Queensland is very interesting, after the Rugby World Cup QLD out of all the states had the highest increase as a percentage of people starting up Rugby.

Yet as we can see they are still able to produce enough teenagers for Aussie Rules and League.

The AFL will be very impressed with the establishment of Aussie Rules in Queensland, I think its getting to the stage where it will not be considered a developmental state.

Yes GABBA Crowds have decreased, but the underlining support is there.

I wish our old mate Rus is reading this thead .

The strength of Queensland is the talk of the championships, and both the HUN and Age have highlighted this. Some are suggesting they would beat all the Div 1 teams this year if they had the chance! There's now a lot of talk of either promoting Qld to Division 1 from next year, or returning to a promotion-relegation system
Queensland AFL lads on warpath
28 June 2006 Herald-Sun
Scott Gullan

THE Maroons invasion has arrived and we're not talking rugby league State-of-Origin. Queensland announced itself as a new force in the AFL ranks at yesterday's under-18 national championships, showcasing some special talent which has recruiters going bananas about the boys from the Sunshine State.

Once a blip on the recruiting radar, Queensland is set to break all records to have up to 10, and possibly more, players taken in the November draft. In what many would have thought impossible only a few years ago, the Maroons are expected to have more players drafted than traditional powerhouse Vic Metro.

Leading the excitement are classy midfielders Albert Proud and Ricky Petterd but it is the array of big men which has scouts taking notice.
The 202cm Shaun Hampson, 199cm Brent Renouf and 199cm Kurt Tippett all showed they have all the ingredients to make the grade.
Chris Smith certainly pushed his name forward with seven goals from a pocket in Queensland's comprehensive 116-point win. Others likely to be in the mix come November include David Armitage, Daniel Dzufer, Gavin Urquhart, Simon Plummer and Jesse White.

Former Fitzroy, Brisbane and Collingwood star Jarrod Molloy, an assistant coach with Queensland, says the rise in stocks is through the development of a smart and effective talent identification program. "They are stealing kids from other sports," Molloy said. "They identify talent in other sports and get them into AFL programs."

During this week SEN has been cracking the proverbial stiffy over Tom Hawkins of Vic Metro.

During one of the match webcasts, the commentator said 6 of the top 20 in the draft could be Queenslanders. Wow.

I'd love to see QLD and NSW/ACT develop further not just for the benefit of the code's development, but also to lift the profile of the tournament itself.

I wonder if it would be feasible to run a 5 team Division 1 comp next year. I don't think there's much point dropping a team back, they'd just smash the opposition every game.
But it would also mean a 3 team Div 2 comp....maybe they could bring in PNG to Div 2. Probably get thrashed though, at least in the first few years.

ah, so that's what's happened to all those boys who would have played basketball 10 years ago...

Good point.

Aussie Rules may be developing well in QLD, but not necessarily at the expense of rugby loig / union.

It's a trend i've notcied for a while now, for younger basketball players to switch to aussie rules in their late teens. It seems they realise they have absolutely f**k all chance of earning a decent wage playing basketball, because a) you need to play in the NBA and b) to do that you need to be black. That's just a genetic fact. So instead they're switching to aussie rules and pulling in a decent 120k per year.

True - Dean Brogan showed the way! Collingwood also has a former NBL basketballer, David Fanning, who played senior games last year when all our normal ruckmen were injured. Then again, Queenslander Tom Williams, drafted #6 from Qld last year to Footscray was 'snatched' from rugby union ranks, as was Roberts-Thompson in Sydney. Players coming from other sporting backgrounds is probably worth a whole thread in itself - but now back to the topic -

Division 2 Final Results - As expected, Qld were untroubled, going through undefeated - Final Standings -

Qld Won 3 Lost 0
NT Won 2 Lost 1 (very good result - last year were winless)
Tas Won 1 Lost 2
NSW/ACT Won 0 Lost 3 (very dissapointing performance)

QUEENSLAND: 3.4 4.7 7.12 12.16 (88 )
TASMANIA: 1.1 3.4 5.4 7.7 (49 )
GOALS - Queensland: Eaton 3, Smith 2, Tippett 2, Urquhart 2, Dzufer, Petterd, Proud
Tasmania: Riewoldt 2, Williamson 2, Collier, Higgs, Kean
BEST - Queensland: Petterd, Eaton, Kiel, Armitage, Urquhart, Proud,
Tasmania: Hislop, Thorp, Riewoldt, Mohr, Higgs, Kean
Umpires: Shepherdson, Craig, McCarthy
Princes Park, Carlton

NT: 4.6 7.12 12.19 14.22 (106 )
NSW/ACT: 2.0 7.4 12.4 15.8 (98 )
GOALS - Northern Territory: Djerrkura 3, Calma-Holt 2, C.Rioli 2, Beugelaar, Campbell, Cubillo, Fittock, S.Rioli, Sharples, Wonaeamirri
NSW/ACT: Aalbers 4, Woods 3, McIntyre 2, Paine 2, Bird, Duryea, Stroobants, Wilsen
BEST - Northern Territory: Djerrkura, Cubillo, C.Rioli, Cadona, Wonaeamirri, Calma-Holt
NSW/ACT: Aalbers, Bird, McIntyre, Paine, Wilsen, Woods
Umpires: Pattinson, Tuckett, Ritchie/Medlin (1/2 each)
MC Labour Park, Carlton

Match report from the Age about the final - "... The Scorpions had wrapped up their first division-two title since 1999 before the match, but wanted to finish things off. After a three-quarter-time scuffle with the Tasmanians, who beat them in last year's final, they kicked five final-quarter goals to win by 39 points, 12.16 (88 ) to 7.7 (49).

Earlier, the Northern Territory completed its excellent carnival with an eight-point win over NSW/ACT. The Territory, which had upset Tasmania during the week, trailed by 10 points at half-time but found its way back to win 14.22 (106 ) to 15.8 (98 ).

Queensland coach Craig McRae, who brought perhaps the most talented second division squad ever to Melbourne, thought that in leaving their individual ambitions at home, his best players had proven they could go on.

At least eight Queenslanders are considered draft material, including onballers David Armitage, Albert Proud, Hayden Kiel and Ricky Petterd, who won the Harrison Medal as the best player in the division.

Ruckman Brent Renouf has also been rated highly, with the versatile Daniel Dzufer, who was overlooked at last year's draft, basketball convert Kurt Tippett and the dashing Urquhart in contention. "It was a big challenge for us this year, because we've got a lot of guys who are considered to be AFL prospects, and that hasn't happened before," said McRae.

"For those guys, to put those things aside and focus on the team was important. They all did that, and they all played really well. I think all the guys who have been touted as potential AFL players have shown they're capable of doing that."

Divison 1 final games will be played today in wet, slippery conditions.

Division 1 Final Results - Vic Metro defeated Vic Country in very cold, wet and slippery conditions. Its third consecutive title, but this year was very much unexpected. Hot favourites, WA, didn't win a match!
Final Standings -

Vic Metro Won 3 Lost 0 (were expected to finish 4th this year)
Vic Count Won 2 Lost 1 (better than expected)
Sth Aust Won 1 Lost 2 (less than expected)
West Aust Won 0 Lost 3 (extremely dissapointing performance)

VICTORIA METROPOLITAN: 0.2 3.5 4.6 4.10 (34)
VICTORIA COUNTRY: 1.3 1.3 2.8 2.9 (21)
GOALS - Vic Metro: Gray 2, Horne, Mackay
Vic Country: M.Brown, Hansen
BEST - Vic Metro: Vasilevski, Adams, Veszpremi, Varsamakis, Gray, Kreuzer
Vic Country: Grigg, Eddy, Weeks, N.Brown, Williams, Ryan
Umpires: Raven, Dalgleish, Bowen
Princes Park, Carlton

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 1.2 4.8 6.8 9.11 (65)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1.2 2.3 4.9 4.9 (33)
GOALS - South Australia: Thomas 3, Boyd, Button, Cunningham, Millar, Pfeiffer, Turner
Western Australia: Reimers 2, Browne, Masten
BEST - South Australia: Gibbs, Sellar, Hurley, Thomas, Schmidt, Caire, Jacobs
Western Australia: Masten, Reimers, Leuenberger, Virgo, Jetta, Hawksley
Umpires: Walker, Medlin, Ritchie
Princes Park, Carlton

LARKE MEDAL (best player, division one)
Tom Hawkins (Vic Metro). - controversially allowed to play for Victoria, despite being from NSW. Geelong have already signed him under the father/son rule.

HARRISON MEDAL (best player, division two)
Ricky Petterd (Qld).

UNDER-18 ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM
BACKS
Patrick Veszpremi (Vic Metro), Nathan Brown (Vic Country), Mitch Thorp (Tas).

HALF-BACKS
Ricky Petterd (Qld), Lachlan Hansen (Vic Country), David Armitage (Qld).

CENTRES
Shaun Grigg (Vic Country), Garry Moss (WA), Daniel Connors (Vic Country).

HALF-FORWARDS
Leroy Jetta (WA), Scott Gumbleton (WA), Daniel Dzufer (Qld).

FORWARDS
Tom Hislop (Tas), Tom Hawkins (Vic Metro), Tom Hurley (SA).

FOLLOWERS
Matthew Leuenberger (WA), Bryce Gibbs (SA), Leigh Adams (Vic Metro).

INTERCHANGE
Jarryd Allen (Vic Metro), Robert Eddy (Vic Country), Craig Bird (NSW/ACT), Nathan Djerrkura (NT).

Coach: David Dickson (Vic Metro). Assistant coach: Craig McRae (Qld).

It was the weather I tells ya, It was the weather

The next steps after the 2006 championships -
PNG play in the Queensland championships. They wouldn't yet be strong enough to field a competitive team in the nationals, but at the present rate of development up there, they may well be so in #5 years time. As for Qld, I think they'll stay in Div 2 for now, and they'll see if this years super strong Qld side was just a one off abberration - or not.

As for the format next year, it appears the opening round of the carnival will be played in Perth and Adelaide before moving back to Melbourne. The opening division two games will be played in two northern states. Also talk of coverage by FTA or Pay TV -

Media Revised format mooted for U18s
12:00:17 PM Mon 3 July, 2006
Matt Burgan afl.com.au

The AFL is set to take the NAB AFL under 18 championships on the road in 2007, with traditional and developing football states set to host some matches featuring the emerging talent of tomorrow. After yet another successful tournament concluded on Sunday, under-age football doyen and AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan confirmed that a revised format was on the agenda for next year.

"We've been in lengthy discussions with all of the stakeholders about this championship - that includes the AFL clubs and the participating teams - and it has been resolved to recommend that for next year, we actually expand the championship to four states for the round one fixture (of these championships)," Sheehan said. "That would mean the two Victorian teams (Vic Country and Vic Metro) would travel - one side to Perth and one to Adelaide - to play on consecutive days on Saturday and Sunday.

"In division two, we'd look at the issue of playing in Brisbane and Sydney, with Northern Territory coming to Brisbane for instance and Tasmania up to Sydney, either a fortnight - in the case of one of the divisions or a week for the other division - ahead of the traditional week. That traditional week we'd play rounds two and three of the championship."

Sheehan said the welfare of the players was a key issue to the championships being spread out, rather than cramming three matches for each state/territory in eight days - over a nine day carnival. "This is a recognition that the workload, over the now decade of 11 years of under 18 championships, is becoming too much for the players," Sheehan said. "To expect them - even when we have tracked some of the players running up to 15 or 16 kms in games - to come up three days later is just outside of what you'd consider reasonable, so that concept is now being developed."

Sheehan said the increased interest in the carnival, which sees the best under 18 players in the country compete in a state-of-origin format, had grown considerably in recent years. "It would also enable us to show all 12 matches at this level and have them broadcast, either through free-to-air (television), pay TV or the internet and it would allow an even wider audience to appreciate the great standard of footballers now played in the NAB AFL under 18 championships," Sheehan said.

"We've been teased with some games on the internet and some on pay TV and the whole lot is deserving (of being shown) and the secret to that is to actually program all 12 matches away from times, when AFL games are played. "I think that supports the level of interest there is now, in watching these young players in their development, given the very important link these championships have with the NAB AFL Draft later in the year."

woooo!

A U REDS post in the SANFL thread reminded me of something - the all important Under 18 championships 2007 have already commenced. And it was a black weekend for both Vic clubs.

THIS year sees a major change to the format of the championships. For just the third time since the championship switched from under-17 level to an under-18 format in 1996, the carnival will be played outside of Victoria. This year, the carnival will be played in four states – NSW, WA, SA and Victoria.

Sydney hosted two division 2 matches last weekend at the SCG and Telstra Stadium, while the weekend just gone featured division 1 matches in Perth and Adelaide. The matches at Telstra Stadium (NSW/ACT v NT) and Subiaco Oval (WA v Vic Metro) were played as curtain-raisers to AFL games, while at AAMI Stadium the South Australia and Vic Country clash was after the Adelaide/West Coast match.

Last year, 53 players were drafted to primary AFL lists. Including rookies, 71 of the 200 championship players were drafted. So far this season, 21 players from last year's championships have made their AFL debut. Historically, 70 % of AFL players now come via these matches. Two division cups will be presented at the conclusion of the carnival.

The fixtures Division one

Saturday June 30 – match one – WA v Vic Metro at Subiaco
Sunday July 1 – match two – SA v Vic Country at AAMI Stadium
Friday July 6 – match three – winner WA/Vic Metro v loser SA/Vic Country at Kardinia Park
Friday July 6 – match four – Winner SA/Vic Country v loser WA/Vic Metro at Kardinia Park
Wednesday July 11 – loser WA/Vic Metro v loser SA/Vic Country at Princes Park,
Wednesday July 11 – winner WA/Vic Metro v winner SA/Vic Country at Princes Park

Division two
Saturday June 23 – match One – Tasmania v Queensland at the SCG
Saturday June 23 – match two – NSW-ACT v NT at Telstra Stadium
Thursday July 5 – match three - winner Tasmania/Queensland v loser NSW-ACT/NT at Kardinia Park
Thursday July 5 – match four - winner NSW-ACT/NT v loser Tasmania/Queensland at Kardinia Park
Tuesday July 10 – match five – loser Tasmania/Queensland v loser NSW-ACT/NT at Princes Park
Tuesday July 10 – match six – winner Tasmania/Queensland v winner NSW-ACT/NT at Princes Park

Results so far -

Saturday June 23 at SCG

Tasmania 17.14 (116) defeated Queensland 13.13 (91)

Goals: TAS: Bowden 5, Cornelius 5, Joseph, Collier, Bellchambers, Mihocek, O'Garey, Murphy, Grima.
QLD: Stewart 5, Zorko 2, Savage, Rolfe, Davis, Enright, Mulligan, Jones.

Best: TAS: Bowden, O'Brien, Bellchambers, Grima, Williams, Cornelius.
QLD: Gibson, Stewart, Headland, Whitecross, Daye.

Saturday June 23 at Telstra Stadium

NSW/ACT 20.11- (131) defeated Northern Territory 12.11 (83)

Goals: NSW/ACT: Walker 5, McGregor 4, McIntyre 3, Colvin 2, Davis 2, Cleaver, Terlich, Drum, Davies.
NT: Rolfe 3, Oliver, Fittock, Stokes, C. Rioli, Motlop, Campbell, Farmer, Calma-Holt, Shannon Rioli.

Best: NSW/ACT: McGregor, Bird, Wilson, Woods, Davis, Overs.
NT: Fittock, Oliver, Sharples, C Rioli, Snowdon, Stokes.

Saturday June 30 at Subiaco

Western Australia 15.16 (106) defeated Vic Metro 8.10 (58 )

GOALS - WA:Palmer 5, Sampey 2, Jacky 2, Ellard 2, Yarran 2, Morton, Garlett.
Vic Metro: Maric 3, Grimes 2, Kreuzer, Sullivan, Meredith

BEST -WA:Palmer, McGinnity, Morton, Starling, Pears, Ellard
Vic Metro: Kreuzer, Hurley, Farmer, Simpson, Sullivan, Lobbe


Saturday June 30 at Football Park

South Australia 17. 10 (112) defeated Vic Country 9.8 (62)

Goals: SA: Wright 4, Hartlett 3, Carr 2, Jesson 2, White, Millar, Hicks, Broadbent, Ebert, Stable
Vic Country: Kay 3, Normington, McKenna, Michaelides, Steven, Hockey, Blaser

Best: SA: Greenwood, Stable, Petrenko, Ebert, Blesing, Wright, Walsh, Fairclough
Vic Country: McKenna, Kangars, Hockey, Suban, Kay, Curnow

sh*t...when I opened up this thread, I thought I was going to read about real football not handball...........

I don't think I've resorted to this in the past here, but he's asked for it - Libbs, could you do us all a favour and kindly p1ss off back to the Moron Victory forum where you belong, you fqrking ignorant cretin.

I only post in this forum because umlike the moron forum you're obviously used to, it tolerates good cross code issues. Its half-wits like you that help turn people right off the code you follow.