Ten changes have been made to the SUNS side to take on the Brisbane Lions in the curtain raiser final round of the Winter Series at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
With Round 2 of the NAB AFLW Under 18 Championships being held on the Gold Coast this week, the SUNS representing Queensland have been made unavailable for Saturday’s match.
It means the team will feature the best of the experienced QWAFL state-league players who will come up against a rampant AFLW-talent filled Lions outfit.
The SUNS will welcome back ex-Lion Tahlia Randall into the side who will be joined by a fellow former Brisbane teammate Kalinda Howarth playing her first game.
Other debutants for the SUNS are Wilston Grange captain Courtney Daniec, Shinae Barnett and Cathy Svarc.
North Queensland leadership group member Luana Healy is back in the side, as is Paige Parker, Erin Sundstrom, Sange Carter and Kate Reynolds who all missed the Round 2 match.
Winter Series coach Michael Gugliotta said the absence of Under 18 representatives presented an opportunity for the experience of the side to shine through.
“We had planned for that to happen, obviously there’s a lot of talent in the 2000-01 born-players who we knew were going to go and be a part of the State program,” Gugliotta told SUNS TV.
“For us and for the girls in the QWAFL who are running around, (those) super athletes get an opportunity to step up and show their wares on a big stage.
“It’s an older group so we really get to test out what will be a very, very strong AFLW-predominant Lions side.”
Five SUNS players have previously been on the Lions’ AFLW list and will be looking for a a good contest against their former side.
The match will be played at 4:50pm at Metricon Stadium as a curtain raiser to the AFL match between the SUNS and Essendon at 7:25pm.
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