QAFL clubs hook Sharks recruits in mini-draft
THE Southport Sharks have held their NEAFL mini-draft and it’s a former Claremont midfielder who has been crowned the top pick.
Left-footer Rhett Lloyd was taken with pick one by the Labrador Tigers.
Each of the 10 new Sharks players were selected by the four Gold Coast QAFL sides including Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Palm Beach Currumbin.
Lloyd and Blake Grant, a midfielder from Kingborough’s Tasmanian State League team, were the Tigers’ selections at one and five.
Surfers Paradise secured small forward Jack Mentha, who previously played in the Geelong Football League, former Tatura captain Tom Miller and former Gold Coast and Carlton AFL player Matt Shaw with picks two, six and nine.
Broadbeach selected former Launceston utility Jake Hinds and American ruckman Alex Aurrichio with three and seven while Palm Beach Currumbin took Trent Stubbs, Jamison Shea and former Suns player Mackenzie Willis with four, eight and 10.
Labrador coach Liam Burke said the club targeted their two selections for what they could bring early in the season.
“Rhett is new to the state and may play a few for us as a midfielder, particularly while Billy Hicks is coming back from injury for the first month,” Burke said.
“Blake is coming back from a hamstring injury so there is a possibility we will see him while he comes back from that.”
Cats coach Beau Zorko said hinds was a strategic decision centred around providing the club with the best chance of securing a Sharks defender given they are already aligned with Kwabe Boakye and Ethan Reeves.
“Jake is a nice sized mid, good mover and a good user of the footy,” he said.
“Alex is coming back from a plantar fasciitis injury and while we don’t expect to see him playing a lot with us he is a good prospect.”
Surfers Paradise chased Mentha’s signature in the offseason before he was lured to Southport and coach Brad Moore said it was good to finally get their man.
Palm Beach Currumbin coach Jess Sinclair said Stubbs was the most likely to feature early for the Lions as he gets some match fitness.