Brothers following famous family footsteps

Brock and Tex Copeland are following in their father’s footsteps two decades after he helped make sporting history for Brisbane.

Robbie Copeland was part of the Brisbane Lions team which in 2001 lifted the first of three successive AFL Premierships.

He also played in the 2003 grand final and in total played 143 games for Lions scoring 39 goals. With the family living in Newport, Robbie is now turning out for Redcliffe Tigers.

Doubling up

Meanwhile, his sons – students at Mueller College, Rothwell - are both Sunshine Coast Regional representative teams for Queensland Schools Sport state competitions in Mackay and Cairns.

Brock, 14, was one of 22 selected from 132 hopefuls for the Sunshine Coast Region’s 13-15 Years team, playing in Mackay on May 27-30.

There the 22 players from schools between Redcliffe and Noosa, will be chasing 22 places in the Queensland team.

Brock made the district team after trials in February and the regional side following six in trials at Maroochydore in March.

Heading north

Tex, 11, trialed at Tigers and then earned his place in the Sunshine Coast 10-12 Years side following a two-day carnival at Kawana in April.

He made the regional side of 22, from 154 hopefuls, is now off to the schools state championship in Cairns on June 10-13, also chasing a place in the state side.

Robbie will be following both his sons to the titles. “I love seeing the boys play and succeeding in sport at this age,” he said.

“I’ve not had a lot to do with it really. I played and can mentor a bit, but once they are on the field it is up to them.

'Watching is harder'

“They have done well to get this far, but for me watching is definitely harder for me than playing.”

What chance all three could one day play in the same side? “I’ll be really old if that happens!” said Robbie.

“Brock is a couple of years away yet, so maybe. Maybe.”

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