The Gold Coast SUNS under 18 Talent Academy has announced it’s squad to play in two trial games.
The Gold Coast SUNS Under 18 Talent Academy has announced their final squad to go head-to-head with the Brisbane Lions Under 18 Talent Academy squad over the next two weekends.
The teams will face off in two trial matches that will decide which players move on to Under 18 Queensland Scorpions selection.
Excitingly, 11 of the 25 players selected in the squad are from Gold Coast SUNS Country Academy regions including players from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton.
In announcing the squad, Gold Coast SUNS Academy manager Andrew Johnston paid particular thanks to the country Academy staff who have nurtured the country players in the pre-season program.
The remaining 14 players are from the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers regions.
The Gold Coast squad also features two players, Andrew Boston (Broadbeach pictured) and Brody Haberfield (Surfers Paradise) who represented the under 18 Queensland Scorpions in 2011.
Boston will be looking to capitalise on his experience having played all games as a bottom aged player in 2011.
Former Richmond and Adelaide defender and Gold Coast SUNS Talent Academy head coach, Jason Torney, will be at the helm for the two trial matches.
The first of the trial games will be played on Sunday March 25 at Yeronga beginning at 1:30pm.
The Gold Coast SUNS and Brisbane Lions Academy players will then take the field again on Saturday March 31 at Fankhauser Reserve football ground in Southport.
The Gold Coast SUNS Talent Academy is a multi-level football program that provides talented players aged between 12 and 18 with a pathway from junior sport through to a possible career playing in the AFL.
Congratulations to the following players who have been selected in the Gold Coasts under 18 Talent Academy squad:
Ethan Alexander-Crackel – Labrador
Andrew Boston – Broadbeach
Kieran Brennan – Cool/Broadbeach
Josh Bull – Broadbeach
Nick Burton – PBC/Broadbeach
Tyler Cornish – PBC
Damien Dewis – Sth Cairns/Labrador
Cameron Duffy – Cairns Hawks
Jarred Ellis – Broadbeach (Tweed/Cool)
Jack Goodall – Port Douglas/Redland
Brody Haberfield – Surfers Paradise
Mitch Hopkins – Southport/Broadbeach
Zach Jackson – Mackay Saints/Southport
Tyler Jones – Mackay Saints/Redlands
Josh Macansh – Curra Swans (Townsville)
Conor Manning – Surfers Paradise
Max McLachlan – Cairns Central Bulldogs
Stephen Mills – Rockhampton Panthers
James Royes – Yeppoon Seagulls/Southport
Jamie Skennar – Broadbeach
Anthony Stewart – Nth Cairns/Redlands
Daniel VanDeWerken – Surfers Paradise
Shane Viitakangas – Broadbeach
Jermaine Wardle – Cairns Hawks/Labrador
Angus Watts – Labrador
