Gold Coast News

Hunt may grace Cazalys

From www.cairns.com.au
Reported by Andrew Piva
Full article Click here

FORMER rugby league star Karmichael Hunt could play one of his first games of Australian rules in Cairns after Cazalys was locked in to host a VFL match between Gold Coast and the Bendigo Bombers on July 17.

Hunt, who played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, shocked the league world when he defected to new AFL franchise Gold Coast after signing a three-year deal in July.

Gold Coast caused another stir in November when it snapped up 2007 Geelong premiership player Nathan Ablett.

The club already has Far Northern products Charlie Dixon and Rex Liddy on its playing roster.

Two-game initiation for Hunt

From The Age
Reported by Jim Morton
Full article Click here

GOLD Coast will take a huge gamble on giving code-crossing recruit Karmichael Hunt just two VFL games in preparation for his AFL debut in 2011.

Coach Guy McKenna has revealed that the club is so worried about burn-out from back-to-back rugby league and union seasons that Hunt would hardly be seen in Coast colours in 2010.

Gold Coast looks at Cairns presence

From Cairns.com.au
Reported by Andrew Piva
Full article Click here

GOLD Coast Football Club chief executive Travis Auld says his club is serious about having a presence in the Far North and hopes to bring a VFL game to Cazalys next ­season.

Auld was a guest of AFL Cairns during the league’s presentation night and spoke of the Gold Coast’s journey to becoming the AFL’s 17th franchise.

After playing in the TAC Cup this season, the Gold Coast will enter a side in next year’s VFL before joining the AFL in 2011.

With Far Northern products Charlie Dixon and Rex Liddy on Gold Coast’s roster, Auld wants his club to be accepted across Queensland.

"The VFL is an 18-game competition and we’ve agreed to play eight of those in Melbourne," he said.

"The other 10 we want to spread the brand as wide as we can.

"If there is an opportunity to play a game in Cairns we’ll definitely look at it and talk to the AFL about how we might fund that.

"But it would certainly be exciting to get our brand into the Cairns market, particularly in that we’ve got a couple of players from this area.

"We need the support of all of Queensland, not just the Gold Coast, and therefore the ability to get out there in the market and play some games elsewhere is good for our kids."

With the AFL also pushing ahead with expansion into western Sydney, he said regions such as the Far North could provide future stars.

"There is an enormous amount of talent up here... untapped talent," he said.

Eye on Far North talent:
Gold Coast Football Club chief executive Travis Auld at AFL Cairns' presentation night this week.

Pages