Garbutt Magpies hosts junior AFL carnival for national children’s day

BY ALF WILSON

Thunder and rain didn’t dampen the spirits of hundreds of young Torres Strait Islander boys and girls who competed in the Garbutt Magpies Cup junior

Australian Rules carnival in Townsville earlier this month.

The comp was contested by 24 primary school teams at Townsville’s Queen’s Park Touch fields on Wednesday 2 August, and organised by local Indigenous Club Garbutt Magpies.

Official Randall Ross said the event was to celebrate National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, the theme of which was Little Voice Louder Futures

“As many as 50 per cent or half the teams had Indigenous players,” he said.

“There were over 400 children playing on the day, and for the first time Bowen, which is 200km south entered a team, and Palm Island had one as well.”

He said there had been drizzling rain early on, but all the kids still wanted to play.

“At around noon there was severe thunderstorms and we had to take the players from the fields but that was only for about 20 minutes then the semi finals were held,” he said.

A young Matty Bowen showed great football ability, the son of former champion rugby league player Matty Bowen Senior, playing in the rival code of Australian Rules.

The youngster lined up for winning team Ryan Catholic School, who beat Willows State in the final, and won the Wally Tallis Memorial Player of the Final.