PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
Key Recruits
Harry Benson – from St.Mary’s in the Barwon FL, an inside mid that is hard to tackle & will get lots of the footy.
Rhys King – elite runner, elite speed and a tackling machine.
Levi Casboult – ex-AFL with a combined 198 games for Carlton & the Gold Coast SUNS
Tom Simpson – 2024 Zane Taylor medallist for QLD v Tas and former Labrador hard-nut
Key Departures
Tom Hickey - say no more.
Freddy Valpied - will miss our young guns and his mate Ted (Obrien)
Blair Rubock
Young player to watch
Dom Pitt (Tassie Devils)
Expectations for the 2025 season - DAVID ARMITAGE | Senior Coach
"To be a great football club.”
SUMMARY
The Lions are a wonderful team fuelled with great fire and desire to challenge the best and be the best in the competition. A wonderful rise up the ladder in 2024 during the home and away season as a must-watch team had them slip to eventual Grand Finalists Redland-Victoria Point in the semi-final. The difference was merely conceding five goals to one in the second term that proved to be the difference in the four goal loss.
Speaking of losses, losing 2024 J.A. Grogan Medal winner Tom Hickey in the off-season was not a surprise as he finished his decorated career with the highest individual honour in his chosen league. The loss of Fred Valpied will hurt as the young gun joins GWV Rebels alumni Cooper Craig-Peters at Footscray in the VFL. He will work his craft in the Victorian Amateurs in the quest for a VFL debut.
Harry Benson arrives from the Barwon league and has several VFL games under his belt while Rhys King returns to Queensland after a few seasons with Albury and more than 30 games with Southport in the VFL. Man-mountain Levi Casboult will look to be a dominant forward this year and Tom Simpson’s move means PBC’s midfield will remain strong.
The Lions cannot replace the likes of a Hickey and Valpied overnight, but the ins will be vital for this group to continue its momentum towards premiership contention yet again. Armitage and his coaching staff will be out to showcase that while Hickey was unbeatable in the ruck, the quality midfielders at the club are as hungry as ever to carry this team into exciting territory in 2025. This group will absolutely play finals again and like so many around them, will give Morningside a nudge to let them know that its premiership defense is going to be challenged in a big way.
REDLAND-VICTORIA POINT
Reigning Grand Finalists from 2023 & 2024, the Sharks will be eager for redemption in season 2025. There is a lot to love about what is happening at The Tank with a quality list and coaching staff that is again headlined by much-respected coach, Phil Carse.
RVP will be different through the midfield this year with Brock Aston, Jack Rolls (also spent time in the back half last year) & Billy Johnson leaving the outfit. But the Sharks welcome a few new faces. Charlie Offermans has arrived from Labrador and has VFL experience. One of the best contested and clearance players in the competition, Offermans will likely spend some time with Brisbane in the VFL this year. With a goal and 21 touches on debut for the Lions last weekend, it's a positive sign that he will enjoy a great stint with the club. Already learning from the likes of Lachie Neale, Dyson Heppell and Hugh Greenwood, when Offermans does line up for the Sharks, he will have lots of invaluable experience to share with his teammates.
Cooper Anderson also joins the club from Labrador. He is a quality midfielder and hard worker. While making the comeback from an ACL injury that put a stop to his season in 2024, he will be fitter and stronger than ever.
With young gun Dan Annable a key player to watch in 2025, the Sharks will hope to see less of this young product as he looks to insert himself firmly into the first-round discussion for the 2025 AFL draft. The club is proud of his achievements and have been in awe of his leadership and development around the team.
It will almost be business as usual for this powerhouse club that has been starved of the ultimate success. With Matt Hammelmann in the forward line and Adrian Williams with Mitch Stallard down back, this may very well be the most important year for this group in the past decade as they hope to overcome every obstacle and hold up the silverware. It's a challenge that this club has worked so hard to overcome in recent seasons and it has done so extremely well. To fall short and find that strong mentality to back up again with the same level of intensity and focus draws respect.
Another top two finish awaits this team and it could very well be their year.
SHERWOOD
Key Recruits
Jarrod Cameron - comes in with solid AFL (12 games)/WAFL experience and has been setting a high standard on the track in the pre-season and looks set to be an elite player at QAFL level.
Connor Ashcroft steps up from Division 1 football with UQ where he was awarded the Coaches MVP and originally from Canberra he brings additional strength to our midfield and presence forward of the ball.
James Creighton has relocated primarily to play VFL for the Brisbane Lions, is a CTL Premiership player with the Sandringham Dragons and has played VFL for the GWS Giants. A Coomera junior, James re-unites with his State u12 Coach Brett McEvoy.
Tom Fry – 2024 QFA Div 1 Mayne premiership player and BL Academy player.
Key Departures
Liam Hude has departed to Collingwood in the VFL - we love to see this for our players.
Riley Greene has departed to Northern Bullants in the VFL.
Tom Gillett - very unlucky not to find his way onto an AFL list and has landed in the SANFL where he will continue to push to take his game to the highest level.
Connor Bulley has departed to Victoria for work reasons and is playing local footy for Altona.
Young players to watch
Tom Fry is as exciting as they come and while only 18yo, he is a ready-made QAFL footballer. Made his QAFL Senior debut with the Magpies in 2023 and is also a senior Premiership player with Mayne Tigers in Division 1. Captain of the Lions Academy Under 18s in 2024, he has outstanding leadership capability and was instantly voted into the Magpies leadership group for 2025.
Ryan Gilder has signed with the Lions VFL, but as an 18-year-old he comes into his third season of Senior QAFL footy at Sherwood and we expect his growth trajectory to continue on the same meteoric path.
Elijah Glass while turning 20 this year and approaching his fourth season of Senior football, is a virtual new recruit for us in 2025 after missing 16 matches through injury in 2024. He has had an elite pre-season and looks ready for a massive year.
Expectations for the 2025 season - BRETT MCEVOY | Senior Coach
“Expectations in 2025 are unchanged. We expect to play finals and compete at the pointy end of the year, while doing our best to develop the best local grown talent to prepare them for higher levels of footy.
Our list is as healthy as it has been for many years in terms of injury and fitness and it’s an exciting young group playing an exciting brand of footy.
While we will again have a youthful flavour to the team, selection pressure is at an all-time high coming up through the Reserves and Colts and some of our more experienced players of the calibre of Will Fletcher, Jarrod Cameron and Jack Austin are still in their early to mid-20’s and have huge upside despite their already long list of accolades.”
SUMMARY
If you’re looking for a surprise packet to stun the competition and launch into finals’ contention, Sherwood is a major contender to take that spot. A club that has been decimated by numerous long-term injuries across the 2022/23 seasons was able to build some momentum and come away with seven wins in 2024. It defeated finalists Palm Beach Currumbin and Redland Victoria Point, a feat that few teams achieved.
Sherwood is big on player development and we’ve seen numerous players from its list to go on and play AFL and VFL in recent seasons. The club culture commands that players strive to play the best level possible.
With that said, this group of players is still developing and improving enough to take down some major scalps in season 2025. Do not take them likely.
Like Maroochydore and Wilston Grange, you’re going to get tremendous value out of seeing Sherwood play and at its best, can beat the best. The competition needs to see it at its best more often though. Do not be surprised if this group sneaks into the top eight to play finals, but a healthy list is a prerequisite.
SURFERS PARADISE
Key Recruits
Cam Ellis-Yolmen
Hugh Greenwood
Zach Sears
Jameson Scott
Darcy Russell
Charlie Martin
Oscar Lear-Camci
Key Departures
Brody Haberfield
Cam Topping
Hayden Crozier
Young player to watch
Oscar Wood
Expectations for the 2025 season - SAM DWYER | Senior Coach
"We have an exciting group of young players that will complement our experienced core well. We feel we will be very competitive and improve as the season progresses given some of the players we have brought into the club and the depth we have in key areas.
Like every other team, our aim is to win the premiership."
SUMMARY
The Dees welcomed 2024 Assistant coach Sam Dwyer into the role as head coach during the off season. Dwyer has a remarkable record across the AFL (39 games with Collingwood) and VFL (140 games with Port Melbourne). He has a tremendous football brain and is highly respected for his football knowledge and hopes to continue the ongoing success set by recent Surfers Paradise coaches (Brad Moore and Matt Lappin).
Despite losing the accomplished trio of Brody Haberfield, Cam Topping and Hayden Crozier in the off-season, the Dees have recruited extremely well with former AFL talent Cam Ellis-Yolmen (former Lion/Crow and Labrador Tiger on the Gold Coast) and Hugh Greenwood (former Crow, Sun and Roo) while recently taking on a role with the Gold Coast Suns Academy.
Zach Sears joins the club from Albury in the Ovens and Murray League who is looking to add to his Senior experience. Jameson Scott played some football in Far North Queensland last year and previously played in the Ovens and Murray League. Russell, Martin and Lear-Camci will offer plenty of strength to the team.
Overall, while quality long-standing servants Brody Haberfield and Cam Topping are difficult to replace, there is a lot to like about who has joined the team in the off-season and Sam Dwyer will be thrilled at what he has at his disposal.
The past two seasons have been a stake through the heart for Dees fans who are yearning for their first premiership since 2019. Losing back-to-back Elimination finals to two teams who played deep into the finals that season (Wilston Grange and Redland Victoria Point) but there is a good feeling around the club that it can return to the top three and be one of the most feared teams in the competition. This group just need to play at a higher level of consistency. The 2024 group struggled to string multiple wins together at the back end of the season when a double chance spot was up for grabs in the last month.
This team is better than the 2024 version and my tip is that we will see Surfers Paradise rise into the top three.
WILSTON GRANGE
Key Recruits
Tyler Belloni (South Croydon)
Nelson Lane (Nightcliff/Norwood)
Sam McDonald (GWV Rebels/Ballarat Swans)
Jesh Morgan (Southport/Labrador)
Chase Martin (Waves FC)
Jonty Patrick (Palmerston Magpies)
Key Departures
Hugh Fidler (Retired)
Zach Westerberg (Retired)
Daniel Bowles (Redcliffe)
Will Martyn (Port Melbourne VFL)
Billy Richardson (Sandringham VFL)
Daniel Farry (Redcliffe)
Bailey Gordon (Tassie)
Zack Derksen (Perth Demons)
Marly McGregor (NT)
Joel Budarick (Eaglehawk)
Young player to watch
Archie Smith
Expectations for the 2025 season - BRENT MOLONEY | Senior Coach
"We have a young, enthusiastic list which will bring some excitement to Hickey Park. I am keen to watch this group grow and develop throughout the season."
SUMMARY
There is no denying it, the Wilston Grange team over the past few seasons has been simply box office. From the almost-Cinderella story of just missing the 2023 decider to being the number one attacking team in the QAFL across the 2024 season, this is a team that you simply cannot take your eyes off.
The Gorillas had a tough end to the 2024 season where a top two spot was firmly in sight with a month to go before losses to Sharks, Cats and Hornets took some of the sting out of the team before going down to Palm Beach Currumbin in week one of the finals.
Was this a case of 'missed opportunity'? Absolutely. A Preliminary Final placing in 2023 set the stage for this group to make the top two.
We will see a bit of a changing of the guard this season with Fidler, Westerberg, Bowles, Martyn, Richardson, Gordon, Farry, Derksen, Macgregor and Budarick either retiring or challenging their football careers elsewhere. But we have a fresh set of new faces with Belloni, Lane, McDonald, Morgan, Martin and Patrick all with distinct flavour and experience across Victoria, Darwin, Adelaide and in country Victoria.
Moloney is one of the most seasoned coaches in this competition who prides himself on junior development; nurturing that home grown talent with a number of these players taking his knowledge to test themselves in other competitions but we will still have the same exciting brand of football generating a hard-hitting and high-tempo energy that makes it very challenging for the best clubs to match.
Do not sleep on the Gorillas in 2025; there is a lot of core talent from 2024 that will be ignited again with fresh blood making this team a major attraction that will compete for the finals again.