AFL Queensland’s strong push into the Indigenous football ranks of South East Queensland has reaped an early dividend, with strong metropolitan representation in the historic first Queensland U15 Indigenous side for the national Indigenous championships on the Gold Coast next week
Monday, 22 August, 2011
AFL Queensland’s strong push into the Indigenous football ranks of South East Queensland has reaped an early dividend, with strong metropolitan representation in the historic first Queensland U15 Indigenous side for the national Indigenous championships on the Gold Coast next week.
Eight players from Brisbane have been included in the 25-player squad, almost matching the nine players from Cape York / Cairns region, which is traditionally the strongest recruiting zone for Indigenous players.
“It is great to see such a broad representation of players from both metropolitan and regional Queensland participating in the championships,” said AFLQ Engagement Manager Trent Ryan, responsible for Indigenous and Multi-Cultural Programs.
“These boys have been given a wonderful opportunity through this program to develop not only as footballers but as people,” he said.
To complete the list, there are three players each from the Gold Coast and Townsville, one from the Sunshine Coast and one from Wide Bay.
“The Cape/Cairns region has always been a fantastic source of Indigenous AFL talent over the years, with players like Courtenay Dempsey, Rex Liddy and Lewis Moss in the AFL system this year, and before them Mark West and the Cockatoo-Collins brothers (Che, Donald and David),” said Ryan.
“And with the excellent work being done in that region currently I have no doubt that will continue to be the case.”
“The challenge for us is to develop quality players from all areas across the state, which is why a strong Brisbane representation in this first ever Queensland U15 side is so pleasing.”
Brisbane Lions triple premiership hero Darryl White, a member of the AFL Indigenous Team of the Century, will coach the Queensland side at the AFL Indigenous KickStart Under 15 Championships, to be played on the Gold Coast from Wednesday 31 August 31 to Sunday 4 September.
The strong contingent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from south-east Queensland is particularly pleasing given the championships will be held on the Gold Coast next week, said Ryan.
“It is fitting that the Indigenous community of south-east Queensland will have the opportunity to support these young men at the championships next week,” he said.
White’s 14-year-old son Darryl Junior is a member of the side, but it was decided that 13-year-old William, who was also a member of the training squad, was too young for the championship team.
The 2011 Championships will engage 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young men, representing all states and territories making up six teams of 25 participants each.
The teams are; NSW/ACT, Victoria/Tasmania, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
The Championship is an expansion of the annual KickStart camp which has involved 50 participants.
Players are selected on criteria consisting of leadership qualities, school attendance, community involvement and football ability. State KickStart camps have been conducted to select teams.
AFL National Community Engagement Manager Jason Mifsud said the KickStart program will continue to use Australian football as a vehicle for education, employment, health and participation outcomes for Indigenous people
“KickStart’s expansion will enable us to grow the pool of talented Indigenous footballers, and equally important, it will further expand our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and enable us to continually deliver broader social value,” he said.
“The Championships will also provide further development opportunities for other parts of the football industry such as umpiring, coaching and administration with local Indigenous people engaged in these leadership positions for each team.
“Holding the Championships on the Gold Coast is also a very significant engagement opportunity for us. With some 60,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the South East Queensland region, the feedback and support from the local community has already been excellent.’
During the Championships participants will meet Indigenous AFL players and engage in leadership seminars.
The best performing teams will play in a curtain-raiser prior to the Gold Coast Suns’ home match against Hawthorn match at Metricon Stadium on Saturday 3 September.
At the conclusion of the Championships, 25 players will be selected for the 2011 Flying Boomerangs squad. The squad will tour Fiji in December this year.
Pictured is the jumper the U15 side will wear at the championships.
The side is:- Myra Tomsana, Henjo Mareko, Jeffrey Hudson, Didymus Blanket, Zengray Nona, Anthony Nichols, Amey Odo, Tolowah Savage, Isaac Rokeby (Cape/Cairns), Darryl McDowell-White, Jared Isbel (Brisbane South-East), Joel Hagan, Curtis Cobbo-Riley, Trey Kemp (Brisbane North), Aaron Yusia, Edward Tudor, Walter Peters (Brisbane West), Reimarley O’Donoghue (Sunshine Coast), Delf Garrawanga, Zedric Burrarwanga, Jessiha Clyden (Townsville), Tyson Wilson, Chase Coghill, Liam Togo (Gold Coast), Samuel Charles (Wide Bay). Emerg: John Gorrie (Sunshine Coast), Kusam Nuwia (Townsville), Andrew Barnes (Gold Coast), Heath Molloy (Cape/Cairns).
