Chase the Suns
AFLW licence gives Downs stars added avenue
AUSTRALIAN RULES: The path to the top for the likes of Zimmorlei Farquharson will widen when Gold Coast joins the AFL Women’s competition in 2020.
After the inaugural AFLW this year, the fledgling national women’s competition will expand in 2019 when Geelong and the Kangaroos - a joint team from North Melbourne and Tasmania - join to make 10 teams.
That will swell to 14 in 2020 when the Gold Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast are added.
The addition of the Suns in 2020 gives south-east Queensland two teams in the AFLW and provides aspiring youngsters on the Darling Downs with more opportunities to play at the top level.
Rising Dalby star Zimmorlei Farquharson is one of the Darling Downs talents who could feature in an expanded AFLW.
The 15-year-old has this year been a member of the under
15 and under 17 Darling Downs girls teams, the Queensland under 15 and under 18 squads on top of being part of the Brisbane Lions Academy.
Farquharson will be hitting the senior ranks about the time the Suns join the AFLW, so it could be great timing for the budding star, who was thrilled with news of the addition of Gold Coast.
“I was excited because that’s one of the teams I want to make,” she said.
“I want to take it as far as I can.”
The Darling Downs has ridden the wave of popularity for female footy and there are some talented youngsters making the most of emerging opportunities.
Former Toowoomba schoolgirl Shaleise Law and Warwick athlete Delissa Kimmince were part of the inaugural Brisbane Lions AFLW squad this year.
❝excited
I was because that’s one of the teams I want to make.
— Zimmorlei Farquharson