World Footy News

Head Coach Kevin Sheedy will visit Elcho Island off the coast of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory tomorrow to launch a new partnership between the Giantsand the Galiwin'ku community. Sheedy, a passionate advocate of Indigenous Australia, will meet members of the community and attend a local football match.

Galiwin'ku, about 520 kilometres from Darwin, is the largest community on Elcho Island and the second largest Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory with a population of 2290 people. It was the inspiration for the song 'My Island Home', originally performed by the Warumpi Band, and later also performed by Christine Anu. It is also home to the blind Aboriginal folk singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.

Giants Chief Executive David Matthews welcomed the opportunity for the AFL's newest club to form a partnership with a remote Indigenous community in conjunction with AFL NT. "The Northern Territory is part of the Giants zone and we are proud to have a number of Indigenous players at our club, including local Territory players Curtly Hampton and Shaun Edwards," Matthews said.

"There are 32 football teams in Galiwin'ku with more than 700 players and this partnership with Galiwin'ku and AFL NT is part of our commitment to support an Indigenous community and further develop the game at a local level." Matthews said the Giants would provide resources to the local football community and through the local college set up an exchange program to allow students to travel to the Giants in Sydney and spend time with players with a focus on education, health and leadership.

"Through our partnership with Lend Lease and the GIANT Community Footprint, we support their reconciliation action plan and want to support other Indigenous communities in New South Wales and the ACT though junior programs," Matthews said. "Kevin Sheedy has been a wonderful advocate of Indigenous footballers and helped create the Dreamtime at the 'G Match which has become an annual fixture between Essendon and Richmond at the MCG and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Galiwin'ku."