U17 Youth Girls State Champs

Queensland’s best young female footy talent will descend on Brisbane this weekend, for the Under-17 Youth Girls State Championships.

In its eighth year, the competition has shifted south, from Cairns to the AFL Queensland Administration and Training Centre, Yeronga.

This is the second season the competition has been for under-17, transitioning from the previous Under-16  format.

As well as a new location, the competition includes a team from Papua New Guinea for the first time.

The inclusion of the Kurukums this year sees the championships expand to eight teams from across the state.

Papua New Guinea has the youngest squad in the competition, including Shanley Luke, who turns 13 later this month, and Thecla Savere, who was 13 in March.

The Kurukums are coached by Regan Atkinson, who has previously coached in the USA and Western Australia and was formerly a statistician for the Fremantle Football Club.

The remaining teams are from various regions across Queensland.

The Brisbane Flames includes players from Brisbane North and South regions, under the direction of coach, Daniel Selby.

With 2013 All-Australian, Tayla Harris as well as the Women’s League rising star, Maddie Protheroe, the defending champions will be hard to beat.

Harris recently returned from a tour of New Zealand with the 2013 Female High Performance Academy, which will have equipped her with some invaluable experience heading into this weekend’s championships.

As one of the more experienced members of the side, the ruck/forward will be setting the example for the Flames this year.

The Gold Coast Sunsets have brought on a new coach this season, with Fiona McLarty coming on board.

McLarty previously represented Queensland as a player and is also a former coach of the Flames.

The WCCCA Crusaders come all the way from Cape York, under the mentorship of veteran Queensland player Jo Butland.

Butland retired this season after a decorated football career, and her experience will be invaluable for the Crusaders’ chances at the cup.

The Capricornia Cobras includes girls from Mackay, Gladstone and Rockhampton.

The Suncoast Storm, representing the Sunshine Coast region, is a relatively young side but the Sunny  Coasters have plenty of experience.

Nambour’s Shannon Campbell will lead the team in the championships.

Campbell was a member of this year’s Queensland youth girls team, that competed in the national Championships at Shepparton.

The South West Magpies consists of girls from Brisbane West and the Darling Downs region.

A number of girls in this side have formerly represented the state, including Isabelle Baldock, who has played with both Coorparoo and South Toowoomba.

The North Queensland Lions will also be making the trek down to Brisbane for the three-day competition.

Sixteen year-old Luana Healey, a member of the Queensland youth girls side this year and Lions representative, will be hoping to help her team to a strong performance at the championships.

The Queensland Under-17 Youth Girl Championships run from Friday November  1 – Sunday November 3.

As well as match play, all 200 competitors will undergo combine testing prior to the start of the competition, for data collection.

This will help selectors choose on the initial 30-girl training squad in contention for the Queensland team at the 2014 Under-18 National Youth Girl Championships, next May.

The match schedule for the championships is as follows:

Keep an eye on aflq-new.fspdev.com for all the coverage of the championships.