Mick Turvey returns as coach of the South West Queensland Thunder women’s side for 2025

The South West Queensland Thunder have announced their women’s coach for 2025, with the new mentor revealing the biggest challenges the squad faces ahead of the upcoming season and how he plans to help the side return to the top.

Francesco Zanoncelli (left) and incoming Thunder women’s coach Mick Turvey in 2018.

Darling Downs football stalwart Mick Turvey is set to return to the helm in 2025 after he was announced as the South West Queensland Thunder women’s coach for next season.

Turvey brings unrivalled experience and is eager to return the side to its highs of the 2023 season, where the Thunder made the FQPL1 grand final.

As preparations begin for 2025, Turvey revealed some of the biggest challenges his side faces.

“We’ve got some really good young players both in boys and girls coming through and it’s a matter of making sure we’ve got a good base for them to go into and a good culture for them to want to play and stay in Toowoomba,” he said.

“That’s the biggest thing at the moment – trying to make sure we can keep our players.

“90 per cent of the time at the end of every year you lose three or four (players) to Brisbane because they’ve got studies or they are moving on.

SWQ Thunder coach Mick Turvey.

“It makes it pretty tough to replace them but that’s the biggest thing at the moment to make a great culture where everyone wants to stay and play for us.”

Turvey has placed a major emphasis on youth development and believes there is a strong foundation in place for young players to not only succeed, but make a difference at senior level.

“We’ve got Keren Thomas, Austin Williams and Trent (Knack) who’s the (under) 23s coach – it’s about developing our younger players and bringing back a good culture into the team,” he said.

“We’ll have a mix of experience and youth, I am not scared to bring a younger player up if they are good enough.

“Hopefully we can pick a few more players up, we’ve got a few injuries at the moment but what we’ve got as a base is pretty good at the moment.

“We’re still working on a couple of marquee players but it is looking good for 2025.”

SWQ Thunder women celebrate their semi-final win over Broadbeach United in 2023. Photo credit: David Lobwein / DSL Photography

With the Thunder going from the highs of an FQPL1 grand final berth in 2023, to fighting against relegation in 2024, Turvey is hopeful his coaching pedigree will help propel the team back to the top of the table and provide stability.

“I have been involved with clubs and teams where you’ve been up and about with the high and then all of a sudden you’re involved with relegation and it takes a lot of character to bounce back from that,” he said.

“I think we’ve got a good base to push forward.

“Every coaches’ ambition is to make the top four and win the comp, that’s just a common saying these days.

“We’re going to be looking very competitive and hopefully make the top four.”

After such a vast difference between the results from 2023 to 2024, there was one aspect of the game which Turvey highlighted as crucial for the Thunder to focus on next season.

“Hopefully we can control the ball a bit better,” he said.

“It was a bit frustrating watching last year, the focus will be on controlling the ball a lot better and getting forward and taking our opportunities when we can.”