AFL

Donald’s footballers had their one and only practice hit-out leading up to North-Central’s 2023 season at Swan Hill last Saturday, fielding a team that combined plenty of youth and experience.

Collingwood Football Club (CFC) players returned to Tennant Creek this week as part of its Community Camp, the first since the Covid-19 pandemic. After the footy team worked up a sweat working out at the Barkly Regional Council’s Fitness and Wellness Centre on Tuesday, they headed to Purkiss Reserve to meet local children and Collingwood fans at a free Community BBQ hosted by AFL Barkly.

Jeff Hanson. Saturday's Riverina Football League (RFL) grand final at Narrandera Sportsground lived up to expectation, with the Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong (GGGM) Lions and Collingullie-Glenfield Park (CGP) Demons engaging in a low-scoring and finals-like slugfest. In a game dictated by momentum swings, both sides had their chances, but the Lions kicked away to score three majors in the final quarter, setting up a 6.12 (48) to 4.7 (31) victory, giving the club their first premiership in 11 years.

A cold and windy day with fleeting glimpses of sunshine set the stage at the Nullawil Football Grounds for the Golden Rivers Finals. The action was hot and so too were some tempers as passions ran high ... Murrabit walking away as A Grade netball premiers in the ’22 Golden Rivers Football Netball League season.

The Lake Nash Bats could be kicked out of the AFL Mount Isa competition after officials and fans assaulted umpires on Saturday. The violence escalated after the final siren of the grand final, won by the Tigers in an upset, however the trouble was brewing well before then.

Kendall Jennings. Football and netball finals were held on the weekend, with mother nature delivering sunny skies for winter. It is an achievement for any team to make finals and that fact alone needs celebrating. Saturday, the Raiders Under 16s netball hit the court at Woorinen for the qualifying final to face Kerang. Raiders’ fans gathered courtside to support the girls with club colours, streamers and cheers for outstanding play.

The Toyota AFL National Inclusion Carnival is set to be played for the first time since 2019 ... Angaston Football Club in the Barossa will host the carnival, the first time it will be held in SA ... "We're thrilled the AFL is bringing this event to regional South Australia for the first time. It's a great opportunity for our community to join in the spirit of competition and celebration that is synonymous with the Carnival and hopefully encourage those people in our own local community with an intellectual disability to get involved in the future": Mayor Bim Lange.

It’s not often that locals get the chance to rub shoulders with footballing legends, but this is what happened when ex-Geelong players Matthew Scarlett and Darren Milburn came to MFNC training last Thursday night.   They were generous with their time and gave sound advice to both junior and senior footballers. Both defenders, Matthew and Darren were outstanding players at a time when Geelong was one of the best teams in the competition.

Kendall Jennings. Koondrook teenager, Alethea D’Silva, has been selected for an inaugural under 14 girls football development game against Sunraysia at Tooleybuc on Sunday, August 7 ... a great discussion about what Alethea has overcome to play any sport with girls' participation low.

Kendall Jennings. It was the second match for new head coach Darren Troy on a sunny Saturday afternoon for the Raiders (June 18). Raiders’ spectators were unaware they were in for a treat with the Seniors match.

This Saturday head to Purkiss Reserve at 10am to watch history being made when Spitfires Women and YDU Women play the inaugural game of AFLW in the Barkly. For the last eight weeks, women from Tennant Creek have been honing their AFL skills.

Maldon Auskick Centre was lucky enough to have Maddy Pieper, AFL Central Vic Auskick Champion, run a session with the group last week. The kids, though always well behaved, were extra attentive to Maddy.

Kendall Jennings. The inaugural ‘Girls Footy Festival’ made its stop at Kerang on Sunday, May 15. Three games of Under 14s girls football kicked off the action in the morning, supported by a match from the Bendigo Junior Football League Under 18 girls scheduled to play at Woorinen, which was moved to Kerang, followed by a Central Victorian Women's League match in the afternoon.

Tennant Creek’s very own Doreen Hansen has been selected to play for the All Stars in the NAB AFL Women’s Academy vs Under-23 All-Stars game this Sunday in Melbourne ... Doreen’s talent was evident when she attended Tennant Creek High School.

Jeff Hanson. In only their second year in the competition, the Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong (GGGM) Lions have won the AFL Riverina SNSW women’s football premiership. After going through the 2022 season undefeated, the Lions met the North Wagga Saints in the grand final at Apex Park on Friday night and came away 8.6 (54) to 2.5 (17) winners.

Liz Lawrence. The Sullivan name has been synonymous with Australian football in Narrandera for decades and now one of its favourite sons James Sullivan has been honoured for his commitment to the game as a teacher at St Francis de Sales Regional College. James, son of Barry and Debbie Sullivan of Narrandera, has been named as a NSW/ACT Secondary School Ambassador for the game in the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Kirstin Nicholson. Ali Bohn. Ernie O'Rourke from Leitchville has a strong connection to the Melbourne Football Club, playing for the Demons in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1945 to 1948. Ernie was part of two grand final teams in 1946 and 1948, both games against Essendon ... Ernie watched Saturday’s grand final match from his lounge room with his partner, Gwen, who is a long-time Footscray supporter.  

Purkiss Reserve was packed with regional footy fans, as the Sporties Spitfires and the Janapurlalki Eagles took the field to contest the 2021 Barkly AFL Grand Final to see who would take the trophy.

Kirstin Nicholson. Cohuna’s Josh Treacy has been signed on to the Fremantle Dockers for another two seasons. Josh played his first AFL game for the Dockers in round four of the 2021 season in April against the Hawks and now has seven games under his belt, citing the win against Sydney as the best game he has ever played in and been a part of.

Nicholas Rupolo. Barellan Two Blues are now in seventh place after a slim nine-point victory over Coleambally Blues in a drama filled game during round eight of the Farrer League. The Two Blues defeated Coleambally 32-23 away from home for just their second win of the season despite the game being called off in the third quarter.

Nicholas Rupolo. The Barellan Two Blues have finally launched themselves off the bottom of the table with a 96-35 win against Temora Kangaroos at Nixon Park ... Head Coach Lawder was absolutely thrilled with the performance and lauded his sides perseverance after four winless weeks. “It does feel good to get the monkey off the back,” Lawder said.

Robert McLay. Narrandera seniors came up against a desperate Turvey Park Bulldogs side on Saturday at Maher Oval, with the Eagles keen to put a better performance after a round one loss to Ganmain. The Bulldogs started hot kicking the first couple of goals in a row and the Eagles were under pressure from the get go.