Far North Queensland raised AFL player Rex Liddy was formally announced as a contracted player of the Gold Coast Football Club during a visit to Cairns today.

The announcement took place during the launch of a Queensland Government funding initiative for AFL Cape York. The Hon. Phil Reeves, Minister of Child Safety and Sport and Recreation and AFL Queensland CEO Richard Griffiths attended the launch.

Liddy, who was raised at Hopevale Aboriginal community, is a solidly built and skilled forward. He joined Gold Coast Football Club’s (GCFC’s) training squad last year after impressing AFL Queensland talent scouts as a junior level footballer. Although many indigenous AFL players have strong ties to the region, Liddy is set to become the first player to rise to AFL ranks from an indigenous community.

GCFC Football Manager Marcus Ashcroft said:

“It’s important for us that we develop and retain our Queensland-based talent, so we were delighted to be able to offer Rex a contract. He’s been operating in a fiercely competitive environment and he’s worked incredibly hard on his fitness and his game in a broader sense. He genuinely deserves this opportunity. We know he’ll be a fantastic ambassador for our club.”

As part of his trip north, Liddy will visit family and friends in Hopevale on Friday.

Notable former residents of Liddy’s home community are Queensland rugby league player Matt Bowen (Liddy’s cousin) and lawyer and activist Noel Pearson.

Far North Queensland is well represented in GCFC’s playing squad with Cairns-raised centre half forward Charlie Dixon – also the club’s vice captain - and Port Douglas key position prospect Lewis Moss both showing significant promise.

GCFC will play a VFL game against Bendigo Bombers in Cairns on Saturday 17 July, and looks forward to the chance to showcase the development of the young team to locals, ahead of their entry into the national AFL competition in 2011