Carnival showcases indigenous players

Over 200 footballers and 40 coaches and support staff battled it out over the two day carnival. The Northern Allies and Cummeragunja Swans took home the silverware after two days of quality competition at Maher Oval. In the fooball grand final, the Allies overpowered the Narrungdera Warriors while the Swans proved too good for the Marrambidya Crows Gold in the netball.

Thousands of people packed into Maher Oval to watch some of the best indigenous football talents showcase their skill. It was also the first time a netball competition had been held as part of the Jack Atkinson Memorial Carnival.

Carnival Organiser, Rod Craig, said it was a great weekend, “The whole carnival was a big success,” he said. “The quality of football – for the pre-season- was outstanding and a great spectacle for everyone at the ground. “The ground was packed on Friday night and then Saturday there was a steady stream of people through the gates the entire day.”

Craig heaped praise on the idea to establish a netball competition, saying it was outstanding effort to have 12 teams take part in the first year. Craig was also victorious Northern Allies team but thanked every player for making the effort to participate. “The carnival keeps getting stronger and keeps growing, so next year we might have to look at expanding again,” he said. “I also wanted to thank the ex-AFL players for getting behind the idea and it shows you that they care about the sport and the next generation”.

Brisbane Lions premiership player Chris Johnson, former Saint and Lion Xavier Clarke as well as Robbie Ahmat and Derek Murray all took part in the carnival.

Northern Allies excitement machine Jay Kickett was named player of the carnival and earned a place in the carnival’s merit team. The merit team will play in this season’s state regional championships.

A positive was the form of several young players as teenagers Daniel Briggs, Andrew Moody, Ethan Hooder and Zac Williams all made the merit team.

Full team list:

• Daniel Fellows, Daen Rose, Ashley Nichols, Jamie Hampton, Marty Ballinger, Ethan Hodder, Dean Hetta, Ashley Murray, Jarrah Maksymow, Matt Lewington, Harry Dennis, Zac Williams, Geoff Johnson, John Ingram, Michael Williams, Mark Flack, Daniel Honneysett, Lenny Lyons, Nathan Weldon-Bowen, James Burgess, Eddie Whyman, Chris Gordon, Andrew Moody, Andrew Craig, Jay Kickett, Rodney Craig, Chris Bolt, Dylan Kerr and Daniel Briggs.

The merit team will play in the NSW/ACT State Regional Championships on the june long weekend at Blacktown International Sportspark.