Paul Kelly Cup Final set for SCG
By Jack McAnespie
The Paul Kelly Cup gives these senior aged primary school children the chance to compete against a string of primary schools from around the state, in the modified round robin competition.
Competitors are set to travel from as far as Coffs Harbour to Albury, with 16 teams (eight boys, and eight girls’ sides) challenging for the title.
The competition is set to be the tightest in Cup history, with a handful of competing schools having made the finals in the past.
Marist College ACT will be looking to shake up the boys competition, and come into the carnival full of confidence – boasting two Under 12s state representatives.
However, it will be 2013 champions, St Patrick’s from Albury who will start as favourite’s, as they look to defend their title.
As for the girls, the Cup will be fiercely contested, with a number of schools vying for the ultimate prize come Monday afternoon.
Henscke Primary School and Wagga Wagga have previously won the boys Paul Kelly Cup title, and will be looking to add the girl’s title to the mantelpiece in 2014.
Kings Langley Primary School return following last year’s successful stint, which saw both the boys and girls team’s represented in the final, the only school to do so.
AFL NSW/ACT Development Officer Maddy Collier commented on the level of participation in the Paul Kelly Cup, and the growth in popularity, not only of the Cup itself, but also of AFL in NSW over that past number of years.
“It’s exciting to see so many kids wanting to get involved in AFL, especially from such a young age,” said Collier.
“There’s no doubt that there is more interest, particularly from young girls, but the enjoyment that the students get out of the whole carnival really the best part of the experience.”
“They get to meet their AFL hero’s, play on the SCG – it’s an opportunity that not every kid gets to have, and it’s a pretty special one.”
The teams will compete in pooled groups, based on the zones from which they hail (being Sydney Swans or GWS Giants), with the top two sides from each pool progressing to the Semi final stage.
The top two sides from each zone at the conclusion of the round robin stages will face off in the Semi finals, with the winners to battle it out in the final to determine the overall champion.
Schools and Universities Program Manager for AFL NSW/ACT, Stuart Newman is very excited about another Paul Kelly Cup, particularly in regards to the enjoyment factor that it provides for the participants.
“The forecast is looking good which will lead to some free flowing footy and hopefully many memorable moments for these students,” Newman commented.
Match Day Information
The Paul Kelly Cup will take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, 4 August, commencing at 10am. There will be a long bomb competition beginning at 1pm, with the Final set to get underway at around 2pm.
