Sport
13 May, 2023
Experienced marquee players join two AFL Cairns clubs for 2023 season
AFL Cairns has signed up two marquee players for Cairns City Lions and Cairns Saints.
Steven Motlop joins the Lions, while Thomas Boyes will play for Saints. Motlop was selected by Geelong with the 39th pick in the 2008 AFL Draft from Wanderers in the Northern Territory, and played 217 games across a 14-year career with the Cats and Port Adelaide.
In round 6 of the 2012 AFL season, Motlop was awarded the round nomination for the 2012 AFL Rising Star, after gathering 28 possessions against Melbourne.
Motlop (left) arrives at the Lions fresh off a brilliant season with Wanderers in the NTFL.
“As a club, we are really happy to have Steven on board,” said Cairns City Lions president Shane Law.
“We are really pleased to have someone of his ability with us through the season.”
Boyes (right), originally from Joondalup/Kinross JFC in Western Australia, has played with West Perth in the WAFL for several years (including captaining a reserves premiership) and spent 2022/23 with Wanderers in the TIO NTFL Men’s Premier League.
“We are rapt to have him,” said Cairns Saints president Shane Liversidge. “Realistically, we didn’t think we’d be in a position as a club to have a marquee player so to have someone the calibre of Tom is fantastic,” he said.
“Having played at the higher level, he will bring great value to our junior program as well.”
