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Queensland Country Squad Announced 10 AFL Cairns players included

Queensland Country selectors have announced a strong initial squad of 34 players as the countdown to the Australian Country Championships begins, with 10 AFL Cairns players included. The squad will be trimmed down to 25 players before they leave on Wednesday 18th of April to Wagga Wagga, NSW. There has been a good spread of players across the regions with players coming from Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Darling Downs, Sunshine Coast, South Queensland and Gold Coast.

At this stage there are 6 NEAFL players named in the squad of 34 including debutant Ryan Holman, formally of Goondiwindi. Other notable selections include experienced Country representatives Matthew Walsh, James Rozynski, Angus Munro, Tyson Upton, Sam Brown, Nick Tomlinson, Caleb Brown, Michael I’Anson and Jesse Derrick.

Former Adelaide Crow and SANFL star Nick Gill, who joins former Western Australian Country Rep player Daniel Lewis as key inclusions. Both are current players in the AFL Cairns competition.

A surprise selection in the squad was young Western Magpies ruckman Scott Clarke, who has been in good form for the Reserves as a top up player and has been added for depth.

Queensland Country Coach Stephen Daniels who has turned around the performances over the last 2 campaigns is excited about this year’s squad.

“I got a lot out of the performances in Cairns recently between Cairns and the Country Stockmen,” said Daniels.

It’s a well organised selection process in what is a difficult with the distance between leagues.

“We are in for another tremendous challenge in Wagga Wagga playing against some of the best country players in ,” Daniels said.

“The staff we have in place down here (Victoria) will give us a good insight on our opposition which has benefited our recent championships in the past”.

As is the case in most Championships, 4 weeks out players can be added to the squad if injury or form is a concern.

Official Radio Partner QUEENSLAND COUNTRY SQUAD Club Region 1 Rick Sullivan Thuringowa Townsville 2 Nathan Peters North Mackay Mackay 3 Owen Bailey Noosa Sunshine Coast 4 Ben Heffernan-Roper Western Magpies Sth QLD 5 Matthew Trewhella Wilston Grange Sth QLD 6 Angus Munro Palm Beach Currumbin Gold Coast 7 Brad Hards Palm Beach Currumbin Gold Coast 8 Tim Mackay Burleigh Heads Gold Coast 9 James Rozynski Western Magpies Sth QLD 10 Steve Brittain Wilston Grange Sth QLD 11 Jake Smart Palm Beach Currumbin Gold Coast 12 Adam Eady Noosa Sunshine Coast 13 Danny Brewster Noosa Sunshine Coast 14 Michael I'Anson Palm Beach Currumbin Gold Coast 15 Ryan Hards Palm Beach Currumbin Gold Coast 16 Caleb Brown Mayne Sth QLD 17 Jesse Derrick Palm Beach Currumbin Gold Coast 18 Scott Clarke Western Magpies Sth QLD 19 Kane Richter North Cairns Cairns 20 Matthew Walsh Cairns Saints Cairns 21 Alex MacQueen Cairns Saints Cairns 22 Daniel Lewis Cairns City Lions Cairns 23 William English South Cairns Cairns 24 Adam Couch Cairns Saints Cairns 25 Rohan Couch Cairns Saints Cairns 26 Brenton Powell Cairns Saints Cairns 27 Nick Gill Cairns Saints Cairns 28 Adam Mueller North Cairns Cairns 29 Sam Brown Morningside Central Cairns / Cairns 30 Tyson Upton Morningside Toowoomba / Darling Downs 31 Ryan Holman Morningside Goondiwindi / Darling Downs 32 Nick Tomlinson Morningside Yepoon/ Rockhampton 33 Blake Passfield Redland Hervey Bay / Wide Bay 34 Daniel Dzufer Redland Sunshine Coast

For more information:

Melissa Dunstan, AFL Cairns 0407 060 020