Hopes fade for AFLW game in Cairns
CAIRNS’ Cazalys Stadium has been all but ruled out of hosting Gold Coast Suns AFLW games after the club struck a deal with Mackay Regional Council earlier this week.
In 2017, while in the Far North, Gold Coast Suns CEO Mark Evans declared the club would bring AFL Women’s games to North Queensland when they enter the competition in 2020, hinting it would be Cairns, as well as announcing the club would select graduates from AFL Cape York House’s girls academy to play for the Suns.
Earlier this week, a fouryear partnership was signed to see the Suns Women’s team play a game at Harrup Park, Mackay, in each year, once they enter the competition.
With the short and compact AFLW season, the Suns are unlikely to move two games away from their base at Metricon Stadium, all but ruling out a Cairns game.
“The Gold Coast Suns are committed to continuing to grow the game of AFL throughout North Queensland,” Evans said this week.
“The Mackay region is a significant part of our Talent Academy and we value that we’re able to provide a pathway for young and aspiring junior footballers to play the game at the elite level.”
Far North footballers Sodyla Kris, Kitara Farrar, Selina Goodman and Luana Healey all featured in the Suns’ first ever AFL Winter Series team this year.
With AFLW games unlikely to come to Cairns, AFL Cairns also remains hopeful a new deal for AFL games to be played at Cazalys Stadium from 2019 will be struck, despite no “specific” discussions taking place with the deadline looming.