APL02 launch reveals team line-ups
Today’s public launch of the second $100,000 Australian Premier League in Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall has provided a glimpse of the changes in store for the groundbreaking competition this year, including the unveiling of the two franchise teams.
Crackerjack star and APL ambassador Mick Molloy officially revealed the new-look competition, which will be staged again at Club Pine Rivers from November 18 to 21, in the heartland of Brisbane’s CBD shopping precinct alongside representatives from each of the eight teams today.
The newly formed Gold Coast Hawks contingent headlined the announcement, declaring their intention to snare the coveted silverware away from cross town rivals Brisbane Gold with the naming of three formidable Club Helensvale-based Australian Jackaroos. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lynsey Clarke and international spearhead Nathan Rice have been selected for berths in the Fox Sports live broadcast event, lining-up in the Hawks’ green and yellow strip alongside world champion Brett Wilkie, who crosses to his home club-based team after a one-year outing for the Perth Suns, which resulted in a semi-final finish.
Taking Wilkie’s spot in the Bowls WA-based Suns this year will be Tom Mitchell, joining former Northern Irish international turned Australian World Cup winner Jeremy Henry and Western Australian representative Clive Adams from last year’s event. It’s full steam ahead for the Murray Steamers, based out of the Moama Bowling Club in NSW, after securing the monumental signings of two of the sport’s highest profile international heavy-hitters for their maiden attempt at the competition.
Scotland’s dual 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alex Marshall and Canada’s singles silver medallist Ryan Bester, have inked contracts that will see them take to the green for the Murray Steamers, with Moama’s Michael Walker providing a localised element to the border-town team. Inaugural winners Brisbane Gold’s team structure remains untouched, with world champion Mark Casey showing faith despite the formation and strong connection his Club Helensvale-based Gold Coast Hawks. Also remaining with the Club Pine Rivers based Gold team are 2006 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Kelvin Kerkow OAM and Queensland representative Robbie Wild.
The Melbourne Roys outfit also remains unchanged, with Scottish world champion Graeme Archer, 20 year-old Australian Jackaroo Dylan Fisher and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Matthew Flapper again tasked with leading the charge for the Fitzroy Victoria Bowls and Sports Club based contingent.
Despite a bottom of the ladder finish last year, the Sydney Lions are confident National Coach Steve Glasson, current triple world champion Karen Murphy and Bowls Australia’s triple International Bowler of the Year Aron Sherriff can make amends for the Club Mount Lewis team this season.
Adelaide Endurance and the New Zealand Blackjacks have each announced one positional change to their line-ups in an attempt to progress further than their runner-up and semi-final finishes respectively. South Australian representative Simon Dorr joins the Bowls SA-based Adelaide team, replacing Mark Haines, alongside the inaugural tournament’s MVP, Scott Thulborn and Jackaroos world champion Wayne Ruediger, with the new combination hopeful of going one step further this year.
New Zealand international Shannon McIlroy enters the fray for the Blackjacks, replacing Tony Grantham, while recently crowned Commonwealth Games singles champion Jo Edwards and master blaster Ali Forsyth return to the fold. Collectively, six Commonwealth Games gold medallists and 12 world champions will take part in the $100,000 APL02 event.
The Australian Premier League will be shown live on Fox Sports nationally and SkyTV in New Zealand each night of the November 18 to 21 competition, from 5.00pm-10.00pm AEST, while free entry and rink-side deck viewing will be on offer at Brisbane’s Club Pine Rivers.
Adelaide Endurance (owner – Bowls SA)
Scott Thulborn
Wayne Ruediger
Simon Dorr
Brisbane Gold (Club Pine Rivers)
Mark Casey
Kelvin Kerkow OAM
Robbie Wild
Gold Coast Hawks (Club Helensvale)
Lynsey Clarke
Brett Wilkie
Nathan Rice
Melbourne Roys (Fitzroy Victoria Bowls and Sports Club)
Dylan Fisher
Matthew Flapper
Graeme Archer
Murray Steamers (Moama Bowling Club)
Alex Marshall
Ryan Bester
Michael Walker
New Zealand Blackjacks (Bowls New Zealand)
Ali Forsyth
Shannon McIlroy
Jo Edwards
Perth Suns (Bowls WA)
Jeremy Henry
Clive Adams
Tom Mitchell
Sydney Lions (Club Mount Lewis)
Aron Sherriff
Karen Murphy
Steve Glasson
