FEATURE STORIES
ASHLEY NOFFKE
Paceman Ashley Noffke seriously considered a move interstate at the end of 2005-06, but his faith in the maroon cap won out. Now his name sits alongside many of Queensland’s modern greats as a winner of the Ian Healy Medal. Hard working and humble, Noffke was genuinely surprised when his name was announced as the winner of the biggest individual prize in Queensland cricket at the Bulls Awards Dinner, despite having played a starring role in the four-day, one-day and Twenty20 tournaments across the season. Yet it all could have been very different. FULL STORY
JOE DAWES
Fast bowler Joe Dawes has a heart the size of Queensland, and it was beating that little bit faster when he was honoured for his wonderful career at the 2006-07 Bulls Awards dinner. A degenerative knee forced him into premature retirement at the start of the season after having played a solitary Pura Cup game in 2005-06, so the dinner was the first opportunity Queensland Cricket had to recognize a man who epitomized much of what the organisation is all about. FULL STORY
SHANE JURGENSEN
Highly respected paceman Shane Jurgensen has retired from interstate cricket to concentrate on the demands of his flourishing coaching business. Jurgensen asked the QC selectors not to renew his State contract for next summer and farewelled his XXXX GOLD Bulls teammates at the recent awards night dinner. “I just couldn’t do everything that it takes to be a Bull anymore,” Jurgensen said when explaining his decision. FULL STORY
GREG MOLLER
A nasty knee injury that would have deflated a lesser man drove batsman Greg Moller to a maroons cap early 2007. Moller worked overtime to prepare himself for his Grade return after tearing cartilage in his left knee and undergoing surgery on the eve of the QAS team’s trip to Darwin in last August 2006. FULL STORY
RYAN BROAD
Young opening batsman Ryan Broad stayed true to what he knew worked for him and was rewarded with scores of 95 and 15 not out against a world class South Australian pace attack in the XXXX Gold Bulls February 2007 Pura Cup outing. Facing up to 200-Test wicket veteran Jason Gillespie and the man rivaling Brett Lee as Australia’s fastest bowler, Shaun Tait, Broad added 263 for the opening wicket with skipper Jimmy Maher. FULL STORY
ASHLEY NOFFKE
In-form paceman Ashley Noffke has been one of the main reasons behind the XXXX GOLD Bulls’ surge to the top of the Pura and Ford Ranger Cup tables, and he made a massive sacrifice to help get the team there. Faced with the agonizing dilemma that his second child could be born at any time during the crucial Pura Cup match against Victoria in late November 2006, Noffke opted to stay with the team in Melbourne. FULL STORY
GRANT SULLIVAN
Tall fast bowler Grant Sullivan’s debut for the XXXX GOLD Queensland Bulls was something akin to what batsmen receive from him- it was all just a blur. Sullivan, 22, suited up in the maroon and gold for the Round 2 Ford Ranger Cup match OF 2006-07 against New South Wales at the Gabba and returned the tidy figures of 1-38 from eight overs bowling first change. FULL STORY
CHRIS SWAN
For most of us, taking the wicket of a Test standard player in our debut Pura Cup game would be the highlight. Not Chris Swan. The Gold Coaster took his greatest delight in being able to share the new ball with a man he looks upon as a pure legend, Andy Bichel. Swan made his debut in the national competition against NSW at the Gabba in late October 2006, and made a more than useful contribution himself. FULL STORY
DANIEL DORAN
A great life and cricketing experience in the wilds of Africa has XXXX GOLD Bulls leg-spinner Daniel Doran entering the 2006-07 season in top shape. Doran, 25, traveled through South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya with the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy side last month and has continued to grow in stature after his stunning entry to First Class cricket last season. FULL STORY
JAMES HOPES
In March 2005 James Hopes won the Ian Healy trophy for the XXXX Gold Queensland Bulls Player of the Year 2004-2005. He spoke exclusively to 'Between the Wickets', the official E-Newsletter of Queensland Cricket, about the roller-coaster ride he took before joining the elite of Queensland Cricket. Click here to read his story.
WADE SECCOMBE
The long-serving Bulls wicket-keeper had been next to indestructable until one day he went for ride on his bike. He was a little embarrassed to tell his story to ''Between the Wickets', the official E-Newsletter of Queensland Cricket in December 2004. Click here.
LEE CARSELDINE
Lee Carseldine put not just his cricketing future on the line when he elected to have ground-breaking surgery in his bid to recover from a career-threatening back ailment. He explains what he went through in the November 2004 edition of 'Between the Wickets'. Click here.
BRENDAN NASH
In November 2004 Brendan Nash put behind him the disappointment of losing his Bulls contract for the 2004-05 season and fought his way back into the top squad. Click here to read his story.
