Sport
12 October, 2025
Local clubs dominate prestigious Crad Evans Shield
LEICHHARDT Football Club president Jessy Mulla says the 2025 season has been one of the most competitive and high-quality years yet for Far North Queensland football, capped off by Cairns’ dominance at the annual Crad Evans Shield in Townsville last weekend (4 October).
The Crad Evans Shield pits the top Cairns teams against Townsville’s best across multiple age groups. This year, Cairns clubs won the bulk of the matches, proving that the region’s football talent continues to go from strength to strength.
Cairns winners at the 2025 Crad Evans Shield:
Premier men: Marlin Coast Rangers
Premier women: Edge Hill Tigers
Premier women U23: Edge Hill Tigers
U16 boys: Edge Hill Tigers
U14–15 boys: Leichhardt Football Club
U14–15 girls: Redlynch Strikers
U12–13 girls: Edge Hill Tigers
Div 1 Men, Atherton FC- Atherton
Div 2 Men, Stratford Dolphins-Cairns.
Townsville took out a few key categories, including premier men U23 (MA Olympic), U18 youth (Warriors) and U13 boys (Warriors).
“It’s great to see Cairns teams showing such strength across so many divisions,” Mr Mulla said.
“It really shows how far our football has come. The standard is high and the competition is even.”
Across the FNQ Premier competitions this season, Edge Hill Tigers had an exceptional run, taking out multiple grand finals, while Marlin Coast Rangers continued to impress in the men’s division.
Mr Mulla also highlighted standout players Josh Pin from Marlin Coast Rangers, who claimed the golden boot in the men’s premier league and Siobhan Macken, who took the honour in the women’s premier league.
The local season ran from early March through mid-September, with clubs already preparing to begin pre-season training in late November and December ahead of the 2026 campaign.
The FFA Cup will kick off in February, providing early competitive action for teams across Far North Queensland.
Leichhardt Football Club also celebrated a significant milestone this year, marking its 50th anniversary. The club’s rich history has been captured in a new commemorative booklet, available at leichhardtfc.com.au
Mr Mulla said he was keen to see ongoing coverage of the local game as clubs rebuild and prepare for next year.
“If we don’t promote ourselves, no one will,” he said.
“We’ve got great players, great clubs, and a really strong football community up here.”
