Words: Michael Flynn

SWQ Thunder have confirmed their preliminary squad for the PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland 2015 season, but the captain’s armband still remains up for grabs.

Thunder’s twenty man squad includes plenty of familiar faces from the club's inaugural PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland 2014 Senior Men's campaign.

Amongst those looking to apply the lessons learned from last season’s last-placed finish are forwards Tom Fanning and Colin Ball and defenders Jacob Bigby, Harry Scott and Nathan Knox.

Pre-season triallist Keagan Sheridan, formerly with PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland rivals Western Pride, has also been confirmed as part of Thunder’s squad.

Another key signing is former Wolves FC goalkeeper Michael Pike, who will be hoping to dramatically reduce Thunder’s league-worst 112 goals conceded in 2014.

However, amongst the most noticeable absentees is 2014 captain Jace Watt.

New Thunder coach Chris Wilkes said he has given plenty of thought to who will inherit the captain’s armband at Thunder in 2015.

“I think we’re fairly close to deciding who it’s going to be,” Wilkes said.

“With (Technical Director) Joe Fenech and I coming in a little bit late, we will probably take a few more weeks than what we would prefer to announce it.”

“But we have a good picture in our minds of who we’ll have that will lead the group,” he added.

As a relatively new club, Wilkes said he believes the current squad has the potential to grow into a formidable outfit over coming years, but conceded they were unlikely to contend for silverware this season.

“We think we’re in a good spot and think we have a good squad on paper and hoping to surprise a few people,” he explained.

“We’re definitely looking to improve on last year and continuing to raise the bar and set-up a few structures to make sure that the boys that we got who are 20 or 21 will still be playing for the club when they are 25 or 26.”

“If we can keep this group together for a period of time, we believe they have the ability in three or four years to play finals football.”

Thunder are scheduled to continue their pre-season preparations in the BLK Silver Boot on Sunday against Brisbane Premier League outfit Eastern Suburbs FC at Lions FC Stadium.

South West Queensland Thunder FC 2015 Senior Men’s Squad

1. Michael PIKE (gk), 2. Tom FANNING, 3. Daniel FULLER, 4. Keagan SHERIDAN, 5. Mitchell TANSKY, 6. Damien SAUNDERS, 7. Jedd SUGDEN, 8. Jack PERCY, 9. Harry SCOTT, 10. Nathan STARK, 11. Chris HEWSON, 12. Colin BALL, 13. Jacob BIGBY, 14. Matthew WHITE, 15. Agoth TONG, 16. Anthony GRANT, 17. Nathan KNOX, 18. Joel THORNTON, 19. Nykodah SMITH, 20. Jayden FORMOSA (gk)