccable.
Mahlia Henare – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – On the cusp
A wing defence/ centre who has donned the Cougars colours for years. It’s not Henare’s first time in the Under-17 squad, as she fights to make the final 12 playing cut this time. Her team’s success helped put Henare in the forefront of selectors’ minds, which will come in handy at the upcoming Queensland camps.
Sienna Jones – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Outside chance
Jones is building her brand as a strong circle defender, with experience at Nissan State Titles as well as the school girls state championships. She uses her body well and has been catching eyes the past two years as she continues to develop her skill set in a strong pool of competition.
Ella Macartney – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Probable
Maccartney has improved in strides since being a part of the highly-talented Cougars ranks. The goal attack-come wing attack gels with her teammates and is now a top contender for the Under-17 final cut – whether it be as a training partner or part of the playing 12. She has an accurate shot and can act as a third feeder to her goal shooter when the defence double-teams.
Tia Molo – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Probable
Molo is back for her second year of Under-17 Queensland and is set to be in the final playing 12 once again. She is a strong mid court player who can move between all three positions to assist her team, but specialises in the centre and wing attack roles. The now top-age Molo has a hot chance of being named in the Australia squad for 2024 if she performs at her best.
Ariana Ransfield – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – On the cusp
Ransfield is a quick, agile wing attack and centre who executes her feeds with precision. She is able to deliver balls to both holding and moving shooters under intense defensive pressure. The zippy mid courter treks up the M1 to play for Cougars.
Embah Tait – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – On the cusp
Tait is a South Coast representative during the schoolgirls season but, like Ransfield, makes the journey north to play for Cougars when Nissan State Titles roll around. She is a defensive mid courter who is only bottom age this year, with years of junior pathways ahead.
Amelia Nemcansky – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Outside chance
Rounding out the Cougars shooting end, Nemansky is lesser known than her teammates but has all the skills to earn her spot. She will need to perform her best at the upcoming state camps in order to get over the top of more experienced squad members.
Samaya Cook – Sunshine Coast Thunder – Outside chance
A Sunshine Coast schoolgirl in the 16-19 years, Cook has been busy making a name for herself in 2023. She narrowly missed possibles and probables trials at the school sport state championships, but did enough to earn her place as a circle defender in the Under-17s pathway squad.
Monique Corrigan – Sunshine Coast Thunder – On the cusp
Corrigan was the only 16-19 years Sunny Coast schoolgirl to make the possibles and probables trials in April 2023. Her attacking energy and ability to gel with new athletes quickly is a sort-after skill, and something not many her age boast.
Liberty Grohn – Sunshine Coast Thunder – Outside chance
Grohn is new to the scene but clearly caught the selectors’ eyes in the mid court. She is a speedy wing attack/ centre player who plucks intercepts out of nowhere. While footwork may need tending to, her tenacity on court is fierce.
Ava Guthrie – Sunshine Coast Thunder – Likely
The daughter of former Firebird Leanne Guthrie (née Matthews), Ava Guthrie shone in the centre court for Thunder. She put on a spectacle of speed and smarts which earned her a spot in the Queensland squad. Guthrie is a real chance of making the final cut this season.
Leilani Fatialofa – TAE Aerospace Jets – Likely
A Western Districts local and St Peters Lutheran College prodigy, Fatialofa made herself known on the court this year with a stunning four days of consistent play. She is a versatile goal keeper/ goal defence who can shut down an attacker before they reach the circle. Fatialofa’s style is reminiscent of past Queensland representative and fellow St Peters defender Mia Baker, with the same long reach and vertical that will get her far.
Makayla Cubby – TAE Aerospace Jets – Likely
Makayla is the third Cubby to come through the Jets ranks, following Lily and Renee who have both taken to the HART Sapphire and Ruby competitions. She is a quick-thinking wing attack who doesn’t give up much possession. Cubby plays to her IQ, which puts her ahead of the opposition who are often drawn into her fakes.
Mia Hayes – TAE Aerospace Jets – On the cusp
Hayes is yet to be a well-known name in the pathways program, but has taken her first step by putting on a stella State Titles performance this year. The versatile goal attack shows promise to fill both the goal shooter and wing attack bibs. Hayes has a knack for trick passes and unique moves, which is what caught the eyes of selectors.
Tyrah Faifai – Gold Coast Titans – On the cusp
The name Tyrah may be new, but Faifai definitely isn’t. This young star is the sister of Under-19s squad member Talitah. Like her sister, Tyrah is a gun in the shooting circle, and shows real promise to follow in suit of her sibling. She is quick, mobile and diverse in her moves under the post.
Madison Rhind – Gold Coast Titans – On the cusp
M Rhind has made leaps and bounds in her skill set since 2022. The circle defender, who plays a particularly talented goal keeper against moving shooters, snatched intercept after intercept during the Nissan State Titles and should hold no surprise for gaining a spot in the Queensland squad.
Roxanne Rhind – Gold Coast Titans – Likely
Like her twin sister, R Rhind displayed huge improvements to her game in 2023. She was the Titans’ go-to goal shooter in big games and performed under pressure. Being top-age in 2023 is sure to play in Rhind’s favour as she sits in a prime position to make the final cut.
Charlotte Jonsen – Northern Mendi Rays – Likely
Jonsen is top-age in 2023 and sits high on the list of probable players to be selected in the final 16 squad for Nationals next year. She is a tall goal keeper/ goal defence with an incredible reach and ever-improving vertical.
Ciarn MacBride – Northern Mendi Rays – On the cusp
In her first year of state titles, MacBride is one of three Northern Rays players to crack the Under-17 squad. The Trinity Bay student has had a stella year so far, representing Peninsula School Sport at the 13-15 years championships. MacBride was additionally in the Trinity Bay ranks for the 2023 Vicki Wilson Championships in August.
Christa Nissen – Northern Mendi Rays – Outside chance
Nissen is a former Capricornia athlete who made the switch to Northern Rays for the purpose of Nissan State Titles in 2023. The shooter specialist caught selectors eyes during the Queensland School Sport Championships, but made an even bigger impression this time – enough to be named in the 30-player squad. Still living in Mackay, the decision to don the Northern colours certainly paid off.
Shaylah Pershouse – Northern Mendi Rays – Outside chance
A fellow Capricornia schoolgirl-turned Northern athlete, Pershouse is the year younger than Nissen. She too pulled on new colours for the Nissan State Titles, after representing the yellow and black earlier this year. Pershouse finds home in the defensive circle, primarily as a goal keeper.
Indiana Richter – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – On the cusp
Richter made the squad as a bottom age athlete. She represented Metropolitan West at the Queensland School Sport Championships in April, and was one of three Tigers who stood out at the Nissan State Championships. The talented goal attack was selected in both Tigers and Jets’ U16 sides, but signed the dotted line with Tigers in the end.
Kaylee Tamala – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – Likely
Tamala is a second-year squad member on the hunt to make the final 16 cut after missing out last year. The goal shooter/ goal attack can transition to wing attack at times, boasting game IQ thanks to experience in the HART Ruby Series for Tigers. Tamala’s off-the-mark speed is another story.
Sarah Joyce – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – Probable
Joyce is one of the most promising young talents being raised by the Tigers. She was an integral part of the Queensland squad last year and quickly rose through the ranks as a HART Ruby athlete in the orange and black. Her talent through the mid court is hard to miss, but it‘s her zippy footwork and speed that stuns people most.
Harmony Topeto – Wildcats – On the cusp
Here’s one young talent you don’t want to miss. Harmony made the squad as bottom-age thanks to accurate shooting and beyond-her-years body placement. The talented moving goal shooter no doubt gets her wisdom from Under-19s squad member Tia Crombie, as the pair train together at school. Harmony’s cool, calm and collected approach to the game keeps her concentrated on the job at hand.
Alicia Vega – Wildcats – Likely
Vega is back for her second year in the Queensland squad. In 2023 she spent her weekends donning the Wildcats colours in the HART Ruby Series, which prepared her to put on a top notch performance at the Nissan State Titles. The goal defender will have to continue that form to secure a spot in the final cut, but is a likely shot as a top-age talent.
Isobel Wright – Wildcats – Outside chance
Wright rounds out the 30-player squad in her second year of Nissan State Titles and her first as a Queensland squad member.
UNDER-19 QUEENSLAND SQUAD (29 + 3 invites)
Baylee Boyd – Sunshine Coast Thunder – Likely
Boyd is a centre court star who is ready for anything. her greatest skill is finding circle edge among tough defenders, making easy feeds into her shooters which gets the ball moving. Boyd’s speed and agility is at another level for her age. If the Sunny Coast star hasn’t dazzled you yet, her defensive skills are a difficult match for any attacker.
Ellie Brice – Sunshine Coast Thunder – Likely
Brice has been around the squad for years, and for good reason. The goal defence/ wing defence boasts two years experience with Thunder’s HART Ruby side plus several seasons of representative netball in the Sunshine Coast region since the age of 11. Brice had the honours of captaining her Under-17 team in early 2023 at the National Netball Championships and will fight for a spot in the Under-19 team as a bottom age player.
Kirra Tappenden – Sunshine Coast Thunder – On the cusp
Tappenden is another experienced player in the Sunshine Coast region. She is a Matthew Flinders shooting talent with a wealth of Queensland caps to her name. In early 2023 she was part of the victorious Under-17 side alongside Brice, and was named in the Australian Institute of Sport Academy following her performance. Tappenden was then named as a shadow for the Australian Fast5 Youth team, which competed at the Youth Commonwealth Games. As a bottom age talent, she must fight for a spot on the team this year but may find herself just out of reach.
Amy Williams – Barastoc Panthers – Outside chance
Williams was shocked when her named was called as a selectee after 15 months of rehabilitation for an ACL injury. The 17-year-old had previously been selected for the under-17 squad in 2021 but missed the opportunity in 2022 due to her injury setback. She will continue to put in 110% at the upcoming training camps in the hopes of making the final cut for nationals.
Sophia Dobson – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – On the cusp
Dobson is back for her fourth Queensland stint, and as a top age athlete, it will be her last. The goal keeper/ goal defender has donned the Tigers colours every year, making her way up HART Ruby and Sapphire ranks along the way. While the defensive star might have a lengthy rap sheet, shin and calf injuries have put her in a sticky spot ahead of nationals. The squad is strong, and Dobson’s time on the sidelines this season may have her on the back foot in terms of selection.
Holly Comyns – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – Probable
Tall timber Holly Comyns completes the Tigers’ defensive circle. She has risen through the ranks since 2021, being named in the 2022 Under-17 squad followed by the Australian Institute of Sport Academy in early 2023, and now going back-to-back by making the Under-19 squad as a bottom age athlete. At 6’2, Comyns is strong and lean under the post which makes her a versatile defender who can play into the centre third. She is one of the HART Ruby league’s best at just 17 year of age and a bright future ahead.
Edie Lenarduzzi – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – Likely
Lenarduzzi is new the scene but has been quick to mark her spotlight. The goal defender was named player of the grand final between Tigers and Bull Sharks on top of making the squad. Despite going up against a tough crowd, Lenarduzzi is on track to being the newcomer in the final cut for nationals, so who will she outbid?
Emma Humphreys – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – Outside chance
Humphries is a versatile centre court player with particular skills in wing attack. She compliments the circle with consistent feeds, speed and stamina.
Aaliyah Sheppard – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – On the cusp
Sheppard is back for her second stint in the maroon squad after narrowly missing out on the final 16 for nationals earlier this year. The dynamic midcourter can switch between wing defence, wing attack and centre depending on her team’s needs and is never short of surprises. She provides a clear option to the ball and is able to find pocket and circle edge with ease. Sheppard’s growing experience and definite versatility is sure to catch eyes during training camps.
Amber Yeates – Carina Leagues Club Tigers – On the cusp
The Tigers’ shooting circle was glued together with Yeates’s baseline drives. She is a newcomer to the squad and only bottom age, but proved herself to selectors on the big stage.
Tia Crombie – Gold Coast Titans – Likely
Crombie is one of the more experienced shooters in the squad, having donned the maroon jersey for two years in Under-17 and now joining the Under-19 group as bottom age. She boasts a strong hold and target for her feeders and shot over 90% at this year’s national tournament – the highest percentage nationwide out of both age divisions. While her rap sheet in extensive, Crombie isn’t the only holding shooter vying for a spot.
Kaylin van Greunen – Bond University Bull Sharks – Probable
Moving from the Panthers to Bull Sharks in 2023 has put an even larger tick next to Van Greunen’s name. The tall shooter has been on Queensland rosters for years, and is sure to continue her presence into 2024. The young star made her HART Sapphire debut for the Bond Bull Sharks under head coach, making the trek down from Panthers where she had played in the Ruby Series since 2021. Both Van Greunen and Crombie were part of the Under-17 QLD side in 2021, Crombie as bottom age and Van Greunen top. While the final cut includes 16, four of those positions must be training partners.
Tehya Hyssett – Bond University Bull Sharks – On the cusp
Hyssett was part of the final 16 cut in 2022 in returns for a second crack – this time as a bottom age athlete in the Under-19 squad. She is a talented circle defender who can work around a holding shooter while also keeping moving attackers on their feet. It will be a tough gig for Hyssett this year, as she heads up against countless stars in the same boat.
Ocean Karekare – Bond University Bull Sharks – Likely
Karekare is a well-known talent on the coast; a prominent member of Bond’s HART Sapphire line-up. She is a slick and speedy centre/ wing attack who never seems run out of lungs. Despite a competitive list of players in the mix, Karekare is a strong chance of making the final cut of 16 – whether as a player or training partner.
Elka Macaulay – Bond University Bull Sharks – On the cusp
A rough start to the year with injury failed to put as damper on Macauley’s return to the Nissan State Titles. The dynamic attacker can player goal shooter and goal attack to accommodate her team’s needs. She has come back fitter and stronger in 2023 and put on a cracking performance in Bond’s close Under-18 campaign which they only narrowly lost in the grand final.
Dakota Newson – Bond University Bull Sharks – Likely
Another of the state’s most prominent young names, Newson made the move from Titans to Bond in 2023 and now finds herself in the running for Queensland selection a fourth time around. She is a speedy midcourt player who specialises in wing attack. Her tenacity on court earned her a spot in the Bull Sharks’ HART Sapphire side this year which has helped her improve further.
Talitah Faifai – Gold Coast Titans – Probable
Faifai is one of the Titan’s youngest stars and is a real shot of making the Queensland squad in back-to-back years. She was pivotal in the Under-19s campaign earlier this year and continued in top form through the HART Sapphire Series. To top off her 2023 season, Faifai was named in the Firebirds Futures ANC squad.
Charlie Pearse – Gold Coast Titans – On the cusp
Pearse is on the brink of the HART Ruby Series, having played a crucial role in the Titans EPL season. She is a quick wing attack who boasts exceptional vision down court along with good hands.
Brook Lacey – Wildcats – Outside chance
Lacey is brand new to the Queensland scene. She has been around representative stages for years but is only just getting noticed by selectors. Her defence is unpredictable and leads shooters to be confused at the post: will she jump, will she hold? While some may question it, there’s no denying Lacey’s style earns her ball.
Siana Matavalea – Wildcats – Outside chance
Being able to play both ends is a skill many drop at such a competitive level, but Matavalea still has it. She is primarily a goal keeper, but is known to dip into the goal shooting end when needed. It gives her a unique upper hand, and in both cases her height adds more advantage to the case.
Tahlia Evans – Wildcats – Likely
Evans is another young gun who was recently named in the Firebirds Futures ANC squad. She is a strong centre court player with incredible fitness levels to last full games. Her skills were on display throughout 2023 as she donned the Wildcats colours in the HART Sapphire Series. Evans represented Queensland at the national champs earlier this year and is a good chance of doing it again.
Sasha-May Flegler – Northern Mendi Rays – Potential
Netball-come softball star Sasha-May Flegler is an unsurprising name in the mix, though she’ll need to pull out the big guns to make the final cut this year. Flegler offers speed and agility through the mid court and has consistently been a key talent of the north at every tournament. She was most recently named in the 16-19 years Queensland School Sport Merit side which completed a training camp in September.
Ella Sheppard – Northern Mendi Rays – Outside chance
Sheppard is an emerging talent from the north. She may not yet be on the top of our radars, but the goal attack is sure to stick around Queensland courts for the next 12 months.
Grace Gabriel – Capricorn Claws – On the cusp
Gabriel was a training partner for the Queensland schoolgirls merit side 2023 and was elevated after a player withdrew. She is an unassuming centre court athlete who brings a hint of goal attack from her junior days. Gabriel is a dynamic asset.
Bronte Flook – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Outside chance
It was Flook’s withdrawal from the schoolgirls squad which Gabriel filled. She is a speedy wing attack/ centre with reliable feeds under pressure.
Gemma Hutchings – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Probable
Hutchings is perhaps the most experienced in the Under-19 squad, having donned the Queensland dress as captain, been named in the Australian Institute of Sport academy, and represented Australia at the recent Youth Commonwealth Games. The tall circle defender can pick off intercepts out of nowhere and is a holding shooter’s worst nightmare.
Yasmin Mayall – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Likely
Completing the Cougars’ defensive circle is fellow tall timber Yasmin Mayall. She is mobile, versatile and quick thinking when it comes to pressure cooker situations. Mayall has been through the Queensland pathway before, having made the final cut last year in the Under-17 squad.
Jayden Molo – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – Probable
Molo is one of the youngest in the squad but boasts experience in the Queensland Under-17 side and was named in the Australian Institute of Sport academy squad in early 2023. She is a speedy and agile midcourter who uses her strength well to be in prime position for the ball. Despite being bottom age, Molo is a likely choice for the maroon dress once again.
Emmisyn Wynyard – ACU Brisbane North Cougars – On the cusp
A successful 2022 State Titles campaign and 2023 schoolgirls season put Wynyard on the map. She offers quick bursts of speed to intercept cleanly and with two hands. Her read of the play is particularly special and the tall defender can play across all three defensive positions but feels most at home in the circle.
Invitees (U19)
Jemimah Andrews – Gold Coast Titans Netball – Outside chance
A tall shooter who can play both ends if needed. Andrews tore her ankle in the EPL grand final for Titans and was not able to compete at the Nissan State Titles. However, the star’s previous track record meant she gained entry into the squad via invitation. She is a dynamic inclusion, and one that might be a surprise addition to the final 16.
Jada Delaney – Sunshine Coast Thunder – Probable
Delaney is a future Diamond much like Hutchings. She is a tall circle defender with an impressive reach and vertical. While Delaney was not available for the tournament, her previous experience and representative duties earned her a spot in the squad via invitation.
Kydan Tuapou – Wildcats – Likely
Tuapou was battling an injured foot during the tournament which is why she gained an invite into the squad. She boast experience in the Queensland dress on top of being one of the Wildcats’ most promising young talents. As a top age athlete this year, it will be her last chance to make the final cut for nationals.
More Coverage
Originally published as In focus: Player profiles for every U17 and U19 Queensland squad member
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