JASON Cotter has a record unmatched by perhaps anyone else in Queensland football.He was the first Surfers Paradise junior to play for the Sharks in the QAFL – in 1983 – and went on to establish a wonderful personal record.The diminutive rover featured in 10 grand finals with Southport, winning six times.Cotter represented Queensland 12 times (he was State captain in 1993), he won two Grogan Medals and was third another year over his 188-match career in the Black V. Cotter then switched to Palm Beach-Currumbin in the GCAFL and took the Lions to their first premiership in 10 years in 1995.In 1996 he did the same at rival GCAFL club Broadbeach – also ending a 10-year drought for that club, before taking the Cats to fourth spot when they entered the QAFL in 1997. After that Cotter was back at the Sharks as coach, winning three in a row from 1998 to 2000 before work took him away from the club. Cotter was assistant coach of Queensland’s U18s in 2002 and coached that side in 2003. In 2005 Cotter took over as Southport football manager but his coaching hat remained as be became Queensland under 21 coach that year, then open side coach in 2007, heading the Maroons to victory over Tasmania in Launceston. He was inducted into the AFLQ Hall of fame in 2008.
