Words: Michael Flynn
Additional Reporting: Steve Pitman
Image: Brisbane Strikers

Brisbane Strikers have announced the re-signing of four promising young talents and coach Kevin A'herne-Evans is confident they won't simply be making up the numbers.

Goalkeeper Michael Weier, attacking midfielder Fraser Hills, striker Luke Marsh and winger Jesse Weimers will all return for this year's PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues campaign.

In a vindication of the club's development program, the quartet all progressed through Strikers' youth ranks before earning their first taste of senior football last season.

A’herne-Evans said he was excited by the prospect of all four delivering on their potential this seaosn.

Hills, 20, returns following a break-out season last year – culminating in a dramatic equalising goal in the PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Grand Final.

“Fraser had an exceptional season for us last year.  He scored some crucial goals, played in some big games, scored in the grand final and scored against Redlands United in a Westfield FFA Cup game,” A’herne-Evans said.

Promising shot-stopper Weier, 19, recorded four clean sheets in just seven league starts before his season cut short by injury.

A’herne-Evans said, “We haven’t brought through a young goalkeeper for a while at the club so there’s high expectations on him and on making sure that, over the next twelve months, he can match those expectations and maintain the high standards he showed when he initially broke into the senior team.”

Weimer, also 19, made all five of his league appearances last season off the bench before injury also limited his contributions.

However, A’herne-Evans was confident he will again be pushing more experienced hands for match minutes.

“I’m quite excited to watch Jesse’s progression this year.  In the training block that we had before Christmas he was exceptional.  He will have a big opportunity this off-season to prove his worth in the starting line-up,” he said.

The youngest of the re-signings is 18-year-old Marsh, who is a proven goalscoring threat in Under 18 Boys and Youth Men competitions - with over 50 goals to his credit over the past two yaers in the those age divisions.

“We’ve brought in a couple of strikers this year and that can go one of two ways with a young player coming through,” A’herne-Evans explained of the challenge ahead of Marsh.

“But in the off-season, in training in particular, some of his finishing has been at the highest level. We’ve always know that is in Luke’s game and when he played in the senior team last year he acquitted himself really well,” he concluded.