Voting open to decide Sunshine State’s best football ground
After a hotly contested nomination phase the finalists for Football Queensland’s most picturesque ground have been decided. Here’s how you can get your club into the grand final.
Sport
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There’s plenty to talk about across the grounds this week.
From rep squad selections to title races and beautiful football grounds here is the latest Football Queensland news.
Information in this column is provided by the Football Queensland Media team.
FAR NORTH
The TAS under-8/9 girls team are FQPL Far North and Gulf MiniRoos team of the week.
This enthusiastic group, which is the club’s first all girls team, is flourishing in the U8/9 girls’ competition, featuring a blend of players who are new to the sport and those with some experience.
Their passion for the game shines through as they play together, support one another, and improve each week.
We can’t wait to see how they continue to grow and excel on the field.
Review
There was plenty of action across the FQPL Far North & Gulf Men’s and Women’s leagues
over the weekend; check out the scores and top performers below.
Men
Mareeba United vs. Edge Hill United (0 – 0)
3 Ballarin, Patrick; 2 Lawesson, Josh; 1 Gill, Victor;
Southside Comets vs. Marlin Coast Rangers (0 – 3)
3 Edwards, Jack; 2 Mayo, Kane; 1 Simpson, Lucas;
Leichhardt Lions vs. Stratford Dolphins (1 – 1)
3 Bockman, Clay; 2 Koppen, Bronson; 1 Sullivan, Christopher;
Redlynch Strikers vs. Innisfail United (1 – 2)
3 Epong, Cameron; 2 Darveniza, Max; 1 Herbert, Thomas;
3 Ahloy, Chantelle; 2 Whately, Josephine; 1 Busuttil, Kelsey;
Match Day
Friday, August 16
8.30pm (women) Edge Hill Tigers vs Redlynch Strikers at Edge Hill Tigers
8.30pm (women) Innisfail United vs Leichhardt Lions at Steve Corica Oval
8.30pm (women) Southside Comets vs Stratford Dolphins at Walker Road
Saturday, August 17
7pm (men) Edge Hill Tigers vs Redlynch Strikers at Edge Hill Tigers
7pm (men) Innisfail United vs Leichhardt Lions at Steve Corica Oval
7pm (men) Southside Comets vs Stratford Dolphin atNick Brko Field
7pm (men) Marlin Coast Rangers vs Mareeba United at Pennell Field-Trinity Beach
Far North stars set for rep duties
Football Queensland has announced its U14 boys and girls teams for the upcoming 2024 State of Origin Cup, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Pacific Championships in September.
The three-day tournament will feature representative state squads from multiple member federations across Australia, offering young players a prestigious platform to showcase their talents in a highly competitive environment.
The Far North & Gulf region has had seven players in total selected from its FQ Academy Far North & Gulf regional centre and local clubs, with one player in the U14 Boys team and six selected in the U14 Girls team.
Football Queensland’s General Manager – Football & State Technical Director, Gabor Ganczer, underscored the event’s importance for player development as the young footballers face new opponents and display their skills on a national stage in front of Football Australia technical staff.
“The State of Origin Cup represents a key milestone for our state’s young players as part of Football Queensland’s nationally recognised FQ Academy development pathway towards selection for Australia’s national teams,” Ganczer said.
“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural tournament hosted by Football Victoria, we’re thrilled to host this year’s tournament here in Queensland and hope the competition will further enhance the calibre of emerging football talent developing in the Far North & Gulf region.”
Picture perfect finalist
In a nod to their scenic charm, Walker Road Sporting Precinct and Atherton International Club, the home ground of Southside Comets and Atheron FC respectively, have earned spots as quarter finalists in Football Queensland’s inaugural Most Picturesque Football Ground competition.
The statewide contest, which kicked off in April, invited the public to nominate football grounds that epitomise the natural beauty of Queensland.
Following a highly competitive selection process and multiple public voting rounds, Walker Road Sporting Precinct and Atherton International Club have emerged as two of the top eight grounds from a field of 32 nominees.
Atherton International Club has been drawn into quarterfinal two against Stanthorpe Inter FC’s home venue, Stanthorpe International Club, located in the Darling Downs region, while Walker Road Sporting Precinct has been drawn into quarterfinal 4 against Samford Rangers’ ground, Samford Parklands, located in the Metro region.
Voting for Atherton FC’s quarterfinal 1 matchup will open on Monday, August 19 with Southside Comet’s quarterfinal 4 voting opening on Monday, 2 September, before the statewide competition will culminate in a grand final where Queensland’s most picturesque football ground will be crowned
Gold Coast
A total of 23 players from FQ Academy League clubs in the South Coast region have been selected in the Football QLD U14 boys and girls sides that will contest the 2024 State of Origin Cup, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Pacific Championships in September.
Five players were named in the girls squads and 18 male players were selected.
Picture perfect finalist
In a nod to its scenic charm, Lex Bell Oval, the home ground of Surfers Paradise Apollo, has
earned a spot as a quarter finalist in Football Queensland’s inaugural Most Picturesque
Football Ground competition.
Lex Bell Oval has been drawn into quarterfinal 1 against Mackay Rangers’ ground, Eric Homan Park, located in the Whitsunday Coast region.
Public voting for this quarterfinal matchup is now open and is set to close Monday 18 August, following this, the statewide competition will culminate in a grand final where Queensland’s most picturesque football ground will be crowned.
NPL preview
Friday night marks the final round of the National Premier Leagues nen’s season and will showcase a much-anticipated top four clash.
Gold Coast Knights will host rivals Lions FC in a match that could offer a glimpse of what’s to come in finals.
Last weekend saw the Knights claim their second consecutive NPL premiership with a win against Redlands United.
A goal from Knights midfielder, Samuel Klein, was enough to secure the premiership thanks to the 1-0 victory.
Winning 18 of 21 matches in 2024, Gold Coast Knights have been the frontrunners of the competition throughout the season and are set to be a formidable opponent in the finals series.
Heading into this week, Lions FC are coming off the back of a disappointing 4-3 defeat to
Wynnum Wolves.
Having gained just two points from their last four league matches, Lions have dropped to fourth on the table and will be looking to turnaround their recent form with a victory against the premiers to round out the regular season.
South Coast review
After a weekend filled with impressive goals and standout performances, the latest round of
the FQPL South Coast competitions did not disappoint. Take a look at the players who
performed the best as voted by the coaches.
Men
Gold Coast Knights vs. Musgrave (1-1)
Gold Coast Knight
Riley Seath, 3
Joshua Gelos, 2
Toni Ruzic, 1
Tweed United vs. Robina City (0-4)
Tweed United
Harris Mclean, 3
Joel Cumner, 2
Keegan Staff, 1
Robina City:
Tomas Valverde, 3
Ueno Kento, 2
Joshua Koloski, 1
Ormeau vs. Southport (5-1)
Ormeau
Sam Jones, 3
Rhys Buick, 2
Jackson Farrow, 1
Kingscliff vs. Burleigh Heads (2-0)
Burleigh Heads:
Connor Maguire, 3
Liam Woods, 2
Tyler Ashdown, 1
Runaway Bay vs. Palm Beach (0-2)
Runaway Bay
Sam Wakeham, 3
Gustavo Moreira, 2
Sam Shaw, 1
Surfers Paradise Apollo vs. Coomera (0-0)
Coomera
Ryan Palmer, 3
Olaf Conforti, 2
Andrew Ridden, 1
Women
Musgrave vs. Coomera (1-1)
Coomera
Maddison Weir, 3
Shiann Nunn, 2
Leah Burchell, 1
Northern Rivers vs. Magic (0-1)
Nerang vs. Palm Beach (0-7)
Nerang
Grace Milne, 3
Annabelle Gray, 2
Petra Dennett, 1
Palm Beach
Danielle Barrett, 3
Taryn Marshall, 2
India Mitchell, 1
Whitsunday Coast
NewsCorp Content – Mackay Chronicle 1308
MiniRoos Teams of the Week
The U12 Proserpine Taipans are Whitsunday Coast MiniRoos team of the week.
Under the guidance of Coach Steve for the past two years, this team has truly come into
their own, working seamlessly together on the field.
This year saw the addition of three girls to the team, each bringing an amazing new skill set and energy to the squad.
We are so sad to be nearing the end of their run with Proserpine Taipans and will miss them so much next year as they continue their football journey up through the age groups.
Results
Men – Round 19
Magpies FC 2 def Mackay Rangers 0
Mackay Lions 4 def Mackay Wanderers 2
Whitsunday United 2 def City Brothers 1
Women – Round 20
Mackay Wanderers 2 def Country United 1
Mackay Rangers 1 def by Magpies FC 9
Whitsunday United 10 def City Brothers FC 0
Mackay Lions 0 drew Dolphins FC 0
Preview
The final round of the FQPL Whitsunday Coast season is upon us, and it promises a thrilling conclusion with top three finishes on the line.
In the FQPL Whitsunday Coast Men’s competition, the high-stakes clash between second-placed Whitsunday United and Mackay Lions in third takes centre stage.
With only four points separating the teams and both having a game in hand, a victory for Whitsunday United would almost guarantee them a second-place finish.
However, a win or even a draw for Mackay Lions could lead to a dramatic final catch-up round, potentially altering final series placings and determining semi-final opponents.
In the FQPL Whitsunday Coast Women, second-placed Whitsunday United find
themselves in a tight race with Dolphins FC, with both teams tied on 40 points with
multiple games in hand.
The Round 21 match-up between Dolphins and fifth-placed City Brothers, who have won three of their last five games, has the potential to spell trouble for the Dolphins’ hopes of stealing a second-place finish away from Whitsunday United.
Match Day
FQPL Whitsunday Coast Men – Round 20
Saturday, 17 August
Mackay Rangers vs. City Brothers FC, Eric Holman Park, 5pm
Mackay Lions vs. Whitsunday United, Lions Field, 7pm
Mackay Wanderers vs. Magpies FC, Wanderers Park, 7pm
FQPL Whitsunday Coast Women – Round 21
Friday, 16 August
Magpies FC vs. Mackay Wanderers, Magpies FC| 8pm
Mackay Lions vs. Mackay Rangers, Lions Field FC, 8pm
City Brothers vs. Dolphins FC, City Brothers Field, 8pm
Saturday, 17 August
Country United vs. Whitsunday United, Whitsunday United, 6pm
Ready for rep duties
Whitsunday Coast has had nine players in total selected from its FQ Academy Whitsunday
Nathan Ruge, Paolo Lo Presti, Connor Daniels, Jacob Durelli, Blake Potter and Charlo Le Coz will represent Whitsunday Coast in the Queensland teams playing in State of Origin Cup, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Pacific
Championships in September.
Nayte Stannard, Lincoln Randell and Sarah Chilton could also make an appearance having been named in shadow squads.
The three-day tournament will feature representative state squads from multiple Member Federations across Australia, offering young players a prestigious platform to showcase their talents in a highly competitive environment.
Picture perfect finalist
In a nod to its scenic charm, Eric Homan Park, the home ground of Mackay Rangers FC,
has earned a spot as a quarter finalist in Football Queensland’s inaugural Most Picturesque Football Ground competition.
The statewide contest, which kicked off in April, invited the public to nominate football
grounds that epitomise the natural beauty of Queensland.
Following a highly competitive selection process and multiple public voting rounds, Eric Homan Park has emerged as one of the top eight grounds from a field of 32 nominees.
Eric Homan Park has been drawn into quarterfinal 1 against Surfers Paradise Apollo’s
ground, Lex Bell Oval, located on the Gold Coast.
Voting for this quarterfinal matchup is now open and will close next Monday 19 August,
before the statewide competition will culminate in a grand final where Queensland’s most
picturesque football ground will be crowned.
Sunshine Coast
FQPL Sunshine Coast has named its MiniRoos teams of the week
The U10 Owls team at Nambour Yandina United Football Club are inclusive, kind and
encouraging.
The Owls are always ready to play their best and contribute to their team, all while having fun.
They are a dynamic and enthusiastic under-10 football team known for their energy, teamwork, and all about having fun.
Coach Ben and manager Cassie dedicate their Thursday nights and Saturdays to fostering a positive and encouraging team environment.
The individuals since the beginning of the season have developed the techniques and expertise to one day play competitive football.
Everyone in the team loves playing in the U10 Owls, they love improving their skills and
wonderful friendships are being shaped.
The team have had a fun and exciting football season in 2024 and look forward to the 2025
season.
New to football the Kawana U6 Yellow team have had a fantastic introduction to football at Kawana.
They have played in the hot sun and the pelting rain, but all with smiles on their faces and
that amazing Kawana spirit.
There have been lots of goals, lots of laughs and the forming of friendships that will carry
on for years to come is the perfect reflection of the Kawana way.
We definitely have some stars of the future in this team.
Review
There was plenty of action across the FQPL 3 Sunshine Coast Men’s and Women’s leagues
over the weekend, check out the scores and top performers below
Men
Noosa Lions vs. Maroochydore FC (4 – 0)
3 Magee, Harry; 3 Grant, Hamish; 2 Metherell, Isaac; 2 Evans, Nick; 1 Williams, Jack; 1
Bauerfeind, Reiner;
Coolum FC vs. Kawana FC (2 – 3)
3 Velasco Ron, Pablo Emiliano; 2 Malin, Jed; 1 Pike, Nathan;
Woombye Snakes vs. Caloundra FC (1 – 3)
3 Hawkins, Ezekiel; 2 Bowen, Harrisson; 1 Holmes, Kai;
Gympie United vs. Baringa FC (1 – 2)
3 Harvey, Ben; 3 Rose, Liam; 2 Schultz, Ethan; 2 Barton, Darren; 1 Cronk, Brady; 1
Lorensen, Kyle;
Nambour Yandina vs. Beerwah Glasshouse (1 – 0)
3 Bridges, Reece; 2 Brattan, Zak; 1 Harth, Jonathon;
Women
Beerwah Glasshouse vs. Nambour Yandina (3 – 1)
3 Wiltsche, Maya; 2 Cudlipp, Sophie; 1 Davey, Kristen;
Kawana FC vs. Woombye Snakes (0 – 2)
3 Tasker, Kate; 2 Clark, Kiara; 1 Hambly, Ellie;
Maroochydore FC vs. Noosa Lions (2 – 2)
Fixtures
Friday, August 16
6.30pm (women) Kawana FC vs Nambour Yandina Utd at Kawana FC
6.30pm (women) Gympie United FC vs Beerwah Glasshouse at Gympie
8.30pm (women) Woombye Snakes FC vs Maroochydore FC at Woombye
Saturday, August 17
2.15pm (men) Buderim Wanderers vs Noosa Lions FC at Ballinger Park (Buderim
& SCW)
3pm (men) Caloundra vs Gympie United at Caloundra FC
6pm (men) Baringa FC vs Nambour Yandina Utd at Baringa FC
6pm (men) Kawana vs Woombye Snakes at Kawana
6pm (men) Maroochydore FC vs Maroochydore Swans
Rep stars ready
Toby Robinson, Aiden Bowman and Olivia Nunn will represent Sunshine Coast at the
2024 State of Origin Cup, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Pacific
Championships in September.
The three-day tournament will feature representative state squads from multiple Member Federations across Australia, offering young players a prestigious platform to showcase their talents in a highly competitive environment.
The trio were selected in Queensland sides that will contest the cup.
Darling Downs
Darling Downs and South West Queensland talent Sophie Hick has been selected in the U14 Queensland girls shadow squad ahead of the 2024 State of Origin Cup.
The cup which will take place on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Pacific Championships in September.
The three-day tournament will feature representative state squads from multiple Member
Federations across Australia, offering young players a prestigious platform to showcase their
talents in a highly competitive environment.
Picture perfect finalist
In a nod to its scenic charm, Stanthorpe International Club, the home ground of Stanthorpe
Inter FC, has earned a spot as a quarter finalist in Football Queensland’s inaugural Most
Picturesque Football Ground competition.
The statewide contest, which kicked off in April, invited the public to nominate football grounds that epitomise the natural beauty of Queensland. Following a highly competitive selection process and multiple public voting rounds, Stanthorpe International Club has emerged as one of the top eight grounds from a field of 32 nominees.
Stanthorpe International Club has been drawn into Quarterfinal 2 against Atherton FC’s
ground, Atherton International Club, located in the Far North region.
Voting for this quarterfinal matchup will open on Monday, August 19, before the statewide
competition will culminate in a grand final where Queensland’s most picturesque football
ground will be crowned.
Premierships clinched
Following a captivating season of FQPL 3 Darling Downs competitions, the race for the
premiership finished with Rockville Rovers and Highfields Green claiming the men’s and
women’s premierships, respectively, in last weekend’s fixtures.
Rockville Rovers secured the men’s premiership with a 2-1 win over Warwick on Saturday night.
The victory was capped off with Ameer Sulaiman scoring his 25th goal, in what was an
incredible season for Rockville’s talisman.
In the end, Rockville finished the season three points clear of rivals, West Wanderers, to secure top spot on the table.
In a thrilling premiership race between Highfields Green and Willowburn White in the FQPL
Darling Downs Women, everything hinged on their match-up last weekend.
Ultimately, a goal from Highfields Green’s Elsey Somersett was enough able to hold off their rivals to claim a 1-0 victory and secure the premiership.
Review
With the FQPL Darling Downs finals fast approaching, teams are looking to build momentum,
and players are aiming to shine. Take a look at the players who performed best for their teams
over the weekend as voted by the coaches!
Men
Rockville Rovers vs. Warwick (2-1)
Rockville Rovers
Ameer Sulaiman, 3
Connor Simpson, 2
Alexander Price, 1
Warwick
Harry Mcmahon, 3
Cameron Davey, 2
Saxon Charles, 1
Highfields vs. West Wanderers (0-0)
Highfields
Joshua Mitchell, 3
Levi Sciarrone, 2
Matthew Eilers, 1
West Wanderers
Jayden Richardson, 3
Caelen Richardson, 2
Ryan Knight, 1
St Albans vs. Willowburn (2-3)
Women
Highfields Gold vs. Warwick (3-4)
Highfields Gold
Sienna Schmaling, 3
April Mammino, 2
Shayla Milsom, 1
Warwick
Jessica Barnett, 3
Elise Wyvill, 2
Sophie Simpson, 1
Highfields Green vs. Willowburn White (1-0)
Highfields Green
Marlina-Rae Pern, 3
Chloe Green, 2
Chloe O’rourke, 1
Willowburn White
Emily Prestipino, 3
Zoe Doyle, 2
Steffanie Goodwin, 1
Willowburn Black vs Chinchilla (3-0)
Willowburn Black
Jess Wilson, 3
Kiama Gray, 2
Jade Gaske, 1
Chinchilla
Hayley Drummond, 3
Casey Hogan, 2
Sally Carroll, 1
USQFC vs. Rockville Rovers (1-5)
Rockville Rovers
Sophie Bridger, 3
Emmersyn Ranford, 2
Bre McCarthy, 1
Northern
The under-8 Osmac Warriors are the FQPL Northern MiniRoos Team of the Week.
The Warriors have been together for a few years now under the guidance of Lucy Robinson.
The have been working hard on their passing and game play all year.
The kids have all grown as players and it’s beautiful to see the team spirit they have.
Whether they win, lose or draw, the kids walk off the field with a smile and have fun playing with each other.
Results
Women
Saints Eagles Souths 0 drew Estates FC 0
Riverway JCU 1 drew Burdekin FC 1
Men – Round 20
Townsville Warriors 0 def by MA Olympic 6
Rebels FC 0 def by Brothers Townsville 4
Saints Eagles Souths 2 drew Estates FC 2
Riverway JCU 4 def Burdekin FC 1
Preview
On Saturday, FQPL Northern men’s and women’s ladder leaders MA Olympic and second-placed Brothers Townsville will wrap up their seasons with back-to-back games at Hi Vista Park, kicking off at 5pm.
All four teams have been unstoppable recently, with no side having recorded a loss in their last five matches — will one of these winning streaks come to an end on the final day?
In the FQPL Northern men’s competition, Brothers Townsville will have extra motivation
heading into this clash as they fight to maintain their second-place spot on the ladder with
Burdekin lurking just one point behind in third.
Fixtures:
Women – Round 21
Saturday, 17 August
Brothers Townsville vs. MA Olympic, Hi Vista Park, 5pm
Estates FC vs. Riverway JCU, Burt Street Football Park, 5pm
Sunday, 18 August
Townsville Warriors vs. Saints Eagles Souths, Melrose Park, 2pm
Men – Round 21
Saturday, 17 August
Brothers Townsville vs. MA Olympic, Hi Vista Park, 7pm
Estates FC vs. Riverway JCU, Burt Street Football Park, 7pm
Burdekin FC vs. Rebels FC, International Park, 7pm
Sunday, 18 August
Townsville Warriors vs. Saints Eagles Souths, Melrose Park, 4pm
Rep stars ready
Lucy Ballinger, Sienna Sharkey, Lara Burgers, Keira Trovato, Lachlan Wilkie, Braelyn Cole Hudson Waltham, Daxton Cutmore, Cooper Lee, Aiden Lewis and Angus Clark have been named in Queensland rep and shadow squads for the 2024 State of Origin Cup, which will take place on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Pacific Championships in September.
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