Angus brings the volume, northern breeds bring the competition in QLD's starting nine

As the 2026 AFL season gets underway - and footy tipping competitions start to take shape, AuctionsPlus has assembled its own “starting nine” - not on the field, but across the nation’s cattle listings.

Drawing inspiration from the 18 players per side in AFL (here halved), the “starting nine” lists the top cattle breeds in each state based on throughput since July 1, 2025 to March 20, 2026. The data captures all stock categories listed on the platform, offering a broad snapshot of supply, pricing and buyer demand. This article will focus on the results from Queensland.

Queensland continues to deliver some of the strongest performance metrics nationally on AuctionsPlus, with more than 133,000 head offered across over 2,300 lots, achieving a 89% clearance rate.

While the Angus breed leads the table on a throughput basis, with more than 24,000 head offered, clearing 90% on average at $1,686/head, the data clearly shows that northern-adapted breeds are driving market strength.

The Santa Gertrudis breed emerged as the standout performer, recording the highest clearance rate among at 96%, alongside a strong $1,560/head average and the highest VOR at $147. Listings were concentrated around Rolleston, in Central Queensland.

Droughtmaster cattle also delivered exceptional results, clearing 95%, while Charolais cross lines reached 94% clearance, highlighting strong competition across adaptable composite cattle.

Click the images to look further into the leading statistics from each breed. 

Brahman cattle maintained a solid 93% clearance, particularly through listings out of Queensland's North West, while a large volume of numbers were listed out of western Queensland, from regions such as Longreach, Winton and Hughenden, who all featured heavily across multiple breeds.

Across the board, clearance rates above 90% dominated the state, indicating strong buyer confidence and consistent demand.

While Angus provides the volume backbone, Santa Gertrudis, Droughtmaster, Brahman and Charolais cattle set the benchmark for competition, clearance and buyer demand, reinforcing the importance of adaptability in Queensland production systems.

Read more:  Angus leads, but Black Baldys and Shorthorns steal the spotlight in NSW starting nine

The “starting nine” is designed as a high-level snapshot, and it is important to note that results are influenced by the mix of stock categories within each breed. Higher-value lines - such as joined females or well-bred replacement stock - can lift average prices, while clearance rates are often shaped by seasonal supply and vendor price alignment.