Queensland assemble powerful squad ahead of Marsh AFL National Championship
Queensland’s under-18 girls were the pride of the state, but where did they come from? We track the 30 squad members through their schools and clubs ahead of the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championship.
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Queensland has assembled a powerful squad which will compete at the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championship – Under 18 Girls competition in July and August.
Coached by Former Brisbane Lions Premiership Captain and current Brisbane Lions Academy Female Programs mentor Emma Zielke, the 30 member squad will be trimmed ahead of the championships.
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Zielke declared the squad would have Queensland’s D 'n A all over it, regardless of the final make-up of the side.
“Our Queensland teams, whether it’s the women’s state team or the under-18’s state team have always been super strong and competitive in the contest, it’s the Queensland way,’’ Zielke said.
The squad will be brimming with talent, including many SEQ AFL under-17 girls or AFL Schools Cup graduates including the likes of Cleveland SHS alumni Harlee McIlwain (Victoria Point), Mia Salisbury (Bond University), Molly Ferguson (Maroochydore), Chloe Gaunt (Coorparoo), Aleaha Stringer (Bond Uni), Alannah Welsh (PBC SHS) and Clayfield College’s Mia Geere (Wilston Grange).
Many were also first seen by the broader footy community playing in the booming AFL Schools Cup games competition, including the likes of Nyalli Milne (Varsity College), Havana Harris (Varsity College), Annabelle Foat (Varsity College), Bronte Parker (Marymount College), Sunny Lappin, Tara Harrington (PBC SHS), Dekota Baron (Park Ridge SHS), Lilu Hung (Kedron SHS), Heidi Talbot (Trinity College), Georja Davies (Southport SHS), Laura Roy (Lourdes Hill College).
“The Queensland Under 18 Girls squad is stacked with talent, who have been developed through our AFL Queensland pathways,” praised AFL Queensland State Talent Manager Mark Browning.
“The junior and senior clubs, and AFL Academies have all played a part in developing these players and should be congratulated.”
Zielke said girls footy was benefiting from improvement year on year across all forms of the code.
“The younger girls coming through are all developing their skills at an earlier age now here in Queensland and are very skilful.
“They have grown up from a young age watching their AFLW role models on TV and have picked up the ball earlier than what we probably had seen in the past, which has helped their development from an early age.’’
She said the group were skilled in all departments.
“We have an extremely talented squad across the board, it’s hard to say which area is the strongest as we haven’t had a session together as a squad yet but the skillet by foot, overhead, athleticism and physicality of the group is outstanding.
The squad:
Heidi Talbot
Now at Bond Uni, Talbot was a North Cairns Tigers’ junior who relocated from FNQ after being identified by the Gold Coast SUNS Academy team for her clean hands in the mid field and pace. Trinity Bay High School was her foundation.
Harlee McIlwain
A proud as punch Victoria Point Sharks junior, full forward McIlwain starred at this year’s
The 174cm tall Lions academy member seems to have that ability to read the game which puts her in a position to find the mark. She is great overhead, but someone who also has clean hands at ground level. She made this year’s All-Australian under-16 teams. Harlee was also a representative touch football player.
Havana Harris
From Varsity College and Burleigh Bombers footy programs, Harris was a key position marking machine who last year was the Suns’ Academy’s MVP for under-18s which says it all. She plays forward or ruck and has a great mark.
Amelia Ella
Ella was a Tweed Coast Northern Rivers junior who is renowned for her effort players. She is also team orientated - when she cannot play due to Suns’ commitments, Ella volunteers to be a runner for her teammates.
Molly Ferguson
One of the babies of this squad, the key forward stood out at last year’s AFL National Development Championships under 16 girls championship when the Brisbane Lions named her the squad’s MVP. A thrilling mid field talent with great hands from Maroochydore, the Sunshine Coast Grammar product made this year’s All-Australian under-16 team. She is known for her quick disposal in traffic.
Annabelle Foat
Foat is now with Bond University but she has come through the Broadbeach Cats under-17 program where she was consistently one of the best players in the competition - whether her team won or lost. She has outstanding hands in all conditions, and puts a lot of defensive pressure on opponents. The Varsity College product is with the Gold Coast SUNS Academy
Bronte Parker
A 169cm tall young gun, this Marymount College product was voted Players Player of the under-16 Gold Coast Academy last season - the highest possible mark of respect for an athlete from her peers. She now plays with Bond University.
Raffi Baviello
From the hotbed of talent out of St Teresa’s Catholic College, this Noosa Tigers junior is wooing them playing with Maroochydore. Contracted to Brisbane Lions Academy, she made the 2023 All-Australian under-16 squad.
Sunny Lappin
The daughter of a gun - dad Matthew was a Carlton champion - Sunny was making her own way in the code. An elite school footballer from Hillside Christian College, Lappin was a strong outside mid field exponent who could play forward as well. A dangerous player, she is gathering experience playing in the QAFLW (Southport) and has been identified by the Suns.
Zimra Hussain
Lions Academy signed, this high energy utility who was once awarded the Outstanding Contribution from a New Queenslander in the Queensland Government’s Multicultural Queensland Awards (2021). But now she is a winning award as a footy player from Wilston Grange who originally dipped her toe in the footy water in Toowoomba.
Mia Geere
Geere has been a trailblazing junior at the Wilston Grange club where she has set a great example to aspiring young girls players at the club. A Brisbane Lions Academy pin-up, last year Geere was selected at half back in the All-Australian team, and backed that up with selection again earlier this season. She is renowned for having a strong intercept mark in her game.
Tara Harrington
A Palm Beach Currumbin SHS alumni, possession hungry mid fielder Harrington was last year named MVP runner-up for Suns under-18 academy behind Havana Harris. She has beautiful, clean hands which help with her disposals. The Bond University senior is a part of the Gold Coast SUNS Academy.
Isabella McDonough
A Sandgate junior now with the Aspley Hornets, McDonough was a high disposal athlete known for securing inside 50s. Signed by the Brisbane Lions Academy, she was a mid field young gun, a left footer who brings elite tackle pressure and ball winning to game day.
Siobhan Ross
A Southport Sharks senior player but a Thuringowa Bulldogs junior, Ross has emerged as an elite back player who clears long from danger while having an ability to clear opponents with her pace. She is a composed type, someone whose defensive work is calculated with both spoils and marks. She attended Ryan Catholic College in Townsville.
Nyalli Milne
Yet another Burleigh Bombers player, the electrifying Milne was a mid field, centre half forward or forward talent who was also capable of playing deeper in defence. A natural speed merchant, she can break the defence open. Her growing versatility is an enhancement to any side she plays with. She is a Bond University player who is with the Gold Coast SUNS Academy. The Varsity College product has been playing footy since Year 6 and it shows.
Alannah Welsh
Yet another player from the PBC SHS champion program, Alannah Welsh was a thrilling forward prospect who lit up under-17s last season playing for the Burleigh Bombers. The Suns Academy ace is now gathering big match experience playing in the QAFLW as a senior player with Southport. Last year she was an All-Australian team selection and is noted for attacking the ball at speed.
Georja Davies
From an athletic family, Davies was tall and athletic ruck of forward with sure hands who last year earned All-Australian selection. From a netball background, the key position player is the younger sister of Darcie, Giselle (Suns) and Fleur (GWS). She now players with Southport and is contracted to the Gold Coast SUNS Academy
Neive Ryan
A Thuringowa Bulldogs player signed to the Gold Coast SUNS Academy, Ryan hit the headlines in 2022 when she was named Townsville AFL’s Youth Girls’ Best and Fairest player. From Ryan Catholic College, she is a real chip off the old block.
Dekota Baron
From sporting rich Logan City, this Park Ridge SHS product has been a goal kicking machine who last year earned an interchange position in the All-Australian under-16 team. Now playing with Southport, she is a part of the Gold Coast SUNS Academy She has that x-factor in her game in that she can pull down tremendous marks.
Kaiya Hides
The Noosa Tigers footy factory has supplied Lilly Baker and Poppy Tindal and now Hides who is a tremendous prospect playing for Maroochydore and who is a member of the Brisbane Lions Academy. But she not only has talent - she is renowned for working hard off the field to improve her game.
Lilu Hung
A Kedron SHS alumni, Hung has been propelled into the Aspley QAFLW program to fast track her development. She is a Brisbane Lions Academy member, renowned for being an aggressive player who could play forward or pinch hit in the midfield, Hung was also a natural leader.
Laura Roy
A senior member of the side, Roy came from the fertile footy grounds of the Northern Territory (Waratahs club) to join Morningside. She has great hands and is a fierce competitor who was a project player getting better with more experience she gathers. Roy was also a member of the Australian U17 netball squad.
Poppy Tindal
From Good Samaritan Catholic College, this Maroochydore Roos rookie was a member of the Brisbane Lions Academy after learning her footy craft at the Noosa Tigers where she was consistently a high performer.
Lilly Baker
A teammate of Poppy Tindal (mentioned above) from the Noosa Tigers, this Maroochydore ace with the Lions academy has been a real head turner across cricket, hockey and footy where she was an elite talent in all three sports. A ruck, she had a unique experience during the off-season when she played Gaelic football. Last year she trained with the Queensland under-18s.
Chloe Gaunt
A key forward who stands an imposing 181cm in height, this Coorparoo junior was right under the noses of Brisbane Lions Academy talent scouts - so it is little wonder they identified her potential.
Farradai Hopkins
Now a prolific possession gatherer for Yeronga, Hopkins is a Brisbane Lions Academy member who originally came through the Mt Gravatt Vultures system where she was once a grand final BoG winner. She had a unique experience during the off-season when she played Gaelic football. Watch for her inside 50 rebound execution.
Skye White
Yet another from out of the Burleigh Bombers juniors and the Varsity College production line of talent, White has been a footy partner in crime alongside the well known Havana Harris and plays senior footy for Bond and trains at the Suns academy.
Mia Salisbury
From the Tweed Coolangatta club, Salisbury has long been a junior of considerable potential. The Gold Coast Suns quickly identified this Palm Beach Currumbin SHS defender, and now Salisbury has advanced her career quickly and is learning her craft playing with the Bullsharks in the QAFLW competition.
Monique Corrigan
A towering ruck, this 186cm tall Bay Power junior had the choice of two sports - footy or netball. Brisbane Lions Academy selection opted for footy where her marking work, aggression around the ground and effort plays impress. She is a committed rookie who travels from Hervey Bay to the Sunshine Coast for training.
Aleaha Stringer
Stringer has ramped her game up after making her senior debut for Bond University in April. A Gold Coast SUNS Academy member, she played half forward where her speed and agility created opportunities for those around her. She is from the Tweed Coolangatta club on the beautiful southern end of the Gold Coast.
MATCHES
July 7 Queensland v Victoria Country
July 13 Queensland v Allies
August 3 Western Australia v Queensland
Meanwhile, a South Queensland women’s squad has been named to train toward a clash against North Queensland in the Intrastate Clash at Bond University Oval on June 22.
Following the success of previous players like Evie Long and Jacinta Baldwick, who were recently drafted to the Brisbane Lions AFLW side, this year’s clash will see new faces in the representative realm from across the QFA and QFAW Division’s 1 and 2, as well as Darling Downs and Wide Bay.
The team will be coached by Ben Long, with assistance from former VFLW player Jessica Malouf.
Squad: Emily Watson (Moreton Bay), Courtney Page (Moreton Bay), Bayley Woolett, Ebony Otto, Tahlia Benson, Grace Pearson-Smith (all Moreton Bay), Alicia Wthers, Demi Leach,
Bella Freeman and Ari Reilly (all Broadbeach), Greta Liell-Cock, Ainslee Knight, Jordan Ryan, Roisin Chu (all Morningside), Indiana Gosbell-Smith, McKenzie Sleep, Georgia Smith, Olivia Lupo, Samantha Bryan, Febulous Kanth (all Sandgate), Emma MacDonald, Abi Ashford, Christine Okesene, Georgia Kerr, Lucy Walters, Zoe Tame (all Sherwood), Tamsin Perry, Lauren Cox, Ellen Perry, Tanami Hill, Jaylee Morris (all Surfers Paradise),
Sacha Smail (Noosa), Ellana Blake (Alex Hills), Charlotte Durbridge, Jorja Moore, Kate Nespeca (all Burleigh), Mia Giles, Kayla Giles (both Palm Beach Currumbin), Naomi Leech (Mt Gravatt), Dakota Milne (Pacific Pines), Rachel Crack, Emma Pericic, Bree Grentell (all Caloundra), Lara Paget, Tiana Jericho, Courtney Browne (all South Toowoomba),
Kiara Wright (South Burnett), Phoebe Baird, Nyengela Mwajuma (both University Cougars),
Scout Strong, Britnee Hayes (both Across the Waves), Abigail Grimsley (Bay Power), Octavia Gold (Brothers Bulldogs).
Originally published as Queensland assemble powerful squad ahead of Marsh AFL National Championship
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