SPORT STARS OF 2020

WHO MADE OUR TOP 10?

1 ALEX DAVIES Manunda Hawks

The Suns academy member, 17, has been touted as a Scott Pendlebury clone.

Davies is a tall 189cm midfielder who was an All-Australian at the 2018 AFL under-16 championships, represented the Allies at the under-18 equivalent this year and played in the under-17 NAB All-Stars ‘Futures’ game.

The AFL Cairns product moved south to the Gold Coast over the last year and is tipped to go top 15 in the upcoming AFL draft.

Davies was also a talented basketballer growing up before focusing on footy.

We will be hearing a lot about Alex Davies in 2020.

2 KRYSTEN SWAFFER local jockey

Debut rider Krysten Swaffer started her career in the saddle in promising fashion, riding a hat-trick of top three finishes, at Atherton last Saturday afternoon.

While she did not crack a winner first-up, three third placings is an excellent result on debut. The 21-year-old was poised and drew praise from the trainers she rode for in her first ever day in the saddle as a race rider.

With her four-kilogram claim, Swaffer will have no issues getting rides in north Queensland and looms as a hoop on the rise.

She will look for her first ever career winner at Cairns Jockey Club on Tuesday.

3 TAMURI WIGNESS NBA Global academy

Where will the hoops prodigy end up by the time 2021 rolls around?

The world has been at Wigness’ feet for years and the coming 12 months looms as an important one for where his basketball career eventually ends up.

The point guard phenom has had the chance to go pro late in 2019 but decided to have another year at the NBA Global academy.

Over the last few weeks, Wigness has competed at events in Europe and the USA.

Tamuri is an athlete that is ready to announce himself on the big stage.

He was this week named in an extended Australian Boomers squad as a 17-year-old.

4 KODY STATTMANN Virginia Cavaliers

The sweet shooter from Cairns is ready for his breakout season in the US college ranks.

The teenager is still in his sophomore season now and will soon embark on his junior campaign, his third of four years in college by the back end of 2020.

Stattmann and his school claimed the NCAA Championship in 2019 but the Australian junior representative did not see much court time.

With a few of his teammates turning pro, it is Stattmann’s time to shine over the next two seasons.

5 TAHLIA SMITH Cairns Saints and Norths Cricket Club

Smith is a star of local oval sports, be it Aussie rules or cricket.

The 21-year-old has been a dominant force in the Cairns AFL Women’s competition, captaining her club, Saints, and winning the 2019 Jo Butland Medal for best and fairest in the women’s competition, polling 28 votes, to win by eight votes from Centrals’ Tina Welch.

Smith is one to watch in the cricket scene as well.

Only into her second season as grade cricketer, the Norths representative cracked into the North Queensland and then Queensland Country Women’s teams.

If she continues to improve at this rate, WBBL might be just around the corner.

6 EAMONN ROSS Innisfail United

A shining light among a disappointing Innisfail United outfit in the FNQ Football competition, young Eamonn Ross was still eligible to play Premier Youth last season.

Instead he chose to trouble opposition defenders with his pace and delicate control in the men’s Premier League.

He’s had a strong presence among the region’s representative teams, regularly picked in Peninsula sides and FNQ Football teams in his age group.

However last year, the forward was among the competition’s best when he represented the open men’s FNQ Football team in a match against Townsville and a friendly against Sydney FC.

How long before NPL clubs come knocking on Ross’ door?

7 ROMY TEITZEL North Queensland Gold Stars

The 20-year-old Tully product is hoping to be part of history in 2020.

Teitzel is expected to be a key member of the first North Queensland Gold Stars squad when the Queensland Rugby League launches its inaugural statewide women’s competition, the QRLW, this season.

A member of the Cowboys Women’s Academy, Teitzel was a standout in the reformed Townsville District Rugby League women’s competition last season and earned player of the match honours in Western Lions’ 16-14 grand final win over Brothers.

The fullback earned Townsville, North Queensland and Queensland Country representative honours in 2019.

8 AMY HUNTER Atherton Junior Cricket Club and Innisfail District Dist Cricket Association

The young cricket talent, who split splits her time between Atherton Junior Cricket Club’s Tier 3 Go Gold side and Innisfail District Cricket Association’s open ladies team, has capped off a couple of breakout seasons with selection in the Que Queensland Cricket under-15 girlsT girls’ squad.

The 14-year-old is one of only two players selected from Nort North Queensland in the squa squad and will travel with the team to Canberra in February-March for the national champion pionships.

Hunter was earlier named in the th Queensland team for the Scho School Sport Australia cricket cham champs in April and is also part of Queensland Cricket’s 2019-20 Youth Pathway Academy.

9 FINN CHURCHWARD Rovers Cricket Club

The Rovers prodigy was a shining light for the Far North representative team as they won just one of five pool games at the Bulls Masters Youth Cup in Mackay last month, picking up the Matt Hayden Medal for player of the tournament despite the team’s disappointing record.

While making his under-18s representative debut in November, Churchward smashed 72 runs off 112 balls to guide Far North to victory.

The youngster was handed his Cricket Far North A-grade debut at the age of 15 earlier this season, with Rovers president Mark Malone comparing him to club legend Errol Harris, who played Sheffield Shield cricket for Queensland and Tasmania

10 Heilum Luki North Queensland Cowboys and Northern Pride

The teenage backrower has been elevated to an NRL Rookie contract with the North Queensland Cowboys, after he was signed by the club on a development deal in 2016, aged 15.

While he will remain at the Northern Pride as a member of the Intrust Super Cup development squad this season, Luki has been earmarked to come into one of six rookie spots on the Cowboys’ 36-man roster in 2021.

After playing with the Northern Pride under-18s in the eight-week Mal Meninga Cup last season, the towering edge forward was promoted to the club’s under-20s squad, where he became a starter for the remainder of the season. This year, he will pushing for an Intrust Super Cup debut.

Luki is also a member of the Queensland Under-20 Emerging Origin squad for 2020, alongside fellow Far North product and Cowboys’ clubmate Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow – also one to watch this year.