Three Morningside Panthers Selected for Inaugural AFL Open

Michael Dobbie-Bridges, David McCormick, and Ash Holt will represent Queensland in the groundbreaking 2024 Toyota AFL Open, marking a significant milestone for the Morningside Panthers wheelchair program.


Read: Beefy’s Pies Make Triumphant Return to Cannon Hill


Morningside Panthers lead the way

The three Panthers players will don the state colours at the inaugural national event, scheduled for 21 to 26 November at South Pine Sports Complex in Brendale.

Dual All-Australian Dobbie-Bridges takes on the player-coach role for the Queensland wheelchair squad.

Holt has emerged as a defensive standout for Morningside in her rookie season, using her exceptional reading of the play and one-on-one skills to shut down opposition attacks.

In addition to their playing duties, the three Panthers representatives bring extensive experience, with McCormick also a multiple-time state representative.

All three maintain dual affiliations with AFL clubs, demonstrating strong pathways between local and elite levels of the sport. Dobbie-Bridges and McCormick are aligned with the Brisbane Lions, while Holt is partnered with the Gold Coast Suns.

About the 2024 Toyota AFL Open Tournament

The 2024 Toyota AFL Open represents a watershed moment in disability sport, combining wheelchair and intellectual disability competitions into a single premier event. More than 200 athletes from across Australia will compete in over 90 matches during the five-day tournament.

The landmark tournament combines the two national wheelchair and intellectual disability AFL competitions:

Toyota AFL Open – Inclusion. Sponsored by APM South East Queensland, the inclusion division is an annual representative competition for participants aged 16 and older with intellectual impairments.

Toyota AFL Open – Wheelchair. Sponsored by Pathways to Care, the wheelchair division features the best athletes from across the country representing their respective states and territories, including a team from the RSL.


Read: Morningside Pioneers New Wheelchair AFL League in Queensland


Panthers supporters can watch the final stages of competition live and free through the AFL Play YouTube channel and Kayo Freebies on 25 and 26 November.

Published 11-November-2024