AMERICAN LOOKING TO MAKE MARK
NEW York giant Alex Aurrichio is set to make his Queensland football debut in one of the most highly anticipated games of the QAFL season so far.
The 198cm Southport Sharks ruckman, who hopes to follow in the footsteps of compatriot and Collingwood big man Mason Cox and reach the AFL, will play for QAFL aligned club Broadbeach Cats in Round 5 of the competition tomorrow at Subaru Oval.
It will end a five-month hiatus from football that began when the 29-year-old ruptured his plantar fascia while playing in Darwin last December.
The rupture was the worst of a two-year battle with plantar fasciitis but the hulking figure is back and hoping to begin building the form that will earn a call up to Southport’s NEAFL team.
“The body is feeling good and this has been a long time coming,” Aurrichio said.
“I will be aiming to get some form going again and get some touches of the footy.
“I want to get a feel for the footy, get a bit of contact and try and help Broadbeach get a win.”
Aurrichio weighed 110kg when he suffered the injury and has slimmed down to 105kg in an effort to take the stress off the foot.
Aurrichio headlines a big game between the two Gold Coast sides that will pit Surfers Paradise Demons coach Brad Moore against his former assistant and current Cats coach Beau Zorko.
Zorko said Aurrichio would likely spend the majority of his time at forward while pinch hitting in the ruck with Tom Betson.
Aurrichio’s presence in front of goal may be timely, with Zorko naming a 26-man squad with usual forward Matt Fowler listed as an emergency.
Meanwhile, competition leaders Palm Beach Currumbin will play Morningside at Salk Oval today at 2pm while at the same time Labrador will host Mt Gravatt at Cooke Murphy Oval.