This Saturday afternoon at Southport’s Fankhauser Reserve we see State Representative football come to Queensland with our State team taking on the might of Tasmania at 2pm. This game is preceded by the curtain raiser of the Queensland Under 21 team against the Victorian Amateurs Under 21s starting at 11am.
For the Sunshine Coast we have player representation within the Queensland team in the form of Austin Lucy and Daniel Dzufer both lads playing their junior football here on the coast for the Caloundra Panthers.
Austin Lucy was on the Essendon Bombers list in 2006, then returned to the Zillmere Eagles for a couple of seasons before finding himself now with the Morningside Panthers. Since his return to Queensland State footy he has been a fantastic contributor for club and state.
Daniel Dzufer played club footy for years throughout his junior development, constantly a representative player at regional and state level. In the 2006 AFL National draft he was taken as a rookie by the Brisbane Lions where he spent three years, playing one senior game in 2008, now he finds himself a chief play maker for the Redlands Bombers in the QAFL.
Another player in the mix is current Gold Coast listed player Todd Grayson, Todd when not in the GC team finds himself with Labrador, whom this year are having one of their brightest years. Todd in 2008 played some senior footy for Maroochy Northshore before spending much of the year as a top up player for the Brisbane Lions reserves in the QAFL.
Only seven State players remain from the team that lost to Tasmania by 49 points in Hobart last June – our Austin Lucy is one with Danny Wise, Paul Shelton, Kurt Niklaus, Nathan Gilliland, James Charlesworth and Adam Mueller.
The Queensland squad features several borderline draft candidates from recent seasons who will be looking to impress, including Aspley’s Jamie Sheahan, 19, Claye Beams, 18, Broadbeach co-captain Dayne Zorko, 21, Labrador’s Gold Coast hopeful Todd Grayson, 18, Morningside’s Damien Bonney, 22, Tapp, 21, and Redland’s Adam Mueller, 22.
Former Brisbane Lions Scott Clouston, 23, and Daniel Dzufer, 21, along with Redland teammate and 2009 nab QAFL Rising Star James Charlesworth, 21, will also be looking to play well on the big stage, as will ex-Carlton tyro Darren Pfeiffer, 22.
For many of these young men playing AFL at the highest level is still a real dream as we move into the birth of two new teams over the coming years in the Gold Coast and GWS; you only have to look at the successes this year of mature age recruits the ‘J Pod’ and “that man Barlow”.
It could also be a great opportunity for impressive 22-year-old Southport forward Ben Merrett, son of Brisbane and Essendon great Roger, who has improved with every season in the QAFL and has shone for Queensland in Under 21 matches.
Such is the youth in the Queensland squad that the average age is just over 22 years, so with a fast track come Saturday the Queensland team is a real chance to overrun the Tasmanian devils. Big good lucks to Aussie, Dzuf and Toddy.
Whilst in the Queensland under 21’s team is 19 year old Ben Weightman who is enjoying a great season of QAFL football after having a taste at this level last season with Aspley. In 2010 Ben is with the Redlands Bombers and we all know he loves a goal with 18 goals from 9 starts. But far from all of his time is spent up forward as he has plenty of run on the ball pushing forward and even spending some time across half back. Ben was a long time junior player for Maroochydore who always played representative footy for the Suncoast Power, a few long term injuries have stood in his way in recent years but overcoming those with plenty of grit has seen him complete his first quality pre season. Good luck Ben!
Last Modified on 17/06/2010 15:18