THE SUN AND ONLY
Lone Coast Origin rep Weller only has eyes for Magpie
IN a team full of stars, one stands out for Lachie Weller who has always wondered what it would be like to line up alongside Brodie Grundy.
Broadbeach and Southport junior Weller is the only Suns player named to play in the 27-man All Stars team against Victoria in the State of Origin for Bushfire Relief game on February 28 in Melbourne.
The 23-year-old will line up alongside the likes of AFL superstars Nat Fyfe, Patrick Cripps and Jack Riewoldt as 54 players from across the competition come together to raise funds for footy clubs and families in bushfire-affected areas. “I’m looking forward to playing with all of them, but particularly (Collingwood ruckman) Brodie Grundy (right),” said Weller, an ex-Fremantle player.
“Hopefully I play in the midfield a bit so I’ll be around him. It will be interesting to see how he goes about it.
“There are some (Fremantle) and ex-Freo boys in there too like Fyfe, Lachie Neale and Michael Walters so it will be good to play with them again.”
John Longmire is the All Stars coach and Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew, who worked under Longmire at Sydney, will assist him for the game.
Weller hasn’t had any friends or family directly affected by the fires but like all Australians he has felt for those who have been devastated by the crisis.
“It’s a massive honour to be involved,” Weller said.
“We are in a good position where we can do these sorts of things and raise some money for the people who need it so I’m pumped to play.”
Team captains will be named closer to the match.
Each player in the All-Stars team will have their home state abbreviation above their playing number.
Weller is a former Gold Coast academy player but will come under Tasmania’s banner after beginning his junior football career in the southern state.
The midfield-halfback was 15 years old when his family opted to move to Queensland before he was ultimately drafted to Fremantle.
The event will be a doubleheader, with Collingwood and Melbourne to play an AFLW game in the lead-up to the charity match at the same venue.
PALM Beach Currumbin’s leadership group won’t be finalised until mid-March but QAFL coach Jess Sinclair says there will be one thing that doesn’t change.
Stephen Thynne will remain as the Lions skipper as they attempt to reach a fifth straight QAFL grand final and reclaim the premiership they gave up to Surfers Paradise in 2019.
Thynne is working his way back from a knee reconstruction after injuring it during the second quarter of Palm Beach Currumbin’s grand final loss last September.
The 26-year-old has started straight-line running but isn’t expected to be back playing until around July after having the surgery in October.
Even though the classy midfielder won’t be back for the club’s first game of the season against Surfers Paradise on April 18, Sinclair confirmed Thynne would lead the QAFL side as skipper again in 2020.
“Stephen will remain captain,” Sinclair said. “He is slowly getting there with his recovery but his work rate and determination will get him back.”
Sinclair said it was likely Tyler Cornish and Tom Thynne would share the captaincy until Stephen Thynne returned but confirmed the leadership group wouldn’t be completed until after their training camp in mid-March.
PBC will play an intraclub game on March 21 before lining up in practice games against Mt Gravatt on March 28 and Labrador on April 4.