World Footy News

Australian Football truly is growing rapidly in South Africa, with Western Cape one of the newest regions but already boasting a four team competition to add to their junior clinics program. The finals of their inaugural season (the year will be split into multiple seasons), dubbed footyWILD Extreme, have just finished, with Khayelitsha Divines challenging favourites the Nyanga Thunderstorm in a closely fought battle. The region has also secured sponsorship and the assistance of The Salamander Company to help with promotion - the following report is courtesy of them.

Western Cape footyWILD Extreme Season 1, 2008 Finals Results - footyWILD the game that roars!

Last Sunday, the 20th April 2008, four local township teams competed in the inaugural finals of the footyWILD Extreme competition in Cape Town.

There was an exciting and tense atmosphere at the Khayelitsha Cricket Oval where the Nyanga Blue Birds won against the Khayelitsha Real Kangaroos in the Plate Final while ultimately the Khayelitsha Divines were crowned the footyWILD Extreme Premiers, Season 1, against the Nyanga Thunderstorm.

The Premiership was not won without drama however, the first quarter was very tense with both teams trying hard to gain the ascendancy. The top players in both teams were heavily marked by their opponents, making it difficult for either team to dominate the mid field. At the end of the first quarter, the Nyanga Thunderstorm were in front by 1 point.

The second quarter was tough for both teams. Scoring opportunities were rare, with each team scoring 1 goal a piece by half time. A point scored in the dying minutes of the second quarter by the Khayelitsha Divines meant that scores were even at the half time break.

The third quarter was an emotionally charged affair as each team tried desperately to pull ahead on the score board. However, the third quarter, often regarded as the “Premiership Quarter” in Australia, belonged to Khayelitsha Divines. They scored 1 goal, 2 points - to a solitary point to the Nyanga Thunderstorm and it seemed that the unbelievable would happen. Nyanga Thunderstorm had been unbeaten and dominant all season. Only an administrative error had forced them into the position of potentially losing the Premiership.

With only 7 points separating them at the third quarter break, both coaches tried hard to motivate their players to give everything they had in the last quarter. The Nyanga Thunderstorm fought valiantly in the last quarter, scoring a goal early on to put them only 1 point behind the Khayelitsha Divines. Desperately trying to hold on to their lead, the Khayelitsha Divines pushed forward but managed only to score a behind, pushing the margin to 2 points. In the dying minutes, the Nyanga Thunderstorm put everything they had into one last attack.

When the final siren sounded at the end of the game, the Khayelitsha Divines had snatched victory by only 1 point. The celebrations were legendary, with players hugging each other in disbelief. Crushed and broken, the Nyanga Thunderstorm players shook hands with their opponents and gathered sadly around their coach. The Season 1 2008 Premiership belonged to the Khayelitsha Divines, proving that in this great game of footy, it all comes down to how you play on the day.

Western Cape footyWILD Development Officer Allison Simons said “I am very pleased that the last game of the season was such a close and exciting game. It goes to show that the competition is very even and that there is a lot of passion for this new and exciting sport. Congratulations to the Khayelitsha Divines, who ended up being the better team on the day and deserve to hold the Premiership Trophy up high. Commiserations to Nyanga Thunderstorm, who having dominated the competition all season, were unable to clinch victory in the end. Season 2 2008 starts in a few weeks time and I am sure they will get their opportunity then”.

Thunderstorm Coach, Siya Mamkeli said “As I expected, it was a very tough game. My boys put up a good fight but because we were missing many of our key players on the day, we were disadvantaged in terms of height and experience. We didn’t use the opportunities we were presented with properly and this is why we lost the game. Although I am sad to have lost the Premiership, I am excited about the future of footy in Nyanga. More and more people want to get involved and we are attracting attention in other communities. The sport will flourish in the next few years”.

After the win, the Khayelitsha Divines Coach, Xolani Nyembeny said, “We are very excited to be the Season 1 2008 footyWILD Extreme Premiers. We never expected to win but I told my players to hold their heads high and never give in. In the end, it worked and we won a good and hard game. I want to tell the other young people out there, come and join us! Come and find out about this new sport called footy and join in the excitement!”

In the Plate Final, the Nyanga Blue Birds were 18 points ahead at half time. The Real Kangaroos put in a spirited fight in the third quarter but the Blue Birds' coordinated attack was too much for them and they conceded 5 goals, managing only 2 of their own goals. In the end, the Nyanga Blue Birds were victorious beating the Real Kangaroos by 44 points to finish third on the Western Cape FootyWILD Extreme ladder.

The Association for the Reduction of Tobaacco-related Harm (ARTH), AusAID (the Australian Government’s Agency for International Development) and Costa Logistics support AFL South Africa and footyWILD in the Western Province.

Event Results

When: Sunday 20th April 2008
Where: Khayelitsha Cricket Oval, Town 2, Khayelitsha

Premiership

Final scores: Khayelitsha Divines won against the Nyanga Thunderstorm in the Premiership Final

Khayelitsha Divines 4.6 (30)
Nyanga Thunderstorm 4.5 (29)

Goal kickers:
Khayelitsha Divines: Thembelani Jwara 2; Momelezi Nyembenya, Bayanda Sobetwa 1.
Nyanga Thunderstorm: Abongile Kolanisi, Mxolisi Sokomane, Justin Miller, Yonela Kabase 1

Plate Final

Final scores: The Nyanga Blue Birds beat the Real Kangaroos to finish third in the Western Cape footyWILD Extreme Final.

Nyanga Blue Birds 12.14 (86 )
Khayelitsha Real Kangaroos 6.6 (42)

Top goal scorers:
Nyanga Blue Birds: Khaya Sikiti 4; Dylan Heneck, Zimase Mangali, 2
Khayelitsha Real Kangaroos: Vuyani Gqiba, Sikhulile Gamakhulu 2.

Awards: Best & Fairest: Justin Miller (Award for best Player in the Competition)
Runner-up Best & Fairest: Bayanda Sobetwa
Top Goal Kicker: Justin Miller (Award for Player who scored the most goals)
Encouragement Award (Senior): Lwazi Jawe
Encouragement Award (Junior): Prince Foloti
Outstanding Contribution to footyWILD Extreme: Wayne Miller & Andrew Smith

Khayelitsha Divines celebrate becoming the inaugural Western Cape footyWILD Extreme Premiers, 20th April, 2008 (photographer Ms Allison Simons)