The Gold Coast Football Club is set to welcome a new group of players to the club as it continues to build its talented list in preparation for 2011.
The team will compete in the VFL competition next year which is considered to be the best development pathway for the team and players as they will compete against players on AFL team lists.
GCFC will play 10 games in Queensland and eight in Melbourne with the match fixture and venues to be released next month.
After exceeding expectations in its first year in the TAC Cup under 18s competition by reaching the semi finals, GCFC’s 2009 season ended last Sunday with a loss to the Geelong Falcons.
Coach Guy McKenna and his assistants have begun preparing for a new level of football next year in readiness for the Club’s journey to AFL competition in 2011.
McKenna said the team needed to be equipped to cope with an increased level of intensity and physicality as it stepped up to the VFL competition next year.
“As we transition from an Under 18 side we will need to turn over the young group to bring in our new contracted players and add in some more experienced players to meet the demands of the VFL competition,” he said.
GCFC has contracted 10 Queensland players from its current list and will be forced to undergo major changes to make room for a new crop of young talent recruited from around Australia.
As part of the club build the Gold Coast is eligible to sign up to 12 of the available 17-year-olds born between January and April 1992. The club also has draft selections 1-5 in the AFL Rookie Draft later this year.
17-year-olds already signed with the club include highly regarded Tasmanians Maverick Weller and Luke Russell, Victoria’s Joshua Toy, Matt Shaw and Trent MacKenzie and SA’s Hayden Jolly. Northern Territory’s Michael Gugliotta signed mid-year and NRL star Karmichael Hunt will also join the team next year.
Five bottom age players from the current squad will remain including Rex Liddy, Luke Shreeve, Lewis Moss, Liam Rutledge and Jake Crawford. This group will form part of the train on squad that will be given at least another 12 months to be in the GCFC football program and another opportunity to be granted a spot on the list in 2011. Pre-season training will commence on November 9.
It is anticipated up to 15 players will move on with some expected to be drafted by AFL clubs, return to the QAFL competition or play with other State Leagues.
“The GCFC Under 18 team represented a pathway for young AFL talent in Queensland and we are hopeful that many of our boys are selected in the upcoming draft. There has been a significant focus during the year in developing them both as footballers and as young adults,” said McKenna.
“Our boys have done an awesome job and we are providing them with a program of support to help them move onto other clubs where they can continue their careers. I wish them well and hope they can continue to be successful.”
VFL Victoria CEO Peter Schwab said the inclusion of the Gold Coast in the VFL competition next year provided a great pathway for the young team to prepare themselves for AFL football in 2011.
“The VFL competition is considered the best outside of the elite AFL and continues to provide opportunities for players to be drafted by AFL clubs or AFL rookie-listed. The Gold Coast’s inclusion will also give our teams the opportunity to travel interstate which is a regular part of AFL football and an important part of the development of young players. We welcome the Gold Coast and look forward to an exciting season with them on board,” Schwab said.
