The under-18 Indigenous South Pacific and AFL Cairns All Stars stand united before getting ready for their AFLW curtain-raiser at Cazalys Stadium. Photo: Supplied.
Some future Cape York and Torres Straits stars of Australian football showed off their skills in front of a big crowd when they took to the field for a curtain-raising clash at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on 24 October.
The Hawthorn Hawks and Melbourne Demons AFLW teams travelled north for their round nine game but not before the under-18 Indigenous South Pacific (ISP) and AFL Cairns All Stars put on a thriller, with some of the best up-and-coming talent ensuring the curtain-raiser went down to the wire with less than a goal difference when the full-time siren sounded.
Prior to the AFLW match, ISP players Mistee Sagigi and Nelly Anu, and coach Luana Healy had the chance to take to the paddock with the Hawks for a training run on the Wednesday.
Healy said she believed the curtain-raiser demonstrated the level of “untapped potential” across Far North Queensland, especially on Cape York and in the Torres Strait.
“The game brings together some of the best young footballers in Cairns, Cape York, the Torres Strait and South Pacific, and gives them an opportunity to show off their skills in a representative environment on the big stage at the premier sporting ground in Cairns,” she said.
“There is a lot of untapped potential in the entire Far North Queensland region, so the girls having the opportunity to play in the curtain-raiser, let alone see AFLW football at the top level, is great for their development.”
It was not just the U18 players making the most of the AFLW visit to Cairns, with Cape York and Torres Strait U11 girls running onto the field at half-time to soak up the atmosphere.
AFL Cape York development co-ordinator Kieran Sciberras said the girls were in the city for a development camp and relished the chance to watch top-level football up close.
“While in Cairns, the girls had the opportunity to tour AFL Cape York House for Girls, play a friendly match with Freshwater State School, undertake AFL training sessions and, of course, play at half-time of the AFLW match between Hawthorn and Melbourne,” he said.
“We had young people travel from Moa Island, Thursday Island, Bamaga, Injinoo, Aurukun, Hope Vale, Weipa and Pormpuraaw to join in on the program.
“For them to see what AFL is about at the top level is so important for their development – we really hope to see these girls representing in our Crusaders AFL program one day in the future.”
Thursday Island’s Mistee Sagigi is congratulated by Hawthorn Hawks players after being invited to participate in a training session ahead of the team’s AFLW clash against the Melbourne Demons in Cairns on 24 October. Photo: Supplied.
