AFL Cairns floats schedule changes

LOCAL Aussie rules clubs are considering an approach from AFL Cairns to shorten the season by two games to help even out the competition.

Heavy blowouts to, at times, uncompetitive clubs such as North Cairns and Cairns City Lions have been a constant talking point over the last few seasons.

Under the proposed plan, the season would go back to 16 games, from 18 in 2018, with non-finals playing clubs having 10 games against the top

The club have held recent testing days in Capricornia, Mackay and Townsville, with 180 Far North athletes tested yesterday, the most Suns academy coach Andrew Raines has seen in one day in north Queensland. four, instead of 12, next season. AFL Cairns data shows the games that would be removed from the season had an average margin over 145 points in the 2018 season.

AFL Cairns Football Manager Craig Lees has had positive feedback from clubs so far, with each to provide their official feedback later this month.

“The idea is to not have quantity in 2019 but more quality,” Lees said.

“The 16 games hopefully will make things more competitive with a form of equalisation

Teenagers Davies, Harris and Farrar are the faces of the Suns northern push, with the trio set to relocate to the Glitter Strip in the coming months to become permanent members of the academy.

The boys tested in the into the fixture so we do not have many 200 point losses that become detrimental to a club’s season.”

Under the plan, fourth would play fifth three times every year.

With the fixture going to 16 games, every club would lose one home and one away match.

The changes would also likely push the start day of the season back to the middle of April.

Reserves premiers Pyramid Power are unlikely to be included in the seniors competition morning before the girls were on show in the afternoon and with the Suns AFLW team starting in 2020, Raines says the girls’ space is just as competitive as the boys.

“There is a clear link and a pathway for girls football now," in 2019 but still hold ambitions of stepping up in the future.

Meanwhile, South Cairns Cutters talent Kitara Farrar has been selected as one of 10 Queenslanders who have taken the next step towards a spot on an AFL Women’s list after being announced in the NAB AFL Women’s Academy for season 2019.

AFL Queensland State Academies Manager Mark Browning said the announcement was another significant step forward for women’s football in the state. Raines said. “There has been the pathway for the boys the last few years.”

Manunda Hawks junior Davies was last month named as one of the 150 players selected in the new-look AFL Academy squads for 2019.