By Terry Wilson
Photo: Greg Ford
BROADBEACH have pulled off a late-season coup with confirmation that club junior product Luke McGuane will play out the remainder of the year.
McGuane, 31, was officially registered with the QAFL before the cut-off date of June 30 and has been named by the Cats to play in the big Gold Coast derby against Surfers Paradise at Sir Bruce Small Oval on Saturday.
McGuane was a star Broadbeach junior and was selected by Richmond in the 2004 national AFL draft as pick No.36 overall.
Capable of holding key defensive and attacking positions, McGuane played 105 AFL games for Richmond, then seven for Brisbane, before recurring knee injuries cut his career short. For the Cats, he is set to play down forward.
After departing the AFL scene, McGuane returned to Melbourne and in 2016 he was in Keilor’s premiership side in the Essendon Football League under cousin Mick McGuane.
Luke said he is looking forward eagerly to his return to the Cats despite having played only one game for Keilor this year as he builds up a law firm he has purchased.
“It’s more to finish off my career with my family (his parents live on the Gold coast) and finish it off with Broadbeach,” Luke said.
McGuane’s return to the blue and white hoops was in doubt on Tuesday when he fell ill with a virus.
But the forward reporetd the medical all-clear late Thursday and declared himself ready to take on the Demons.
Broadbeach coach Brett Andrews said McGaune will be named in the side for Saturday.
McGuane’s father is Gavan McGuane, a premiership player and coach at Southport where is is a Hall of Famer.
Luke made headlines when, just after joining Richmond, he sustained a shocking arm injury playing for Richmond’s affiliate Coburg in Ballarat.
He broke his arm between the elbow and the shoulder and was out for a lengthy period.
Then in 2007 he was again playing VFL for Coburg when a goalpost at Bellerieve Oval in Hobart snapped and fell on his shoulder.
A high-flying mark, Luke should fit in nicely at the head of the Broadbeach attack.
McGuane will fly in each weekend to play the remainder of the season as he makes enough appearances to qualify for the finals, understood to be a minimum of three games.
