
Whether it was the joy of a great win or the announcement of him re-signing supporters and players are very pleased to hear Josh Bryce (right) has committed to the Tigers.
Despite the disappointment of seeing his beloved team bow out of this year’s finals race while watching on due to suspension, Josh Bryce has brought smile to the faces of many teammates, coaches, officials and supporters by announcing he has signed with the Tigers for the next two seasons. At 26 years old Josh has a long career ahead of him. As a co-captain and very popular members of the Club, players and supporters alike hope that all of his future career is played with the Tigers.
No doubt the prestigious Tigers 100 Club was a factor in Josh decision to remain at the Tigers. He has played 68 First Grade games to date and only a few season short of the milestone.
Originally from Jerilderie, in the Picola and District Football Netball League, Josh started playing juniors at age 10.
He made his senior debut for Jerilderie at age 14 or 15 before being picked up by the Murray Bushrangers where he played TAC Cup for two years – 2007 and 2008.
In 2009 Josh was recruited to Werribee in the VFL. He played three years for a total of 12 First Grade games and 30 Reserve Grade games. Josh was recruited to the Tigers in 2012 as playing Assistant Coach alongside good friend and former team mate Kade Klemke.
A pre-season mishap requiring a knee reconstruction robbed him of all of 2013, before he returned to the field as a playing Assistant Coach in 2014.
The withdrawal of the Tigers from the NEAFL at the end of the 2014 season saw Josh drawn home to Jerilderie for a season playing with a number of cousins who decided to join up for one last season together.
A Queanbeyan Age article at the time hinted that he would soon be back with the Tigers and he was true to his word, returning to the Tigers in 2016.
He is one of the best players in the AFL Canberra competition and has represented both the NEAFL (Eastern Conference) and AFL Canberra during his time at Queanbeyan.
More than just a player, while he was assistant and co-coach he was instrumental along with his co-coaching partner Kade Klemke for promoting the league and the Queanbeyan Tigers and successfully recruiting several key recruits including Jarrad Atkinson (ex Essendon Bombers), Beau Walker and Nic Hull (country NSW) – to name just a few.
Josh’s commitment to the Tigers comes after he fielded several offers from other clubs, all of which were more lucrative than what the Tigers could offer. He rejected offers from the Canberra Demons to play in the NEAFL and also rejected both playing and coaching roles with two clubs in the strong Ovens and Murray League.
Josh stated that his reasons for agreeing to re-sign with the Tigers were his love of the club and the people involved; the camaraderie and mateship within the club; his love of the city of Queanbeyan where he bought a house in the past few years; his flourishing landscape and garden maintenance business; and his desire to be admitted to the Tigers prestigious 100 Club.
Josh is a regular guest on local community radio station QBN FM where he appears as part of a sports panel and promotes the Queanbeyan Tigers and the AFL Canberra competition as well as discusses national sport (AFL and NRL).
Josh is a high quality footballer, and just as importantly is a high quality person who mentors junior and Rising Stars players, supports and assists his aligned junior team (U16s), and happily volunteer his time to run water for Rising Stars and Women’s teams. He is described by Senior Coach, Dave Corcoran as an outstanding young man who trains and plays with the intensity, physicality and commitment of a player with VFL and TAC Cup experience; a role model to many younger players due to his positive outlook and his ability to bring the best out in his team mates; an elite player in AFL Canberra who sets high expectations of himself and his team mates; and a role model off the field too.
The Tigers are very pleased to have Josh onboard for two more years – at least!
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