PART II: RANKING THE TOP 20 PLAYERS IN AFL CAIRNS
Ahead of the 2020 AFL Cairns season, Cairns Post AFL writer JORDAN GERRANS has put his neck on the line to select the best 20 players in the competition. The league has lost a handful of quality players over the summer while all clubs have been busy recruiting, with a few former AFL-listed players on their way north. On Tuesday, we revealed the first 10 of the countdown, with the top 10 of the league unveiled today, including the premier player in AFL Cairns, ahead of the competition’s restart this coming Saturday.
10 BRODIE DEVERELL (MIDFIELDER) – CAIRNS CITY LIONS
A few were surprised with how well the Tasmanian on-baller polled in his first season in FNQ but there is no doubt he was instrumental at Holloways Beach.
Deverell finished second in the Crathern Medal behind South Cairns ruckman Jake Roach in just his first year in the league.
He is back again for a sophomore season and will be needed to step his game up again to return Lions to the post-season.
9 MARK HORNE (MIDFIELDER) – CTB BULLDOGS
Like fellow Tasmanian Chris Novy, Horne is now on to his third AFL Cairns club.
The rugged on-baller was consistent as they came for Saints last campaign and heads up to Trinity Beach this year after being recruited by Sam Blease.
Interim CTB coach Brad Wallace noted last week that Horne was a future coach in the making, so he will be crucial to the Bulldogs’ chances this year.
He is just the type of player CTB can build a midfield around, knowing he will do all the dirty work and get the footy out to their runners.
8 JERMAINE WARDLE (DEFENDER) – SOUTH CAIRNS
The Cutters key position player, who was a dual winner of the club’s best and fairest last year, is almost as valuable as two footballers.
He is one of the top defenders in the competition, he is just as good when he is in the ruck and can play as a bigger midfielder when needed as well.
Wardle will benefit arguably the most of South Cairns’ big recruiting over the summer, able to just play his role for the side instead of filling gaps around the ground.
A regular in the north Queensland representative side as well.
7 ASHTON HAMS (UTILITY) – CAIRNS CITY LIONS
The former West Coast Eagleslisted small forward is likely to feature for AFL Cairns club City Lions in 2020.
The 33-year-old played 39 games at the elite level, kicking 41 goals for the Eagles, across three seasons.
He has most recently played with the Tiwi Bombers in Darwin’s NTFL.
Hams was set to be a FIFO footballer to Cairns, being based in Darwin, so there has to be some questions, following coronavirus, how much we will see of Hams, but pre-season, coach Aaron Davey was confident he would play most weeks.
6 ADAM GROSS (FORWARD) – PORT DOUGLAS
“Grossy” has been the second fiddle in the Crocs’ forward line over the last few years but took control in 2019 with skipper Kye Chapple battling injury.
The clever small forward claimed the league Matthew Walsh Leading Goal Kicker last year, to go alongside a topfive finish in the Crathern Medal the campaign before.
In just 14 matches in 2019, the premiership player booted 76 majors, with 16 his most in a game, to win the medal seven goals clear of teammate Chapple, who had a stranglehold on the trophy over the last few seasons.
5 JAKE ROACH (RUCKMAN) – SOUTH CAIRNS
The top local cricketer and footballer could not have had a much better 2019.
He became the first footballer to win the Crathern Medal and Coaches MVP in the same season, with the coaches award introduced the season before.
Roach was a popular winner of the coveted medal and was the first Crathern Medal for South Cairns since 2014.
He is consistent and can sneak forward and kick a goal as well as playing in the middle of the ground.
4 TOM ELTRINGHAM (FORWARD) – CTB BULLDOGS
The man they call “Eltro” is back after kicking a ton of goals a couple of years ago for Saints.
The high-leaping full forward would have probably won the Crathern Medal in 2018 if he did not suffer a shoulder injury late in the season.
He finished three votes back from teammate Joel Newman that season and is a massive inclusion at Crathern Park in 2020.
The Bulldogs have signed him as an assistant coach as well, which should be an interesting experience.
Eltringham will kick plenty of goals again this season.
3 KYE CHAPPLE (FORWARD) – PORT DOUGLAS
The Crocs’ skipper record speaks for itself, all he has done since he moved to Port Douglas is kick goals and win flags. That is a handy combination.
In 2018, it was Chapple’s fourth season in a row he has kicked 100 goals in AFL Cairns. While he did not crack the ton in 2019, he did lift another flag and that is what we play for.
A full season playing next to Ben Johnson will help as well.
2 DANIEL WEETRA (DEFENDER) – SOUTH CAIRNS
Let’s put it this way, opposition club’s are worried about having to deal with the elite Darwin product this season.
The man they call “Weeties” is a gun. The former Wanderers, Territory Thunder and Glenelg dashing defender will be huge for the Cutters in 2020.
“Weetra is a star and will push his new club up to one of the best lists in the league,” a rival coach noted earlier this season.
Weetra has played down back before but could be thrown anywhere around the ground if needed.
1 CADE WELLINGTON — CAIRNS SAINTS
The skilful goal-kicker was third on this list 12 months ago and with Brett Meredith and Jack Philp not around in 2020, Saints’ leading man gains the top spot.
He finished top three in the Crathern in 2018, led Saints to the grand final, before backing that up with another top 10 finish in the league best and fairest medal last season.
Wellington missed a chunk of footy last year through suspension and would have been much higher up on the leaderboard if not for that.
Wellington is equally as useful up forward or on the ball.