KENMORE JUNIOR AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL CLUB 2017 YEAR BOOK

THE MIGHTY KENMORE BEARS

KENMORE BEARS AFL 2017 SEASON REPORT

Another football season concludes and the Mighty Kenmore Bears have plenty to be proud of. 2017 marked 50 years of the clubs existence and it gave us all a chance to reminisce and revisit some of the clubs great history. From our retro designed training singlets, our 50 year logo, our historic Facebook posts to our fantastic 50 year celebratory dinner, the whole season has been a celebration of the club and our high standings among AFL Brisbane Juniors.

We would like to thank the new players and families that joined the club this year and integrated so well with our existing membership. Once again we had over 200 registered players and field 15 teams across 8 age groups.

2 x Roys Juniors 4 x Under 8 2x Under 9 2 x Under 10 Under 11 Girls 2x Under 12 Under 13 Girls Under 14

The club is so proud of all players and teams.

A huge thank you to all Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Managers and parents/siblings that help out on game day. Without you volunteering we could not play games.

We would also like to thank our 4 club umpires, Mitch Lake, Max Chambers, Austin McCue and Aidan Treacy, great job boys the junior players and the coaches really appreciate your efforts.

We would like to thank the efforts of your dedicated committee, these are all volunteers and give up a lot of their time to make sure the club runs smoothly, the fields are marked and mowed, we have beautiful uniforms and playing equipment to turn out in. This year we would like to acknowledge the work Jodi Tallis has done in running the uniform shop, marking the ovals and managing a team, what a great club person she is. We would also make a special mention and gratitude of thanks to Alix Kennedy and her mother Lynda for many many hours they spent running the canteen.

As a small local club, it would be impossible to exist without our sponsors. We have over 20 businesses the financially assist the club with sponsorships and I thank them all. To our major sponsors Boutique Meats, Michelle McLeod Real Estate and Just in Time electrical, thank you very much your support is truly valued.

We have been successful in the last 12 months in obtaining some Council, State and Federal Government grants. In February we were able to build refurbish the inside of the clubhouse with new flooring and building our uniform shop. In the next few weeks work will start with solar power being installed on the roof.

The most exciting announcement is that we are in the very early stages of planning and getting approval to build a new 2 story clubhouse (see example design below). This will be a long term project and require over $1 million dollars so the finished product is a long way off, but we have had some initial positivity in our early discussions.

Finally we would like to acknowledge some personal performances from our playing group. In the last 12 months we have had 13 players make representative teams, Met West and Presidents in the school system and Brisbane North in the QAFL system. Credit goes to our coaches and our football program for developing these young boys and girls to representative standard.

Best wishes for the off-season and see you all in 2018.

Rod Lake President, Kenmore Bears JAFC

Is this clubhouse design the future of the Bears? Let’s aim for the stars and maybe we’ll get to the moon!

REPRESENTATIVE PLAYERS 2017

2017 was a very successful season for Kenmore in the talent pathway space. 13 Kenmore players went on to be selected in representative teams to compete at State Titles.

In October last year Maddi Tallis, Holly O’Flaherty, Jasmine Dekker and Tahlia Ember represented Met West in the girls 12 years and younger state carnival held in Brisbane.

In April Mitch Lake represented Brisbane North in the Queensland State Academy under 16 Championship held at Burpengary.

Next it was the 15 year and under Schoolboys State titles held at Maroochydore in May, Jaiden Tallis represented Met West and flew the flag for the Kenmore Bears.

In June four very lucky young men got to fly to Mackay to compete in the 12 year and younger Schoolboys State titles. It’s such a buzz to compete away from home. Jed Hooper and Charlie Pingel represented Met West while Aidan Treacy and Jackson Schofield – East flew the flag for the Presidents team. All boys performed exceptionally well and enjoyed their first taste of football at a higher level.

Recently selection trials were held for the under 14 boys and girls State Academy Championships to be held in September at Maroochydore, Kenmore had four players selected, Holly O’Flaherty in the girls and Jai Dekker, Austin Mc Cue and Caleb Whitehead gaining selection in the boys team. Good luck to all of you in the carnival.

To finish the representative season off, Maddi Tallis, Jasmine Dekker and Tahlia Ember have again made the Met West under 12 girls team for their carnival at Maroochydore in October. Make us proud Girls.

There is great commitment and dedication to making Rep teams, a lot of trials and a lot of travelling involved and I am sure these Rep players would want to acknowledge the roll their parents played in driving and flying them to all their commitments.

On behalf of the club congratulations and good luck with your football careers going forward.

Kenmore Bears 50th Anniversary 2017 2017 sees the club reach 50 years of providing a safe, inclusive environment for the children and youth of the western suburbs to play and develop their AFL skills. This year has been a celebration of our history with the highlight being our special 50th anniversary dinner at Bundaleer Rainforest Retreat in June. It was a fantastic night and an opportunity for Bears current and past to catch up and celebrate our great club. The Club was formed in 1967 and originally located at Dumbarton Oval at the back of Kenmore State High School. That year the club fronted 5 just teams. Fifty years later we in 2017 we have 13 teams including 2 all-girl teams.

In 1973 the club moved from Dumbarton Oval to its present location at Akuna Oval. The original club house, a dark brown brick building with green trim, was built in 1975. This was expanded further to the right of the canteen in a similar style in the early 80s. The original brick walls, now painted, are still visible either side of the canteen counter as are the square holes in the walls that supported benches for many years.

The shed at the side of the clubhouse, known as Bull’s Bar was added in 1986. In the late 1990s the floor that forms the main room in the club house was laid and then subsequently enclosed. In the early 2000’s the veranda and roof were added along with the water tanks at the rear. This year we received grant money are were able to make some updates to the flooring, toilets and change rooms and internal layout. There are even bigger plans for the future!

The Bears have a long history of quality players and successful teams, winning its first premiership in its second year and continuing this through around 30 more to the latest in 2015. Significant numbers of Bears players have made regional and state representative sides. The Bears have also seen a number of players make it to the AFL including Craig Potter, the Luhrs brothers, Mal Michael, Max Hudghton and more recently Jonathan Freeman and Jordan Bourke. Other club players who went on to sporting success include Queensland cricket captain Chris Hartley and Australian Rugby Captain James Horwill.

The next 50 years will no doubt bring as many changes as the last and it will be great to see how the club develops over this time. Through all changes the Bears will no doubt keep on serving our children and community via the great game of Australian Rules Football.

Kenmore Bears Club Awards 2017

Club Champion: Maddison Tallis The Kenmore Bears is very excited to have our very first female Club Champion. The Club Champion is decided by a combination of factors; skill and club spirit. It is for a player who is a team Best and Fairest Winner who also makes a positive contribution to the wider club. Maddi is the Best and Fairest winner for the U13 Girls for 2017. Her athleticism, skill, competitiveness and all-round energy made her a clear winner in her team. Footy is just one of Maddi’s many sporting talents and she has made representative teams in several sports although we think footy is the one she should ultimately stick with! Maddi is also a great help around the club. She and her brother Jaiden are often in tow of their mum Jodi who serves on the committee and as our uniform and equipment coordinator. Maddi is always happy to help out around the club whether it is selling raffle tickets or helping to organise a store-room. She is a wonderful team and club member and an example of the great benefit that our club and footy in general has received from expanding our playing and supporter base to more fully include girls and women. Congratulations Maddi!

Mike Gundry Most Promising Ruckman Award: Charlie Pingel The Mike Gundry award is a long-standing one at the club and is named in memory of a former Kenmore Bears player and parent. The ruck position requires skill, strength and stamina and while it isn’t always considered the most glamourous position it is vital to the overall success of the team by helping to consistently win the ball. Charlie Pingel has played strongly as a ruckman all year and has toiled away for his team as all good ruckman do. He is a worthy winner of this award for 2017.

Junior Coach of the Year: Adam Taylor Adam, known affectionately as Wombat, has been a welcome addition to our junior coaching ranks in 2017. He is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable coach who has brought fresh ideas to the club and for his young players he makes playing the game and developing their skills a fun and rewarding experience.

Youth Coach of the Year: Peter Loft Lofty has been coaching at the Bears for many years and this year he took his young brigade in Under 12 Gold into their first year of youth footy. It was a difficult learning year for the team without too many wins but through it all Lofty helped keep spirits high and help develop footy players who will continue to improve in future seasons.

Club Person of the Year: Greg Ogle It’s always great to have former Bears like Greg come back to the club as parents. Greg has been a team manager for a couple of years now and from this year has joined the committee and served as club secretary. Greg’s fantastic organisational skills are very much appreciated around the club. Whether it is a working bee, the canteen or a quick field set-up on a Friday night, Greg reliably and quietly gets on a gets things done. Thank you and congratulations Greg!

TEAM SEASON REPORTS 2017

Kenmore Auskick and Roys Junior Footy

Kenmore Bears NAB Auskick

2017 was another very positive year for the club in Auskick with another 60 boys and girls registering to participate at our club. Again with the support of AFLQ, we were able to obtain the services of very qualified and experienced coaches for our program ably supported by our local “in house” assistant, Mitch Lake. A big thank you to you all.

However the biggest thanks needs to go out to our Auskick Co-ordinators Lynda and David Brickhill. Lynda and David both had previous experience in running Auskick programs back in Melbourne with groups of up to 150 participants and introduced a number of new initiatives into our program this year. For the first time we had our own Kenmore Auskick Facebook page to communicate to parents and guardians, recognised birthdays each week and provided awards each week to the boys and girls who showed the most enthusiasm. Again a big thank you for your combined involvement and willingness to contribute to our club which is relatively new to you.

Auskick is unrivalled by any other in terms of a “value for money” introduction program for boys and girls into an organised team sport thanks in particular to its ongoing 15 year sponsor and supporter, the National Australia Bank. It also continues to be the lifeblood and point of entry for AFL across all clubs regardless of size and/or in what state, so its importance to clubs like our own at Kenmore cannot be understated.

We will continue at the club to coincide our Auskick program on Friday nights in unison with our Junior Team training to cater for families with multiple siblings and provide current and new parents to the club with that positive end to their week which I know many of us enjoy and look forward to so much.

To further help and strengthen the club into the future, all members can assist by encouraging friends or other family members to join us and have their children come and try Auskick at Kenmore which is open for all those boys and girls who turn 5 in that same season/year.

We look forward to another big group in 2018 and again welcoming as many new faces to the club as possible and thank all parents & guardians for choosing our club for the NAB Auskick.

Roy’s Junior Footy (previously U6s)

Once our Auskick program was completed we then invited participants to transition into underage junior football directly with that of our club. Our Auskick group this year had a very broad range of ages (and talent) such that a number of participants went up into U8 teams with a further 17 players participating in our Roy’s Juniors.

This program operates along similar lines to that of Auskick where fun & skill development is still the main focus however with a little more game time incorporated into each session and on our purpose built field. Again we were extremely fortunate to have AFLQ coaches looking after this group for the bulk of our program.

There were a number of highlights throughout the season for our Roy’s Juniors including a half time game at the ‘Gabba on the 16th of April when the Brisbane Lions took on Richmond. This is an amazing experience for our players which we are afforded more years than not. Hopefully it won’t be the last time these players get to play on that hallowed ground.

The other highlight for the year was being able to have our Roy’s Juniors participate in some interclub round robin games both at home and at another club in the local area. This in particular gives our players a taste of what club representative football is all about and look forward to potentially expanding this next year.

Finally thank you to all those parents & guardians for enabling your boys and or girls to participate throughout the year and hope your combined experiences at our club have been a positive one that will continue long into the future.

Mark Russell, Director of Football

KENMORE U8 GOLD

As Coach of U8 Gold, I’m very happy with the way the season unfolded throughout the year and the improvements the team have made as both individuals and as a group. While we had some good games and a few not so good games, the measure of our success as a group in my view always comes down to those last few games where you hope everything comes together as you would like. This was certainly the case in our last four or five games that were a real highlight for us all as parents and one coach.

Regarding our players this year, see below some comments for each starting with “my two roses amongst the thorns”:

Arianna “My Equal Favourite - Part 1” Camacho: My admiration for this young girl is unsurpassed and I still remember that first day she walked into the club wanting to play AFL. For three successive years I’ve been greeted at every single training night and game day with a smile and enthusiasm you’d just like to bottle. Arianna has never had a problem mixing it up with the boys, grows in confidence each year and there were several games this past year where she was an absolute stand out (Moggill game was a particular favourite). Just a pleasure to coach and inspiration for girls playing and wanting to play AFL everywhere. I really do hope she continues on next year in possibly our U11 Girls team and with her partner in crime Isobel.

Isobel “My Equal Favourite - Part 2” Golding: This has been Isobel’s first year of junior AFL and her enthusiasm for the game along with her partner in crime Arianna, has been equally amazing. More amazing however has been Isobel’s improvement throughout the year in her skills and understanding of the game. Isobel is an extremely attentive listener (did you hear that boys?) which has in no doubt assisted her greatly with her improvement on top of a clear natural talent that she possesses (Sherwood game on the back oval I remember distinctly). A pleasure to coach and another inspiration for girls playing and wanting to play AFL. I really do hope she continues on next year in possibly our U11 Girls team and with her partner in crime Arianna.

Liam “The Heart” Hart: Not sure how many favourites you can have (I have a few), but a cheeky smile and demeanour gets me every time with Liam. In saying that there were occasions this year unlike the previous couple of years with him, where limits were tested. However when you look back and compare Liam from when he first graced me with his presence to now, there has been a significant improvement in his self-confidence both on and off the field. When Liam gets it right, he can kick the cover off the ball. When Liam puts his mind to it, no one will get the ball but him. When Liam puts his mind to it, Liam can ………?

Casey “The Coaches Kid” Russell: At the end of last year I made comment that Casey needed to try and go in and get the ball more. While there was a little improvement this year in this space he more than made up for it in the significant gains he has made in his marking and kicking. Fortunately he loves his AFL and has a thirst for practice and improvement, so a big preseason is planned with a bit of rough stuff to prepare for U9s and tackling. Keep it up mate.

Sam “The Terrier” Smith: You can’t help but love the way this young man goes about his football, it’s flat out or it’s nothing. Going in and getting the ball is a very important skill/trait to have and can be a real mental barrier for kids, but that’s certainly not the case here. For his first year in U8s, Sam has displayed a skill level well beyond expectations for his age. His marking has continued to improve throughout the season, he shares the ball when asked and when his kicking improves, which it will over time, we will have a very good player on our hands. I’m very excited about the future for both the Smith boys.

Nathaniel “White Line Fever” Hodges: While training is clearly not a favourite of Nates, thankfully game days seem to be the opposite because once that white line (cones) are crossed, we see a different side of Nate all together. When the ball is in his area, no one is safe which is a fantastic attribute to have. Most pleasingly for me as his coach was his ability to move from diving on the ball, to staying on his feet and picking the ball up off the ground over our last few matches. Nate can kick the ball a long way when he concentrates and will get better at marking as he moves forward. Look out opposition in U9s when tackling is introduced as this will be something Nate will need little instruction in I suspect. Stick with it Nate.

Xander “The Silk” Brickhill: Xander has had a very good year in the U8s, so much so that he was given the opportunity to play a few games up in the U9s. His marking and ground ball skills improved further this year, he reads the play exceptionally well but still needs some work on his kicking and in particular his ball drop to not just kick the ball long distances but with accuracy. This is about his only deficient area and once addressed will become someone to watch in the future. Great year.

Teddy “Have a Chat” Board: It’s been a real pleasure this year to coach Teddy. Always enthusiastic and if we are not talking about footy well we can talk to Teddy about pretty much anything. For a first year U8 Teddy has acquitted himself very well and has no problems going in hard for the ball. We need to continue to work on his skills particularly kicking however that will come with continued practice. What Teddy does do very well is run and find space and is probably the best in the team at this which is a great attribute to have and difficult to teach. I look forward to seeing him further develop and grow which by all accounts will be in the upward direction like his brother. Possible future Ruckman in the making.

Hamish “Sunny Ray” Parnell: “Moosh” as we like to call him has all the attributes of a very good future AFL player however we only saw glimpses of this throughout the year. Maintaining attention and concentration is the only barrier currently holding him back and I think moving up to U9s and tackling might reinvigorate him in 2018. A rough diamond both on and off the field and he will always be one of my special projects going forward whether I’m his coach or not. Bring on U9s and look out opposition!

Timothy “I can do it All” Hayes: I’m devastated we won’t see Tim again in the foreseeable future with his family recently moving back to Victoria, but what a talent. Tim was easily our most consistent player for the year and can do it all. His kicking needs a bit of refinement but outside of that he just needs to continue on his merry way. Some other lucky club in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne will get a great addition to their junior playing stocks and family along with it. We wish Tim and his family the very best for the future.

While we have our ups and downs, it’s been an overarching pleasure to coach everyone in U8 Gold this year. A very big thanks to all the parents for their assistance and support, in particular our Team “Super” Manager Lynda Brickhill. It is always in part sad to end a season for me knowing I won’t coach the same group again the following year. Fortunately though in my other role at the club, I still get to have a significant influence over all our juniors and their development going forward. So this is most certainly not the end and I’ll be keenly watching and taking notice of all. Have a great summer and hope to see you all back again next year and/or at pre-season. KEEP PRACTICING U8 GOLD

Mark Russell, Coach

UNDER 8 GREEN

This was my second year of coaching the Mighty Under 8 Green team. Only a few of the players had played together before and we had a few come up from Auskick for the first year in junior footy. It was evident early that these were a lively bunch of kids but they all loved their footy. The passion was definitely evident in training with the competitive drills being hotly contested, which in turn showed on the field on Saturday. Results were mixed throughout the year but the improvement from the start of the year was amazing. Each of the boys showed great growth, especially in team spirit, which was highlighted in our last game of the year. It was great to see kids running around opposition players or across a zone to dish off a handpass to make sure their team mates were part of the game or kicking goals, even if they were free themselves. A massive thanks must go to the parents and families who showed great support throughout the year. There was always someone available at training or game day to ensure everything ran smoothly and the kids got the best out of training. A special thank you to our Team Manager, Mark Johnson, who did a great job of organising us all, especially on canteen nights. Now for the players……. #11 Joshua Smith – Our number one trainer and someone who grew immensely throughout the year. He never gave up during games and was unfazed even when he lost a tooth during the middle of game this year! He represented the improvement the team had throughout the year by kicking 4 goals and winning player of the match in the last game of the year.

#12 Oliver Hardwick – The smallest player in our team but one of the toughest. You usually found him on the ground fighting for the ball or pumping those little legs to find space or make a contest. The sight of him taking on a kid four times his size in a game at Wests was one of the highlights of the year. #13 Thomas Koenig – Silent but deadly…… the goal posts would agree with me. I do not think I have seen someone hit as many post this year when shooting for goal as he did. One of our best team players who would have lead our handball stats this year and always made sure his team mates were in the game. #14 Bailey Russell – Mr Football! He loves his footy and I always enjoy the footy conversations and banter we have. A great kick and mark and always did the job no matter where he played this year. Although he is a star down back he loves a goal and was never afraid to have a shot, and normally kick them, from 25 out! #15 Cooper Allen – Also known as Bernie (Vince). It was good to have another Pies supporter on the team and another passionate footy nut. Never in a hurry on the field or at training but his disposal was normally spot on even if it took him a while to get it on the boot. When it wasn’t it was always the winds fault…. even on still day! #16 Oliver Ponting – The energizer bunny! Always full of beans and hated it when he didn’t have a footy in his hand. One of the youngest on the team but he can kick a footy a long way, which was great because we still need to do some work on his handballing. He played 3 games with what ended up being a broken leg and won a player of the match award in one of those games as well so a pretty tough nut too! #17 Finn Hoolihan – A great trainer who was always helpful and wanting to introduce new games to the group… handball tunnel ball is permanently in the coaches’ book now. Never lost a hit out and gave his teammates great service from the ball ups. A bit of slow starter in games but after a wind up and half of the half-time oranges he was good to go! #18 Archie Dennis – I hope he enjoyed having me as a coach as much I enjoyed coaching him. Our midfield general who usually got us off to a great start in games. Always looked for new ways to kick goals but I had to pull him up a couple of times for deliberately running from straight in front to the pockets so he could kick bananas or dribble kicks…. Jason Dunstall would not be impressed! #19 Levi Jesse – Some say he is dramatic, some say he can overact, I say he is the spark that got our team going. A great addition to the team halfway through the year and was a constant reminder that we play footy for fun! A hard worker on the field he was able to win his own ball and kick a good goal. His marking with flare was the highlight though, even if he did injure himself in the process. #20 Oscar Johnson – Every team needs someone to provide some humour and he constantly had us laughing. Played some cracking games down back with some excellent marking which stopped the opposition in their tracks. The sight of him prancing down the field, ball in hand, with a massive smile on his face was one of the things I enjoyed most this year. I am hoping to be back coaching again next year but it may be in Under 8’s again so I would like to wish all the boys going up to Under 9’s the best of luck next year. It has been a joy and a privilege to coach this team again this year and despite some of the challenges I have been so proud of their development. It was always the goal to make sure they finished the year better players than when they started and I think we achieved that. GO GREEN BEARS!!!!!

Brendan Dennis, Coach

UNDER 8 BLUE

2017 was a fun year with all players improving on their skills, showing their enthusiasm for the game, and playing as a team. This was my first year as the sole coach of a team, so we had to be a bit more organised than in previous years. We started off welcoming the new footballers to the Club who quickly learned to get amongst it. Time was spent polishing up our skills of handball, kicking and marking. It was pleasing to see throughout the year all players stepping, getting involved and learning to involve each other. By the end of the season the boys were moving the ball kicking to space and judging the distance of each players kick knowing where to be when the ball landed. They were also aware of picking up the opposition players when they had the ball and we had to defend our goals. I am so proud of the way the boys played throughout the year and I hope they return next year keen to play our great game. I would like to thank the parents for their support throughout the season and also the Dad’s that I roped into dealing with training and games, special mentions to Olly Elsaesser and Geoff Quinlin.

Joel da Silva (Jumper No. 1) Joel is a versatile player than can use his height to great advantage in the ruck or going forward to kick goals. His marking and kicking improved throughout the year as did his determination to get the ball. He is often happy to volunteer for the other side. Joel likes to keep score during the game and to work out who will win the best player award. Harlin Smith (Jumper No. 2) Harlin is a great team player and gets in the packs to win the football, particularly in the centre of the ground. He is good for the quick handball out of defence or into attack. He follows instructions at training and during the game picking up the opposition when they have the ball or making a fast break to provide a lead. Cooper Harrison (Jumper No. 3) Cooper has had a great year of football continuing to practice the basic skills, and growing in confidence to go get the ball. His kicking and marking improvement was the highlight throughout the year. At training he is always enthusiastic and asks plenty of questions. Cooper has a great attitude and is always positive making him a pleasure to have in the team. Tyas Elsaesser (Jumper No. 4) Tyas is a quiet team member who always tries his best. His determination to get the ball particularly in the centre should be applauded as is his kicking which improved over the year (thanks Dad). Tyas has a never give up attitude when the ball is in his zone. A much improved year for Tyas where his skills have and participation on game day improved. Noah Quinlin (Jumper No. 5) Noah is a good athlete who uses his marking, kicking, handball and speed around the contest to move the team forward. Noah was often found in the centre of the ground when the ball needed to be won. He is a formidable competitor and makes good choices when passing the ball. Noah’s quick handball and passing in the centre and the forward line was great to watch. I can’t wait to see him develop further next season. Harley McCue (Jumper No. 6) Harley came into the side with no expectations, a ‘give it my best’ attitude. He achieved much more than that. Over the season he has improving his kicking, marking and stamina on the ground. He has been steadily growing in confidence to get the ball. He is useful in the ruck, in the centre, and up forward. He was an absolute pleasure to coach and no doubt he will keep improving next season. Tyson Reid (Jumper No. 7) Tyson is a quiet achiever on the field and on the training track. He has great football marking and kicking skills and likes to bring his team mates into the play by passing to them. Whilst initially he enjoyed kicking goals up forward, he increasingly enjoyed playing in the centre to compete for the ball and get a quick kick or handball out of the contest to a Bear’s player coming past.

Hamish Kalajzich (Jumper No. 8) Hamish has improved significantly throughout the season. He can be the fastest to the ball when he puts his mind to it, and goes in hard for the football. He enjoyed kicking goals up forward. But increasingly he showed his value in the ruck in the centre and kicking the ball into attack. Cameron Whitaker (Jumper No. 9) Cameron is a skilful player who goes in hard for the ball. He is a good mark and kick and enjoyed playing up forward or in the midfield. His game has improved throughout the year as he too grew in confidence. Cameron is an accurate kick for goal and can pick up the ball quickly from the ground. Joshua David (Jumper No. 10) Joshua loves his football and had worked hard on his kicking and marking throughout the year. He goes in hard to get the ball and when he puts his mind to it, can generate a big kick on the field. Josh liked being in the backline, especially kicking out from fullback, and held his own in the centre of the field. He always tried his best and you can see the concentration when he kicks the ball. Ben Marden (Jumper No. 14) Ben is a good footballer using his height to advantage in the ruck or marking the football. He has a big booming left foot kick which comes in useful when we need a quick break away. Ben is a natural in the backline reading the play well to get the ball in his zone. He is also reliable kicking out from fullback. In summary, a great bunch of individuals who got to know each other throughout the year and learned the value of playing as a team. Thanks to the all parents for taking on various roles throughout the year, which I know some of you, never knew existed. Well done to all.

Jeff David, Coach

UNDER 8 WHITE

What a sensational year we had as a Kenmore White Under 8’s team, as a team our big focus for the year was “Teamwork“. We started off the year not knowing what to expect, but having said that we were very bullish and excited with the talent and enthusiasm that was shown by the boys in the first couple of training runs. As we headed into our first couple of games of the season it was apparent we had a terrific mix of ability, toughness, skill and footy smarts within our young side. Throughout the year there were some special individual performances, whether it be the speed and hardness of an Archie or the bucket hands of Lincoln or even the weekly chant of “KICK IT CHARLIE KICK IT”, but at the end of the day the overall satisfaction for myself as the Coach was the spirit and friendships that were blossoming right before my eyes. As the year rolled on we as a team switched our focus to “Ruck Structures “and the concept of “Manning Up” which the boys took to quite well. On the odd occasion, the Manning Up concept had to be reinforced but what Coach out there doesn’t enjoy the call of “Man Up Man Up” By the end of the season I was amazed but not surprised at the level we reached as footballers and as a team. I am also very proud at the way the boys conducted themselves on a weekly basis and the professionalism they showed on the football field.

Player Profiles: Jumper 1: Tom A long, accurate kick, with elite running ability and the courage of a Lion. Tom excelled in any position that he played. He was always first to the ball whether in open play or in a pack situation. I would compare Tom to a young Nigel Lappin. Jumper 2: Noah A hard-at-it, lock-down midfielder/forward who is always first to the ball and bottom of every pack. Noah also loved to drift forward and take a courageous mark and kick a small bag of goals. I would compare Noah to a Shaun Hart type of player. Jumper 3: Archie Speed, toughness and endurance are the three words that come to mind when describing young Archie. His elite fitness and running head-on into packs and taking gutsy marks were the highlights of Archie’s year. He also liked to sneak forward and kick the odd bag of goals. I would compare Archie to a young Cyril Rioli. Jumper 4: Jobe The coach’s son. Tough skilful and composed, Jobe would direct and control the back half of the field setting up many team attacks. With the compulsory bounce of the ball whilst in full flight, then usually finding a team mate on the chest. When thrown forward he wouldn’t disappoint either with a few “sausage-rolls”. I would compare Jobe to a young Brendan Goddard. Jumper 6: Liam Our 2017 “southern import” hit the ground running making a seamless transition to his new northern home. Liam enjoyed the firmer conditions underfoot and made the most of his speed and control across all three zones. Strong kicking and marking were features of his game this year. A good “heads up” player, Rory Sloan had better keep his eye on this young man. Jumper 7: Charlie M A prodigious accumulator, this young man was great to coach this year. Particularly at home in the midfield where he used his nimbleness to twist and turn through the traffic. Good hand-balling and teamwork were features of his game across the backline and jagging a few out of the pockets was always fun to watch. Stevie Johnson didn’t play junior footy this well. Jumper 8: Harley A ‘break out” season for “HH”. Toughness and a never-give-in attitude meant that Harley was never far from the action in any of the zones he played in this year. Some excellent marking across the half-back line shut down many would-be-attackers this season. Great to see him kick a few at the other end as well. Is Harley the 5th Selwood brother in disguise? Jumper 9: Lincoln Surely St Kilda has their scouts keeping a close eye on this young man as potential Nick Reiwoldt replacement? Definitely the “super-boot” of the side, a 50m torp against the Storm being one of the Bears 2017 season highlights (we are still looking for the ball!). Lincoln was a pleasure to coach this year, always looking to improve, I think he will go early in the draft. Jumper 10: Charlie H Combining frame, stamina and the occasional turn of speed this is a young man with a substantial football future in front of him. Dominant in the ruck and always with an eye out for his team-mates “Big Charlie” was a big asset to the Bears in 2017. Watch out when the tackle is introduced where he will get to use his frame to full advantage. Comparisons to Jonathon Brown have been made already.

I would like to conclude with a massive thank you to all parents this year who have done a great job, whether it be washing jumpers, bringing fruit or waving the white flags. The support from all the parents at training and on game day was very much appreciated. All the parents that helped on a Friday night with canteen duties I would like to say thank you as well. A huge thank you must also go out to Andrew “Slatts” Slatter my team manager who week-in, week- out was the backbone to our team, whether it be doing the team sheets or helping on training nights and stepping up to rallying the parents for their game day rolls every week as well. Bring on 2018 & Go Bears!!

Adam Taylor, Coach

UNDER 9 GOLD

What a great season we all had in the Under 9 Gold team, where our motto was “The greater the team, the greater the player you become”. It was great to see the lads improve game by game. Under 9s was the season where we had to learn new skills and also improve on the basics. Modified tackling was a new skill which the boys were eager to display on the field. Some of our biggest strengths were the ability to compete week in, week out, to combine as a team and to try new things that we learned at training. One of the highlights was at the end of the game when the boys joined as a team and sang the new Bears song. It was great to have some first-time players as well as some who had been playing with the Bears for a number of years. They came together so well as a team and became great mates. Specific comments on each of the boys are as follows: Max Board – Max had a good season learning the basics and new skills such as tackling. As the season progressed Max’s confidence grew and his tackling became a great skill. He took ownership of the ruck in the middle. Tosh Bowers – Tosh had a great year, one of the best listeners to instructions on game day and at training. Tosh’s kicking improved and he was good at sharing the ball with his team mates. During the second half of the season Tosh excelled in the back line, stopping 5 goals on the last line of defence in one game.

Jarvis Haywood – Jarvis played well all over the field and was very good at getting the hard -contested ball. He showed courage in marking the high contested ball. Jarvis started showing leadership in his zone during the second half of the season. Sebastian Labagnara – Sebastian grew in confidence throughout the season. He has the ability to read the play and this led him to kicking many goals in the forward line. Everyone loves Seb’s celebration after kicking a goal! Inu Watt – Inu’s smile and cheek on training day brought the boys closer as a team. Inu’s basic skills improved out of sight in the second half of the season. He was known for his ability to tackle kids twice his size, and also for his little sidestep. Aidan Raaff – Aidan was a pleasure to coach and a very consistent player who kept improving on his basic skills. Aidan is a hard-running player who worked with his teammates to get combination handballs. Aidan’s perseverance on the football field is something that doesn’t go unnoticed. Mitchell Cross – A new member to the team, Mitchell slotted right into this new game and team. Mitch was always trying to improve his basic skills. By the end of the season he had one of the best kicks in the team. His enthusiasm at training and on game day flows through to the rest of the team. Asher Brownrigg – A gifted footballer with natural skills, Asher found the ball in the midfield and had great pace to avoid a tackle or two. Asher showed leadership in his zone by directing players. Louis Lowery – Louis, a new member of the team, who grew in confidence with every game. Louis has a strong overhead mark and a neat kicking style. He has the ability to think the situation out and not just blaze the football away. Such was the case when Louis kicked five goals at Fernvale with his dad on the flags behind the goals. Oliver Goring – Another new team member who loved being part of the team. Oliver’s energy at training and on game days is what can lift teams. Oliver’s basic skills improved with every training session. He has the ability to get the hard-contested ball. Oliver used his pace to score goals and finished with a great celebration. Luke Chapman-McCowan – Luke was a new and exciting member of the team. He was a great listener at training and on game day. Luke has strong hands and a neat kicking style. He understands and reads the play well. Luke has a strong lead and good accuracy in front of goals. Finn Adendorff – Finn is the reason everyone should play team sport. He is a very happy individual from the start of training and all through the game. He has the ability to lift everyone’s spirits. Finn’s basic skills improved a lot throughout the season. Lukah Valance - is a new member who joined us for the second half of the season. He slotted into the team like he’d been with the Bears for years. Lukah kicked his first ever goal during his first AFL game. Considering Lukah has never played AFL before, he learned the basic skills very quickly and was keen to listen to how to improve. Angus Benjamin – Angus loved training and his basic skills improved with each session. He led from the front when defending with his strong tackles, with many a turnover resulting. Angus had some bad luck with a sprained ankle in the second half of the season. Luckily, he was able to help out at training. During a night game Angus read out the team positions. I loved seeing his team mates gather round to ask when he’d be returning. That was a sign of a great team in the making. We were lucky as a team to have the club’s best manager, Carolyn Lowery, who supplied the kids and parents with information and provided amazing support to the coaches. I’d like to thank Leon Bowers for his insights on training nights and on game day as assistant coach. All the mums and dads who helped out at training and game days, and to the parents who washed the jerseys, prepared the fruit and worked in the canteen are raising great boys.

Quentin Hayward, Coach

UNDER 9 GREEN

It was an exciting year for the players and the parents as we entered the new world of tackling and a larger football oval. The coach was a bit anxious as well. So, with our mouthguards in place, we had another fantastic year as we toured around west Brisbane striking fear into the hearts of the other teams and demonstrating the bond created amongst the boys who are having fun with their mates. I think what I loved most was the clear joy the boys had when they caught up with each other on the Friday night. Bailey, the energizer, continued to improve and impress as the younger member of our team. He never stops, always at training and had some serious wow moments during the year. Isaiah inspired his team mates and gave confidence that he could get that ball on put it on their chest. Really took the tackling part to heart. Loves his football and his coach (aka Dad). Ethan kept at it all season and was a talisman for his team mates. Always smiling and worked so hard at his training and games which showed from his improved kicking and handballing. Arlyn the stoic defender and immovable ruckman. He grew more confident as the season progressed leading to many player and wow awards. At times you could sense his uncertainty but with steely resolve, where others may have hesitated, he got that ball and helped out a teammate. Jackson likes to run. Like, really likes to run with the ball. He has the speed and grace and as the season progressed learnt to evade the tackles or know when to dispose that ball. A classic wingman that had the forwards screaming for the ball knowing he would deliver. Magnus who could turn it on to the delight of the crowd as he mowed down an opposition player and deftly keep out of reach himself. Loved the successful second attempts and his clear passion for the game and his team mates. Oliver who loves that kick for goal from the forward pocket and his complete and utter focus on the game. No one, I repeat no one, escaped his tackling including that amazing moment he ran down the forward who had sprinted clear. Adam with his booming kick and ever steady reliability at any position. A team player who could kick goals one week and stop them on another. A player with a real future and looking forward to him progressing up through the age levels. Ben who struck fear in the hearts of the opposition and occasionally his own team mates is genuinely strong player with his heart on his sleeve. A big kick and strong team player he became part of the team nucleus and looking forward to seeing him next year. Toby slid into the team halfway through the season like he had been there all year. His passion for the game was reflected in his rapid improvement, particularly his game sense. Kai enjoyed his football and hanging out with his team mates. Smiled all the time except when he was tackling a player to the ground. Loved to have the big quarters where he had the ball on a string. Addison would run that ball from the top of the zone and kick from an angle through the big sticks. Can do what he wants when he wants. Harry loved being a forward and now loves being in the centre. Maybe one day he will love being a backman as they win the premierships. The dedication to the game was something to be admired and supported as I have watched him improve so incredibly over the last two years. Shiva our tall athletic player who is a built to play football. Always attentive at training and wanting to learn and improve. With his love of the game and passion to succeed, Shiva will thrive in a supportive environment as shown during the year in the games.

Paul Hillman, Coach

UNDER 10 GOLD

It was a great season for U10 Gold. The improvement from U9 to U10s was really noticeable from the start of the season. The Club made a decision for the U10’s to train together as a group with Marcus and I mixing the boys up to help them prepare for the future and it worked really well. The boys got to stay with palyers from previous seasons to train and still play with the teammates, so it has created a really good foundation for Youth footy in the coming years. Both U10s teams were quite strong so we were dominant in most games that we played. It ensured that the boys had plenty of the ball in the games that we played and they scored heavily most weeks. It also allowed us to rotate the guys through different roles to prepare them for the future. I am really looking forward to seeing the development further as the guys move to a larger field and full rules next year. Here is a brief summary of each of the boys: George Armitage: New to Bears this year and fitted in beautifully. George is very skillful, has a good eye for goal but is also really strong in deep defence due to his ability the read the play so well. As he develops more size and confidence George will improve and has the makings of a very good player.

Alec Bethel: Alec is real terrier on the field, he hunts the ball and tackles really hard. He plays footy with a real desire which is a fantastic trait. His running out of defence and delivery is fantastic. Alec has good grasp of where he should be on the field at all times even though the ball doesn’t always get there, so as he moves up the age groups will find himself with the ball in hand a lot. Tobias Blasson: Toby is a real contributor on the field with his hard and aggressive running. What he lacks in skill he makes up for with running. Toby is very good at getting to the loose ball first and finding clear space. Like a few of the other boys he will really benefit from no zones next year. Jack Boyce: Jack is one of the biggest improvers from U9 – U10s. He is very confident with the ball and loves to have a bounce. His kicking still needs a bit of work, but he is a very valuable running player who takes the game on at every chance. Lucas Echberg: Lucas seems to really enjoy his footy and some really good improvement as the season progressed. He took some nice marks and kicked a couple of goals which was really good for his confidence. We hope to see Lucas back next season where he can keep developing and improving. Josh Friedrichsen: Josh is an enigmatic player. On the days when he is on he can dominate in every zone. He marks tightly in defence, wins the ball in the middle and kicks goals. Some work on his kicking and consistency should see him move to the next level. Dan Harrison: Another of the big improvers. All of a sudden Dan turned from a shy kid into a footballer. He kicking is really good and he shares the ball well and can run all day. Dan still needs to a bit more confidence to get into the pack, but that will come with improved confidence. Will Howard: I coached will in U8’s and didn’t see him play much until this year, so I didn’t realise how good he had become. He has a booming left boot and really strong hands. He loves to play in the Forward line and has the makings of a CHF or FF, but can also win the ball around the packs. Just needs to learn to move it on faster and take the first option. Lochlan Koenig: It was such a pleasure to watch Lochie improve as the year went on and his confidence grew. Watching him burst away from a pack at Fassifern was one of my season highlights. His kicking has really started to improve and he is developing more confidence. George Murphy: Murph is a Captain in the making as he plays with real leadership. He is very good a winning his own ball and generally takes the right option when he has it. Has good skills by foot and hand and is really good at involving his teammates, especially with his voice. Lachlan Ogle: Oges is a powerful player who throws his body into the marking contest and is ruthless at tackling. His kicking has improved this season and he is not afraid to kick with his opposite foot. It is likely that Oges will be a ruckman next season. Clayton Reid: Clayton is still developing as a player. He has a nice left foot and is very good at taking a mark over his head. Once he develops more confidence in his ability and attacks the ball he will improve out of sight. He is very passionate about footy and is always smiling. Jarvis Warr: Jarvis has continued his improvement as a footballer this season. He is excellent at winning the outside ball as he runs so hard and generally uses the ball very well. He has good eye for goal and is starting to mark very well. Once he gets better at winning the hard ball he will go to the next level.

Chris Warr, Coach

UNDER 10 GREEN

The 2017 season had many highlights for the Under 10 Green team. We started the year training as a combined Under 10 squad and this set the tone for the rest of the year. It's always difficult to summarise an entire season onto a page but below are some observations in my role as coach. With any group of young boys we had a mix of personalities and it always amazed me that they were so good at talking on Friday nights, especially when the coaches are trying to explain a drill yet they could be so quiet when playing the game. We introduced the concept of zone leaders this year with each zone leader having responsibility to organise the boys in his zone and everyone excelled at this as the year progressed. Oliver Odgers became the teams spiritual leader by always insisting of the boys put their hands in for a Bears on three countdown, "1, 2, 3 - Go Bears!" This reinforced the team spirit and they realised that the game’s outcome was in their hands.

Every team has the quiet achievers and our team was no different. Ben Malcolm hardly says a word but always lets his feet do his talking, arguably the fastest runner in the squad, Ben was a calming influence on the field and was able to take marks deep and defence and kick the ball into the midfield with ease. Zac Palmer and Jake Weatherly were two fantastic kids to coach, they started the year quietly going about their business but as the year progressed they realised they were much better than their opponents. With this growing confidence they played better and better each week. One of the season’s low points was when Zac broke his nose at the game at the Gabba. It was great to see Zac for the last game of the season.

Mitchell Alchin and Ryan joined the team halfway through the season. Both boys had limited experience playing AFL but soon adapted to the team and the game. It was a credit to the boys in the team for embracing their new teammates and always looking out for them on the field. Both Mitchell and Ryan finished the year playing some great football.

During the Gabba game Joe Goudie put on a display that we won't forgot for some time. Pinned into the forward pocket with apparently nowhere to go, Joe, ducked, weaved, spun around and finally snapped for goal over his head to score a goal. The goal umpire was from Aspley and obviously thought it was impossible so he signalled a point as the members stand responded with a chorus of boos. I have seen Joe kick several goals from impossible angles this year and they are always highlights.

We only played one Friday night game and it included the other low point of the year when Josh Kelly broke his collarbone from a sling tackle. Josh was really starting to develop as a player and grow in confidence. This was evident in the early part of the season when he used his height to take overhead head marks and consistently kick straight when in front of goal. He was sorely missed in the second half of the season. During that Friday night game we ended up playing with 10 players against 12 with the team playing well above themselves to keep the game a very tight context. Given the circumstances the boys showed their positive attitude and applied themselves to the respective tasks. Jarvis Czarkowski and Josh Leavitt ran all night and never gave up, they were so exhausted that they asked to be rotated out of the midfield for a rest. Hunter Draper was the first to volunteer for an extra midfield rotation and threw himself into the contest. Harrison continued to defend on the basis we were playing for a premiership and provided the tenacity and game sense to ensure the opposition never had an easy possession. A typical action from Harrison was providing a contest to a 1 vs 3 scenario and provided enough pressure to force a ball up whilst his team mates had time to run back and support. Sam Slater was the only player who could kick and handball on both sides of his body and everyone seemed to benefit from his clean disposals throughout the season. Sam was another player who consistently put on a display of kicking goals from various angles. Sam always played with genuine competitive spirit and continued to make his team mates better players through his leadership on the field.

During our last game some of our players played their best football. Jarvis Czarkowski is a great competitor and great athlete and when he won the contested football out of the midfield he ran a few steps before hand balling to his team mate running by his side just before got tackled which allowed his team mate to ick forward to a target. This example of growing maturity was an example of so many players taking the next step in becoming great footballers. Henry Slater was another who continued to grow and by the end of the season was confident enough to take overhead marks, kick to targets, handball with ease and kick goals on the run.

The season gave the boys many opportunities to grow and mature and they have set themselves up for a great future. Special thanks for the under 9 and some under 8 players that helped us out on occasion and also to the parents and supporters that made being part of Under 10 Green such a great experience.

Go Bears!

Marcus Brown, Coach UNDER 11 GIRLS

I’ve had a wonderful time coaching the under 11 girls this year, and I’m very proud of how each girl has improved throughout the season and together as a team. We’ve had some awesome games and a few funny moments, but the girls never gave up.

Watching the girls use skills we have learnt from training was very exciting! They consistently surprised me in their ability to improve and work hard. The whole season has been great, and the parents and I loved watching every minute of it.

It’s great to see women’s footy develop and I am very happy that these girls are the future.

Nikita: Now this girl can kick! She is very strong-minded and is the tallest in the team. I love how she encourages the other girls to move the ball around, and is always looking at the bigger picture. She doesn’t let anyone tackle her; palming people off and going for it. Her handballing and tackling has improved tremendously, and she even got to play an U13 Girls game! Nikita is the boss of the team; always communicating and telling people where to go. I thoroughly enjoyed coaching Nikita, and I hope she continues to grow as a player.

Emily: This is the chatterbox of the team! This girl is always working hard to perform skills from training and apply them to the game! She is always backup for her teammates; and most importantly, is always telling them where she is and where she wants the ball! She can multi-task too! Somehow, she always knows what I’ve just said, even when she is talking! She is always improving on skills and working with others. Emily was a wonderful player to coach and I know she will continue to work hard.

Jaime: Jaime is the secret weapon! Coming half-way through the season, Jaime has consistently worked hard at training and in games. Whenever she is around the contest, we somehow win it! She always draws the defender in and passes at the perfect moment. Jaime is great at marking, and her kicking has improved from along the ground to in the air! She was an angel to coach, always asking for feedback and wanting help.

Maddie: This is the nicest girl of the team, but do not tackle her unless you are prepared to be tackled back! Also arriving half-way through the season, Maddie is loveliest and most quiet girl. It was awesome to see her become more aggressive throughout the season, eventually palming girls off! She was one of the greatest markers; always prepared and in the right position. She was a pleasure to coach and always took on my advice.

Lucy: Now this girl is going places! Lucy is the most consistent player; always playing to the best of her ability. She is always communicating with her team-mates and providing kicking/handballing options. Lucy is the jack of all trades! She can perform any skill or set play with ease and had brilliant game-sense. I am glad that she is the future of women’s AFL.

Eva: This is the princess of the team, but don’t be fooled! She will tackle you into mud without a care! Eva was always encouraging the other girls and is the other boss of the team! She is always getting into space and creating options for her team-mates. She has great game-sense and always wants to improve. Eva is aggressive for the ball and isn’t scared to give directions to her team! She was a wonderful asset to the team and I enjoyed coaching her.

Abi: This is the sweetheart of the team, but don’t let that fool you! Abi never gives up! Abi is constantly doing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and forever attempts to stop the opposition from moving the ball forward. She has never ever complained, and always arrives to training and games with a can-do attitude. She developed skills quickly knows where to use them. Abi the most positive person on the team, whom always lifted the team spirits. She was great to coach and I know she is going to continue her positive attitude.

Sophie: This girl is all-or-nothing! Now if there is one thing I’ve learnt from coaching, do not get between Sophie and the ball! Sophie is the best ground ball player! She does not know the word fear; always running into the contest to get the ball and kicking it to her team. Sophie has made me very proud this season and I hope she continues to grow into a star AFL player.

Sienna: Sienna came half-way through the season, scoring 5 goals her first game! She is the most energetic person you have ever met and is always ready to go! Sienna just picks up the ball and no-one can catch her! She is great at being the back door option and isn’t scared to have a go. She is the best goal kicker of the team and I am very happy with how she has progressed throughout the season.

Jordyn: This is the hardest working girl you have ever met! Jordyn is definitely the players’ player! She is one of the youngest in the group, but the most mature! She is always wanting to improve and never gives up! She is the best tackler in the team and shows great potential. This girl was the best at stopping the opposition from scoring! Jordyn is always ready to go and I am very fortunate to have coached her.

A massive thank you to all the parents and my players for being such a wonderful group to work with. A special thanks to Tiffany (Sophie’s mum), who took on the role of manager.

I will miss the girls whom move up into U13, but I am excited to see all my returning girls next year. Thanks, Sarah.

UNDER 12 GOLD

Well what a challenge this year has been - stepping up into the big boys’ league! Injuries: you name it, we had it happen to us this year! But what have we learnt? Well, I have learnt a lot about how resilient our boys are and how well we defended our goals. While other teams in our division were getting pumped by 10 to 17 goals per game by the all-conquering Aspley, we only allowed them nine goals in our two games! All the experts say build your team from the backline and success will come in 2018. So, lookout for this Bears team in 2018! It will be very exciting when we have some of our boys back from other teams, the Bears will roar once again! I am really looking forward to being part of the coaching team next year, with regular training sessions together and being one tight group. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all the under ten lads and girls that played for us. Without their support and the support of ALL of the parents it would have been a very tough year indeed! To the rest of our coaching group in particular Brad, Anthony, Kenny and Nick - thank you for your support. If we continue to spend more time on the kids next year their ability to become better players will be exponential. To Geoff, our team manager, and Anthony for his stats every week - thank you both very much. Your efforts make coaching so much easier. Thank you also to everyone that pitched in as runners, boundary umpires, goal umpires, water carriers and ground marshalls and to the Bryants for providing much enjoyed BBQs. Once again team - your efforts were outstanding and the upside to next year is limitless!! 2018 will be the year of these Bears!! Coach Lofty

Tarrant “the terrible” Mclean: Tarrant’s backline work was really solid this year with kicking to position a feature and terrifying the opposition. Scott “Scooter” Rabie: When Scooter’s on his bike look out! Scotty’s dual roles of ruck work and going forward to kick some long bombs a feature. Tom “TBA” Somerville: the ‘(All) Black’ attack: Mister Reliable in the backline, Tom was one of the big improvers this year, with his tackling pressure a feature. Noah “the arc” Brownrigg: Noah’s year was a bit hit and miss (sorry for the tennis pun!) juggling being a tennis champ and footy but the games he did play were quality, with one touch skills being a feature Blake “Cotch” Robinson: Blake had another solid year, with him being in the top five for possessions. Seb “the golfer” McCormack: Seb’s chip and run plays were a standout this year, undoubtedly winning the ‘meters gained’ race. Simon “K.I.S” Aylward: Simon’s attack on the ball, searing runs and tackling were a standout in his game this year. Lachlan “the hunter” Bryant: Just like a Carlton great from yester year, Lachie’s natural backline play stopped many a foray by the opposition. Elijah “head knock” Harris-Loft: Another solid year, Elijah was over all parts of the ground pushing forward and hitting the scoreboard a feature this year. David “ankles” Hill: Dave had another great year when he was on the park, with slicing runs and kicking to advantage his feature play. Brayden “the other ankle” Cox: This stallion was lame for most of the season (and still came to every game) but what a genuine bolter once the moon boot came off! Running through the lines a feature of his game. Caiden “Clem” Jones: Caiden put in another solid year, head over the ball and clean possessions featured again this year. Nathan “good sports” Hart: Just like the sporting goods supplier, Nathan has everything you need. Keep working on the kicking and game sense Nath. James “the thinker” Reichmann: What a comeback year for James, especially against Jimboomba! James’ game sense and marking under pressure being a feature this season. Luke “Skywalker” Stephens: There’s no dark side to this Bear when it comes to courage and skill. Great season Luke. Oscar “the flying doormat” Vandermaat: Another solid year this year with Oscar “blanketing” the opposition a feature again this year. Finn “the shark” Vickers: This Vickers never has his nickers in a knot! Finn’s ability to stay calm and ‘see ball get ball’ a real asset to the team. Josh “the gentleman” Turnbull: Josh’s ability to beat more than one player on many occasions a feature of his year. Sean “turnbuckle” Turnbull: What a year from the teams “wwf”(we will fight for every ball) champ, Sean’s all round game and competitiveness a standout this year. Flynn “the flyer” Bajraszewski: Leave this goal sneak alone and you’ll pay the price! Flynn’s ability to “fly” under the radar and hit the scoreboard has proven that he has improved greatly since the start of the season.

Team Awards Most Courageous – Luke Stephens Most Consistent – Elijah Harris Loft Most Improved – Flynn B Runner Up Best and Fairest – Sebastian McCormack Best and Fairest – Sean Turnbull

UNDER 12 GREEN

We got off to a great start this season. A lot of the boys have played together for a while now but we also got some great new players from other clubs who were made welcome by the Kenmore regulars. The boys didn't take long to build a really good team spirit and there was a great feeling amongst the boys. Once I got a feel of where each boy would be going to play, they were able to settle into their positions. The team was starting to play some really good football and showing some real impact against some teams. We were getting a heap of wins on the board to be comfortable leaders on the board with Calamvale. The boys ended the season as minor premiers. The boys built a winning culture in the group but also great friendships. They played for each other and with each other. There was never bickering out on the field which makes me very happy. I am so proud of the boys and the year they had. I loved coaching you boys this year. I wish them all the best for the future. Thank you to all the parents. I have always had an awesome group of parents every season. Thank you to all of you who have helped out every weekend, some of you for years now. I really appreciate all you do. Team Awards Coaches Award – Joshua Whitehead Most Improved – Kaden Brink Most Consistent – Jackson Schofield-East Runner Up Best and Fairest – Aidan Treacy & Charlie Pingel Best and Fairest – Jed Hooper

Adrian Hooper, Coach UNDER 13

2017 was the first year of having an under 13 girls team at Kenmore, and it was credit to the talent of the squad that we were graded into division one. It was the first year of youth footy for most of the girls on the team, and the first time playing at all for some, so to be competitive in the top division was an exceptional effort. We were a little unlucky to only play against teams that would end up in division two during grading so it was a big step up to play our first division one game, but the girls met the challenge head on and continued to play tough footy against experienced teams throughout the year. When we were able to get a full team on the field we matched it with the best in the league, and had some heartbreakingly close losses to the powerhouse Wests and Narangba in the last few rounds. These were testament to the huge improvement of the team through the year, and several coaches from other teams mentioned that playing our full squad was their toughest game of the season. Unfortunately there were many games that we didn’t manage to get a full team together but I’m very proud of the way the girls pulled together and concentrated on what we could control when the circumstances were against us. Congratulations to all the girls on their first season of many in youth football, I hope to see you all back in Kenmore colours next year. Thanks to all our amazing parent volunteers who officiated, provided fruit, lollies and water and racked up the kilometres ferrying their girls all over Brisbane. A special thank you to Tash Vincent who volunteered her time to assistant coach this season, she was an enormous help to me and a great role model to the girls. And of course to Jodi Tallis, our team manager, thank you for bringing the structure and organisation to the team, making sure we never went without anything and being such a vibrant presence around the team, you are much appreciated! Amelia Murphy - Our sole ruck for most of the season, Amelia was an absolute trooper and pushed herself every single game to get to every contest and give us first touch. By the end of the season her fitness and read on the game was outstanding and she was able to use her height to take dozens of intercept and link up marks. Anouk Vanderwaal – ‘Nouk’ is a solid, reliable running half back, as well as dropping into the midfield when needed. When she’s playing in front she has a great read on the ball and is able to scoop it up and provide run down the field. She never stops chasing and is able to run out tough games to the end. Beth Morris – A late inclusion, Beth joined us part way through the season and proved to be a handy forward and back pocket. She was great at filling holes and playing her role for the team, and her link up marking and kicking in the later stages of the season was a real highlight and sign of her improvement. Emmie Daymond – Emmie was a rock for the team from day one. She is always the first to volunteer to help, to comfort a teammate after a mistake and to call out encouragement, which is an invaluable feature in a footballer. Emmie’s shepherding, tackling and clearance work in the forward line was brilliant, and she kicks a sneaky goal occasionally. Holly O’Flaherty – Holly was another late inclusion to the team and we were so glad she was able to join us for a few games. With a raking left foot and lightning pace, Holly brought x- factor and consistent quality play wherever she was on the field. Holly also made the Brisbane North U14's Brumbies team, which is no surprise to me – congratulations Holly! Jasmine Dekker – Jas was consistently one of our most valuable players, which probably reflected her outstanding commitment to training sessions. She is a leader with voice and action on the field, and is always accountable in defence and aggressive in attack. Jas was rewarded for her efforts and huge improvement this season with selection in the Met West team, great effort Jas! Kalani Rogers – Kalani made enormous improvements this season, from being unsure about how to play to being one of our best tacklers and providing exceptional attack on the ball. I think her highlight of the season was probably ‘modelling’ for the Kenmore cover photo with Amelia, but my highlight of her season was watching her confidence and skill increase to be comfortable and proficient playing anywhere on the field. Katie Ward – Katie plays about 20 sports and her fitness is a great asset to the team and allows her to provide run and attack the whole game. Katie plays exceptionally as a half back and unfailingly beats her opponent to the ball, usually with a beautiful clean pick up and a kick deep into our midfield. Her tackling and body work was a big highlight and improvement. Leah Gardner – Leah is a natural footballer who has a hard-line attack on the footy, an impressive ability to read the play and excellent ground and body skills. She also has a booming kick when given the opportunity and space. Whether she is in attack or defence Leah is a foundation player who leads the girls around her, dominates play, and has an urgency and desperation to win the ball that makes her an exceptional footballer. Mackenzie Park – Mackenzie is a prize example of size being deceptive. Despite being the equal smallest on the team (possibly in the league) she has a tackling, shepherding and marking ability far beyond her height and consistently surprises opponents by stripping them of the footy and beating them in contests. She also plays with her heart and has great encouraging voice on the field. Maddi Tallis – Maddi is consistently acknowledged by opposition coaches as one of the smoothest players in the league. She’s got silky skills and pace to burn and is always in the right spot to receive a handball, intercept a pass or kick a quick goal. She also works her herself into the ground every game to provide leads and support her teammates. Maddi recently earned a much-deserved Met West selection, great job Maddi! Madi Durrheim – Madi joined us about the same as Holly and was one of our ‘gut runners’ who was always there to lead, shepherd and support her teammates however she could. Her marking was a big improvement through the season and became a great feature of her game, and her ability to play anywhere on the field made her an invaluable team member. Philipa Richards – Philipa was one of the big improvers in the team this season, which is really saying something. It was very hard to decide where to play her on the field because she played a key position in defence and was rarely beaten, but she also gave us drive in the forward line. Philipa has a lot of smarts around contests when giving and receiving the ball and doing the ‘one-percenters’. Tahlia Ember – Tahlia was one of three of our girls to earn Met West selection this season and with good reason. Her athleticism and skills stand out and allow her to take big marks, bag goals and dish out fend-offs like it’s nothing. Tahlia also came runner-up in the league best and fairest which is an awesome effort in her second season of footy.

Team Awards Coaches Award – Emmie Daymond Most Improved – Amelia Murphy Most Consistent – Jasmine Dekker Runner-up Best and Fairest – Katie Ward Best and Fairest – Maddison Tallis

Jess Sullivan, Coach

UNDER 14

The Under 14 Division 2 competition was a terrific competition for the Kenmore Bears Under 14 team in 2017. We ended up finishing 5th and therefore missed the opportunity to play finals which was a lost opportunity in my view. I say this because at the mid-season break we were in the top four with good wins over Park Ridge and Narangba under our belts - the teams that ended up finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively. We had also been very competitive against the other top four sides - Redlands and Mt Gravatt. But at the same time we had to work hard for our wins against the teams that were below us being Sandgate, Mayne and Sherwood. The whole grading system of junior footy can be tricky but we ended up in a competition where we went into every game with a genuine belief we could win if we played to our potential but also knowing (or at least the coaching staff did) that if we were below our best then we could be beaten. Unfortunately, our consistency dropped away after the mid- season break. After a narrow 2 point loss to top- two side Park Ridge on their home deck – which would have cemented our position in the top 4 - we then dropped games to Sherwood and Sandgate in the back end of the season to fall well out of contention. This was a great learning experience for me as coach and hopefully the boys. It certainly makes you realise why experienced coaches and players from all sports trot out the old lines “we’re taking it one game at a time” and “we’re not even thinking about finals at this stage”. As soon as you start looking too far ahead and take your eye off your next opponent, then the footy gods are ready to bring you down to earth very quickly. Ultimately, to progress as individuals and as a team, we need to set higher standards for ourselves on the training track. We have some players who are very keen to listen and train hard but we also had a pretty large group this year, that went through the motions at training on too many occasions. Unfortunately, some of these young men are some of our better players and leaders amongst their peers and so it had the effect of dragging the whole standard of training down. But hey… 14 year old young men have a bit going on, and my group demonstrating some rebellion against authority made for some character building opportunities for both of us! But regardless of struggling through a few drills at different times, a highlight of training was always the competitive games we’d play which provide the opportunity for some fun banter amongst the group. Hopefully, the experience of having trained hard but having had fun along the way is one of the things they take out of the season. The other highlight of training for me is each and every player making the effort to say thank you at the end of training. This small gesture means a lot.Thank you Men. Congratulations to Jai Dekker, Caleb Whitehead and Austin McCue who all made the Met North representative team this year. A great effort by each player. This exposure to higher level footy will be invaluable to our group for next season. I have no doubt we have a number of other players that have the natural talent capable of allowing them to push for representative honours in future seasons. Thanks to Mel Fortescue for her superb management of the team again this year. You make the coaching job so much easier and the team literally could NOT function as effectively without you.Thanks to the whole parent group for your support in getting players to training and games, helping out with the various duties on game days, communicating effectively regarding player availability and your kind words of encouragement - win, lose or draw. In particular, I’d like to say a huge thanks to my assistant coach Brent Warren who provides invaluable support at training, on game day and the occasional “counselling” session. And of course my unofficial assistants King Julian, Kurty, and Brendan Gibson for your assistance on training nights and pulling on the boots in the competitive drills in particular. I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.

Team Awards

Coaches Award – Austen McCue

Most Improved – Will Buchanan

Most Consistent – Ollie Fortescue

Runner-up Best and Fairest – Caleb Whitehead

Best and Fairest – Jai Dekker

Cameron Buchanan, Coach

Finally, a big THANK YOU to our sponsors for 2017!

See you in 2018