THREE big wins over the Moree Suns, the formation of the first-ever North West U17s representative team, and noticeable strides in the women's team: it was “a massive weekend” in Inverell AFL.
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AFL NSW/ACT development officer Sonia Martin said it had been a very long day of the game at Varley Oval on Saturday, and very successful for the Sapphire City.
The day started with a mixed U14s friendly match and finished with the men’s game under lights.
Ms Martin said the scratch match had about 20 players from across the region and was “very much a good, fun, friendly introduction to AFL and a real ‘have a kick’.”
In the early afternoon, trials were held for an U15s and U17s rep team, with teens trying out from Inverell, Armidale, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Moree and Manilla.
“That was great, and it looks like we’ve got an U17s North-West rep team, which will be the first time ever,” she said.
“We need to get together a squad of 22, so it’s a big ask.
“There were some great athletes in there – the ones who live and breathe AFL – and some new ones saying, ‘I’m not really an AFL player’ and we’re saying, ‘Yes, but you’re an athlete, you're competitive – we can teach you the right skills’.
“They have the desire to compete; you can’t make kids have that.”
Ms Martin said that would allow players their first chance to compete in the Northern AFL Carnival in Coffs Harbour in July – and to be seen.
“That’s where the selectors come, and that’s where the talent ID guys come,” she said.
“We’ve got some kids who’d love nothing more than to be able to play AFL as a career, but the AFL talent ID people aren’t going to drive from Sydney to Inverell or Moree.
“We’re probably biased, but we’ve got some awesome kids with some great skills going really well, so it’s about providing them with the opportunities.”
Three wins:
The trials were followed by the juniors, women’s and men’s games, in which the Inverell Saints won over the Moree Suns every time: 108 to 80 in the juniors; 94 to 27 in the women’s; and 186 to 31 in the men’s.
Ms Martin said it was particularly satisfying to see the improvement in the Saints’ women’s team a year on from their exhibition match.
“I can’t remember the score, but we lost by a bit and it was generally a low-scoring, scrappy game,” she said.
“This year I was watching it and thinking, ‘That was a great handball, that was a great kick, that was a great series of plays’,” Ms Martin said.
“These girls have now beaten every other team in the league and won them well …
“Last year we played two games and lost two games; this year we’re top of the ladder. It’s a really exciting turnaround.”
Next weekend, the women’s and men’s team have the bye, and the juniors travel to Moree.
In the best:
Juniors: Jack Stafford, Lachie Martin, Cam Sparke-Gaukroger, River Pentecost,
Women’s: Jaimie Pay, Larissa Matheson, Sam Barber, Eleanor Feeney, Eleanore Ford, Ashleigh Cox.
Men’s: Darren Pithers, Toby Tollis, Michael Gould, Sam Kimmince, Blake Dobbs, Nathan Hughes.