Suns rookie on the rise
A ROOKIE originally from the Magnetic Island Magpies has caught the attention of the Gold Coast Suns after an impressive NEAFL debut.
Dirk Koenen, now 17, played in defence for the Suns reserves who had a big win against struggling Southport at Fankhauser Reserve on Saturday, taking the points by 14.14 (98) to 6.4 (40).
Coach Steve Daniel was encouraged by the ability of Koenen, who was a member of the Suns Townsville academy when he was playing for the Hermit Park Tigers seniors.
“He was really good, he had a fantastic debut in defence,” Daniel said. “We were more than happy with him because he had 16 disposals and seven marks.’
Koenen first came to prominence when awarded the Troy Clarke Scholarship,
in memory of the late Brisbane Bears player who died suddenly in 2013 at the age of 44.
The youngster had an interrupted early season when he broke a collarbone but is now set to continue to develop with the Suns in the NEAFL for the rest of the season.
Suns academy manager Jason Torney said Palm beach-Currumbin High student Koenen “has talent”.
Other bright signs for the Suns, who are set for a rebuilding phase if AFL results are any guide, were three local products Jesse Joyce, Max Spencer and Brad Scheer, all PBC Lions junior products.
Daniel said he was thankful to get the win that keeps the Suns right in the race for the title. It was important, he said, to get the win when they had fewer listed players to call on than normal.
“We’ve been averaging 16 or 17 listed players most of the year and all of a sudden we had only 11 for Saturday,” he said.
“And you go in with 12 academy kids and you have to change your game plan.”
The Sharks made a match of it, getting to within a goal during the second and third quarters but fell off badly in the final stanza when the Suns kicked 5.5 to 1.1.
Southport’s attack was kept to just 2.2 after halftime.
Former Sun Andrew Boston was the pick of the Sharks, along with defender Nick Crowley and Seb Tape.