RACING: P37-38 RUGBY LEAGUE: P40 NETBALL: P43 GREENS AND GOLD

New Sherriff in town to lead Games line-up

GOLD Coast bowlers are set to dominate Australia’s Commonwealth Games team with world-ranked Aron Sherriff confirming he will call the tourist strip home.

Selectors will today in Melbourne name the men’s, women’s and para bowls teams for April’s global event, with up to six Gold Coast bowlers in the mix.

As reigning Australian state champion of champions singles winner, 2016 Australian Open champion and third placegetter in the world singles, Sherriff (pictured) is expected to be confirmed as Jackaroos singles rep.

And the 32-year-old will be doing it as a new resident of the Gold Coast.

Sherriff confirmed he will set up home on the Coast with wife Amanda and children Zoe and Connor in January after deciding to take up an offer with Club Helensvale, where fellow Games side contenders Brett Willkie, Nathan Rice, Kelsey Cottrell and Lynsey Clarke play.

Cottrell plays for St Johns Park in Sydney but lives on the Coast.

Two more locals, Tony Bonnell and Jake Sehlberg, are strong contenders to be included in the disability teams.

It is Sherriff’s decision to relocate from Ettalong on the NSW Central Coast that has rocked the bowls world.

Yet it was a decision that Sherriff did not take too long to make after approaches from Club Helensvale.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “It’s very exciting. I’ll be representing Australia from the Coast which is a beautiful place to raise the kids and a Mecca for bowls.”

Sherriff confirmed he will be playing for Helensvale in the Premier League Queensland series and for the Helensvale-backed Gold Coast Hawks in the national Bowls Premier League.

Despite being a true-blue NSW league supporter – he will hold on to that allegiance through the State of Origin series – Sherriff said he will be available to represent Queensland in bowls.

“I’ll be full-time Queensland,” he said.

“My family is moving up there and Helensvale will be my No.1 club.”