QAFL 2025: Captains reveal key players, rising stars, season aims and premiership predictions
Each QAFL captain has produced their report card of the 2025 season so far. Discover each side’s standout players, rising young guns, end of year aims and premiership predictions now.
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The QAFL premiership race is heating up following 15 rounds of enthralling footy.
In a season marked by unpredictable results and high-stakes clashes in the state’s premier competition, we’ve reached out to every team captain to uncover their standout players, rising stars, end-of-season aspirations and premiership predictions.
Read below to see how each team is tracking.
Footnote: The majority of captains were approached prior to round 15.
QAFL 2025
1. PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
Wins: 12 Losses: 1 Draws: 1 Pct: 199.87 Pts: 50
Coach: David Armitage
Captain: AJ Dawson
Season so far: “We’re going really well, we’ve lost one game which was about 10 weeks ago but we’re tracking really well. I think we’ve been challenged a little bit this year from certain sides but we’ve been able to show some good maturity to be able to fight back when teams come up against us now as they do every week trying to knock us off. I am pretty happy with how we’re travelling but still quite a bit to go which is exciting.”
Key players and rising stars: “The big fella is the obvious answer Levi Casboult. Harry Benson has been unbelievable, his game against Aspley, I don’t think I’ve seen someone play a better quarter of footy than what he did in the third quarter. He’s super special and he’s a serious player. Rhys King, he’s a dog, he’s so hungry, he’s so hard, I would not want to play against him. Ethan Sekac down back, he’s super his ability to intercept the ball for us is unreal. Matty Hollier debuted at Southport and came back to us last week, it’s probably a bit stiff to only get one game but his rebound from the backline is super important to the way we play. Bailey Rawson has come in and played a really good role, unfortunately he broke his collarbone so he’s gonna miss a little bit of footy. Rawso’s done a good job coming in, Jacko Graham is injured at the moment, he’ll probably come in just before finals, he is the epitome of a role player that does his job week by week and doesn’t worry about the fancy stuff. Another young fella who’s on Southport’s list Sammy Cilmi he can kick goals from anywhere, he gives us a little bit of x-factor and he’s another one that I’d hate to play on up forward.”
Premiership favourite: “We haven’t beaten Redlands this year, to say there’s a team we have to beat, that’s Redlands. They smacked us in round 4 and really touched us up, showed us you can’t be off your game one little bit.”
Finals dark horse: “The team that always gives us a little bit of grief and I think that comes down to us both being on the Coast is Surfers Paradise, they got a really strong team. Their top talent’s really good in terms of their ex-AFL boys. I think there’s a chance we might see them early on in the finals series so Surfers are definitely a team to watch out for.”
2. REDLAND VICTORIA POINT
Wins: 11 Losses: 2 Draws: 1 Pct: 130.09 Pts: 46
Coach: Phil Carse
Captain: Mitch Stallard
Season so far: “We’ve been not too bad, probably a couple of games we underperformed but it’s hard to get a perfect season these days. Overall we’re probably pretty happy with where we sit at the moment. We’ve had to find a little bit of depth through our younger kids, we had a few injuries at not the best times and a few older heads have been out at the same time which means there’s been opportunities for our younger kids so we’ve had a chance to play them and they’ve exceeded expectations.”
Key players and rising stars: “I feel bad for the guy because he probably doesn’t get the recognition he deserves week-in week-out but Matt Hammelmann just continues to kick goal after goal after goal week after week. He gets a lot of attention from other teams with sometimes two guys on him but it just becomes the norm. We had a bit of run and gun Myles Callaghan, he’s got a bit of speed, Alex Pope same thing with the speed and a bit of x-factor as well.
Premiership favourite: “It’s hard to look past Palmy at the moment but all it takes is the team to gel at the right time and anyone can win it from anywhere.”
Finals dark horse: “Morningside sitting third wouldn’t be a smokey but you can never count them out, they’re always somewhere there or thereabouts because they’re in the top four or five.”
3. MORNINGSIDE
Wins: 10 Losses: 3 Draws: 1 Pct: 148.55 Pts: 42
Coach: Paul Egan
Captain: Brad Hodge
Season so far: “It’s pretty good, we had a bit of a shaky start in the beginning with the rain around and an early bye so I think we played one game of footy in the time most other clubs had played three or four. We had to find our feet for a little bit but we’ve got the gears going since then and we’re really clicking now. Our expectation would be to probably win every game from here until the finals as a top two finish would be great.”
Key players and rising stars: “One of our recruits Tristan Hobley has been really good for us. He’s a really consistent performer as is Tom Bennett who was another quality recruit. Jack Rolls has been one of the best players in the competition for a long time now so he’s been great for us as always. From the younger guys, Oscar Tanks has played three or four games for us now. He goes about it in a really good way where he’s super aggressive and hard at the footy. He’s a good young player to watch out for and young Cooper Hodge has played a couple of games for us too. It was good to see him debut, it’s a cool story so he’s a player to watch out for.”
Premiership favourite: “I’m still going to call us premiership favourites, we’re right in it.”
Finals dark horse: “I know they’re sitting in fourth, but I’ll say Surfers Paradise.”
4. SURFERS PARADISE
Wins: 8 Losses: 5 Draws: 0 Pct: 159.72 Pts: 32
Coach: Sam Dwyer
Captain: Harrison Fraser
Season so far: “We’ve been going pretty well, had some good wins, couple of losses that put us back in our place which was all right. So just looking forward to learning from those losses and having a really good back half of the year now. We just got to keep getting better, trying to beat those top sides above us and around us.”
Key players and rising stars: “Ben Woodburn has gone from strength to strength at the moment. He’s really had a big off-season and it’s shown up on the footy field. Cam Ellis-Yolmen in the midfield he’s been awesome. He had a couple other close mates so he’s come in and seems to be loving his time here and young Oscar Wood up forward has helped change momentum. He’s come back from the academy and gone really well. Lucas Snowball he’s gone in and out of the Suns VFL and with us as well.”
Premiership favourite: “At the moment it’s got to be Palmy, they’re sitting pretty at the top of the ladder so no one seems to be able to knock them off at the moment. We play them this week so it will be a good test for us.”
Finals dark horse: “I reckon Maroochydore are always a real dark horse, they have a real strong list and are a really hard working team. So if they sneak in, you have got to be at your best.”
5. ASPLEY
Wins: 8 Losses: 6 Draws: 0 Pct: 116.31 Pts: 32
Coach: Adrian Pilgrim
Captains: Brandon Batchelor and Jordan Arnold.
Season so far: “It hasn’t been too bad, we’ve been riddled with injuries which we really haven’t faced since coming back to the QAFL. We haven’t had too many major injuries through the entirety of the list but now we have an extensive list that has lingered on a bit and made it challenging. There have been some good signs, when we play our best footy we’ve matched it with anyone in the competition. We just haven’t strung that together for enough matches in a row to continue that dominance we’ve had previously. I still think the core of what we know ourselves to be is still there and there’s still some games left to try and grab a top four spot.”
Key players and rising stars: “Easy one is Coen Harker, he’s taken a huge step forward, represented the state and played a quality game against Tasmania a few weeks ago. He’s really evolved and developed his dominance around the footy. Connor Stackelberg ahead of the footy, he’s leading the competition with 62 goals and has been for majority of the season. For younger guys I’d say Jake Howson, he picked up the rising star a few weeks back. We’ve known his talent through the club for a number of years but I think he’s really starting to hit his straps and find some confidence in senior footy. I’m really excited to watch him develop over the next 12-18 months.
Premiership favourite: “You can’t go past Palm Beach Currumbin. We played them in round 14 and they taught us a lesson around the footy. They’ve got strong people across the ball and the big fella (Levi Casboult) up forward who is catching everything.”
Finals dark horse: “I think it’s hard to pick a certain smokey, the top six is all relatively close but outside of the top six maybe Labrador. They’re a team that can get strong, young player momentum where they get up and about which allows them to get a good roll on and keep their energy high.”
6. MAROOCHYDORE
Wins: 7 Losses: 7 Draws: 0 Pct: 113.99 Pts: 28
Coach: Steve Wildschut
Captain: Josh Govan
Season so far: “As a team, we’re focusing on staying positive and continuing to build. We’re currently at a positive ledger with seven wins and six losses but we’ve also had two close games where we lost by just four and two points. Had those gone our way, we’d be in a stronger position but we’re in a reasonably good spot. The goal is to build towards the end of the year, rather than peaking too early and losing momentum when it matters most. To date it’s been a pretty good season but there’s still improvement to come. We’ve got an interesting draw ahead to finish the year as every game has significant implications for finals and ladder positions. We’re approaching each week as if it’s a finals-like game, which should hopefully prepare us well for the end of the year if we’re fortunate enough to make it. Our aim is definitely to reach the finals, and that’s the first box to tick. Once we’re there, we can focus on how far we can go. But for now, each match is crucial, and we need to respect that.”
Key players and rising stars: “Hunter Moore has been massive for us, despite being a young player. He’s dealing with a bit of an injury issue at the moment and we’re unsure of its severity but he’s in his second full year of senior footy and could very well be leading the best and fairest at this point. He played in the state game for Queensland alongside Bailey Hahn who is another younger player that’s in his second year. He’s become one of our key players, really establishing himself as a senior footy player so it’s been great to see the both of them lead the way for us. There’s Ben Thomas who is listed in the VFL but we’ve been fortunate to have more of him this season and are starting to see the best of him. He’s been able to tear some games apart, as has our big ruckman Max McDonald. He played for Queensland as well, has been super reliable and solid, making his mark as probably the premier ruckman in the competition. Another younger player is Harry Ronchi, has still only played a handful of senior games but made his VFL debut for the Brisbane Lions and is really starting to hit his straps. He’s only 18 so but is one of our better players and someone that’s continuing to take that next step.”
Premiership favourite: “Palm Beach have certainly done enough to position themselves as the frontrunners. They’ve got talent across the board, are sitting at the top of the ladder, and really haven’t put a foot wrong. Without a doubt they are my pick as the premiership favourites.”
Finals dark horse: “It’s a pretty open race among the finals competitors, but another team to watch is Surfers Paradise. They’ve had a similar journey to us, showing promise but also letting some opportunities slip. With three ex-AFL players and a strong list they’ve been building for a couple of years, they’re definitely a team that could push the ledger.”
7. NOOSA
Wins: 7 Losses: 7 Draws: 0 Pct: 100.18 Pts: 28
Coach: Matthew Leuenberger
Captain: Jono Freeman
Season so far: “It was a strong start for us, we picked up four wins in a row which had everyone up and about but then we hit a rough patch during the middle of the season. It’s a huge improvement on last year but we’re always aiming for those finals and top four spots.”
Key players and rising stars: “I’d have to say the Maverick Pettigrove, he’s a local guy from Noosa and he’s really stepped up in the absence of a couple of injuries. He was solid last season but he’s gone to another level this year which has been great. Mitch Conn too, he’s always dominated for us and this year hasn’t been any different. Those two guys are the players that have stepped up and got us through to winning results, competing with the top half of the competition. In terms of younger players, Kaine Cates definitely. He’s a player from Hervey Bay that commutes to trainings and games all throughout the week. He’s kicked 20-odd goals in his first season of QAFL and teams find him tough to match up on. Another guy that’s come through our Colts program is Ethan Slaney. He’s a lock down defender that we’ve given a few big jobs to but he’s risen to the occasion.”
Premiership favourite: “I would say Palm Beach is definitely the team to beat. They are covered in all areas of the ground and they’ve got great weapons everywhere.”
Finals dark horse: “For a smokey I would probably say Surfers Paradise. I think when they’re on they can knock off some of the top sides. They’ve got a strong outfit with the likes of Hugh Greenwood and Cam Ellis-Yolmen who have played a lot of AFL football so I think they can upset some teams in finals.”
8. LABRADOR
Wins: 6 Losses: 7 Draws: 1 Pct: 86.29 Pts: 26
Coach: Chris Rourke
Captain: Matt Lee
Season so far: “We’ve been really pleased with how we’ve gone up to this point of the year. We’ve had a really young list so we’ve been a little bit inconsistent but from where we were, I think we were zip and three to start, hopefully we can sneak in and make finals. We’ve been able to find a few players, we knew we had a talented young core group of players but they’ve really just stepped in when we’ve had injuries to experienced players which has really helped us.”
Key players and rising stars: “Luke Coombes has been really impressive, he’s come along in leaps and bounds this year. He’s come back to our footy club after a year away and become really confident in his body and been extremely damaging. Harry Sullivan has been awesome for us as well, he’s a Southport-listed young player. Rhys Nicholls has been really good too. Zak Marshall’s been really impressive in the forward line for us kicking two or three goals every week and been a solid contributor.”
Premiership favourite: “I think Palm Beach would have to be the favourite, they’ve had a good year up until this point and they’ve got an experienced side.”
Finals dark horse: “Hopefully ourselves if we can get on a role but I still think Surfers with the side they’ve got can do a bit of damage in finals if they can get it together against the top sides.”
9. WILSTON GRANGE
Wins: 5 Losses: 8 Draws: 1 Pct: 93.58 Pts: 22
Coach: Brent Moloney
Captain: Jaq Mifsud
Season so far: “Overall this season has been pretty successful for us. We’ve got a lot of new young boys that have come into the team compared to last season so it’s a bit of a different squad and feeling around the squad. I think the culture that we’re building at Grange has been really positive and I think you’ve probably seen through our form in the first six weeks compared to the last six weeks. Those younger players have started to grow massively and as a result our performances are even better so hopefully that can continue.”
Key players and rising stars: “Jackson Mills has been awesome for us since moving into the midfield this year. He played down back last year but you can see it in his stats this season where he’s averaging plenty of touches and a goal or two as well. He’s been really dominant for us and explosive in the middle of the field. I would also say Lachie Zakaras down back, a key defender who was rising star last round. He’s been awesome on each side’s key forwards, can switch between both targets really well and has been among our best players every week. For some of the younger guys that have come in after probably not expecting a whole heap this season would be Darby Breeden who is playing down forward. He’s done really well in his role and has also been able to hit the scoreboard. His pressure as a tackle forward and being able to do some specialist roles on attacking half backs has been really solid.”
Premiership favourite: “I’d say Palm Beach are the obvious pick for the premiership. The strength of their squad across their whole 22 is filled with experience and winning players.”
Finals dark horse: “It’s weird calling them a dark horse, I was going to say Aspley but I will actually go with Labrador. I think they’ve had some real surprising results from what I thought going into the start of the year, so I reckon they could definitely pick up some shock results in the finals and make a good push.”
10. BROADBEACH
Wins: 5 Losses: 8 Draws: 0 Pct: 103.24 Pts: 20
Coach: Lewis Chiodo
Captain: Blake Erickson
Season so far: “We finally got a run on with a few guys back and got a bit of continuity with a new list this year. It was obviously a tough first half of the year but we’re putting it behind us. We’re just focusing on continuity and keeping the right mix through the group and getting everyone in positions to help us work as a team.”
Key players and rising stars: “Ryan Gilmore moved to the backline this year which has helped, he has stood up. Adrian Speedy through the midfield has class and poise with the ball. Ryan Dienjes has been brilliant all year. He’s a past player who’s come back and been really strong and brought experience to our backline which was pretty fresh to start the year. Max Hudson, we got him back from the Suns Academy and he’s been great. He’s only 17 but he’s already a man and plays well above his age. Archie Hill is another Suns Academy kid and is a workhorse, he runs all day and has good skills. Alan O’Neill has been really good, he brings pace on the outside and returned from injury so it is good to see him get a few games on the board.”
Premiership favourite: “Palm Beach, they’ve got a pretty goo team, no real weak spots and it looks like they’re really gelling as a team.”
Finals dark horse: “Surfers Paradise are pretty handy and they can match anyone.”
11. SHERWOOD
Wins: 5 Losses: 9 Draws: 0 Pct: 90.67 Pts: 20
Coach: Brett McEvoy
Captain: Will Fletcher
Season so far: “We’ve definitely improved from last year, we had a fairly strong start to the year and then probably didn’t quite get the wins that we wanted for the last six or so weeks. I think we’ve got a fairly good run on the run into finals so hopefully get a few more wins on the board. Brett McEvoy has had a proper full pre-season as head coach, last year he got thrust into the role a week before round 1 so that’s definitely helped and we’ve had a lot more continuity with the team and some key recruits come in.”
Key players and rising stars: “The new guys we’ve got in, Jarrod Cameron and Connor Ashcroft they just have an ability to kick goals. Through the middle we’ve had guys like Tom Fry who’s new and blokes like Elijah Glass and Owen Collins they’ve just gone from strength to strength. Definitely down back, Jack Austin, Luke Mitchell and Darcy Prest all those guys that have been around for so long, they’ve started to hit some good form at the right time. We’ve got an impressive colts group I think we’re top of the table for the colts team so there’s a lot of young talent coming through. Ethan Duke has played a few games when he’s not playing academy.
Premiership favourite: “Hard to go past Palmy or Surfers, they toweled us up both times we played them so hard to go past them.”
Finals dark horse: “Outside of ourselves I think Maroochydore on their day can beat anyone so I would have to say Maroochydore.”
12. COORPAROO
Wins: 3 Losses: 10 Draws: 1 Pct: 57.05 Pts: 14
Coach: Leigh Harding
Captain: Ben Hogan
Season so far: “Moving up from Division 1 into the QAFL has been a significant step up for us. It’s been challenging at times, but it’s provided a valuable learning curve for our boys. Some have never played at this level, while others have previous experience, so it’s definitely been an educational journey. We’ve embraced it head-on and will continue to build over the next five weeks, aiming to head into next season stronger and more prepared than this year, building on what we’ve achieved.”
Key players and rising stars: “Kyle Dunkley has been a standout for us and would most likely be ranking high in our best and fairest votes. With his AFL experience he’s brought invaluable knowledge and has been instrumental in guiding our younger players. Another key player is Tyan Prindable, an 18-year-old who came through the academy this year. We brought him on board halfway through the season and he’s delivered two or three exceptional games for us. His performance earned him a spot on the Allies list and he’s played the last two games for the Allies Under 18. He has a real chance of being drafted, which would be fantastic for the club.”
Premiership favourite: “It’s hard to overlook Palm Beach. We didn’t get to play them due to a rainout, but judging by this year’s results they seem to have a healthy list and with Casbolt up forward, they look poised to be strong contenders.”
Finals dark horse: “I’d say Redland Victoria Point is a team to watch. It’s hard to split the top three and I think it will be a close race between Redland Victoria, Palm Beach, and Morningside.”
13. MT GRAVATT
Wins: 0 Losses: 14 Draws: 0 Pct: 30.85 Pts: 0
Coach: Cam James
Captain: Austin Brent
Season so far: “Obviously our coach ‘Hammer’ (Hamish Mitchell) has moved on so we’re in a transition phase at the footy club. The board has us in a really exciting direction for the next six months and I’m looking forward to what changes we can bring on and where we can go. On the field it’s been a year of growth and development for us. We obviously came into the year wanting to get a lot better results compared to last season but we lost probably 90 per cent of our playing list. We were well aware it was going to take a lot to get back to where we wanted to be and we’ve started to implement a lot of nice growth and development. The mentality in the young playing group has picked up and we’re starting to see some of it come through in terms of gym, running and their skill work away from training.”
Key players and rising stars: “A player that has gone up a level has been Kaeden Corboy. He’s really versatile for us which has been great. Fletcher Clare is just a superstar. He’s going to be one of those players that’s going to define the future of the footy club for us. Michael Gordon is another really strong young player and inside mid. He’ll only continue to develop and he’ll be crucial for us.”
Premiership favourite: “My pick would have to be Palm Beach at the minute, they look pretty hard to beat.
Finals dark horse: “Is Aspley a Dark Horse? I don’t know because they’re technically in fifth at the moment so I don’t know if you’d classify them in that category. I’d say them or maybe Maroochydore if they can stay in the hunt.”
Originally published as QAFL 2025: Captains reveal key players, rising stars, season aims and premiership predictions
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