SPORT
Young guns kicking goals in Gove ALTHOUGH the Fremantle Dockers couldn’t pull off an AFL Premiership win this year, at least one Dockers team was victorious at a Grand Final. The Yirrkala Dockers Under 15s team won an exciting Miwatj Under 15s Talent Carnival last weekend, against community teams from Groote Eylandt, Gapuwiyak and Elcho Island. The two-day event came down to a spirited Grand Final between Elcho Island and home-team Yirrkala on Sunday afternoon. Elcho had been the favourites of the competition, winning all their
early games, but Yirrkala proved they had the right stuff when it came down to the last quarter. In the game’s dying minutes the scores were nearly even at 66 (Yirrkala) to 64 (Elcho Island). With a last great burst, Yirrkala ran in two goals in minutes before the buzzer and sealed their victory. The carnival, which was sponsored by Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, was also held as a way for AFL NT officials to identify remote talent, and select some players to play in a Territory-wide side. The players picked for the
Territory-side, in a program called KickStart, then have the opportunity to be selected for national indigenous underage side, the Flying Boomerangs. AFL NT Remote Development Manager for Groote Robbie Williams said although it was a huge logistical effort to organise the kids for events like this, the benefits could be seen in many aspects of their lives, from health to the classroom. “Things like this are a big driving force for kids to attend school and be well-behaved - when something like this is coming up, they’re always
working towards being involved. “And when they’re playing footy, and they can see that they’re good at it, then they’ll be less likely to muck up in school, as they’ll know they have something there that they’re good at.” To be a part of the carnival, students from all the communities had to have kept in line with a number of behavioural criteria, including keeping up school attendance. At the end of the competition, all the kids were congratulated for their good sportsmanship and were praised for their high-level of football skills.
ABOVE: Player Barrindi Ngurruwutthun from winning team, Yirrkala Dockers. LEFT: An Elcho Island player kicks into the distance. BELOW: LEAPS AND BOUNDS: Elcho and Yirrkala players challenge for the ball.
Yirrkala players scramble for the ball.
ABOVE LEFT: HOLDING THE HOLY GRAIL: Yirrkala Dockers won the carnival (with coach Hamish Simpson, far left). ABOVE: An Elcho player takes a mark as a Gapuwiyak player screams in from behind. LEFT: Best and Fairest and Best on Ground players from communities Groote Eylandt, Yirrkala, Gapuwiyak and Elcho Island. RIGHT: Cousins Waykarr Wurramarrba and Jeremiah Mununggurr from Grand Final teams Yirrkala and Elcho Island.
18 – Arafura Times
16 - 22 October 2013