MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

 

The AFL today joined the Human Rights Commission and the Australian Government in endorsing a new national anti-racism strategy - Racism. It Stops With Me.

 

Represented by North Melbourne players Andrew Swallow and Majak Daw, the AFL is one of a number of organisations across business, sport and Government who are supporting the campaign on the basis of their long-standing work on combating racism.

“Imagine all the people… sharing all the world.”

What does John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ have to do with linking up international Australian Football clubs all over the world? Well this song was the inspiration for Pyramid Power’s Wesley Hull to embark on a virtual voyage of discovery, contacting clubs across Australia and around the world through social media and asking them to become part of their network as a “big brother club”.

Pyramid Power is no stranger to crossing boundaries and linking communities together. The club is a small junior football club located in the small town of Gordonvale near Cairns and 80-90% of the kids come from remote and impoverished communities in the Torres Strait and the Cape York Peninsula and are boarders at the town’s indigenous college. Others come from the nearby Yarrabah aboriginal community.
 

Below you can watch the VFL match from last weekend with Collingwood playing Sandringham. This is the VFL's first effort at live streaming a match.

Our US viewers may be interested to watch Shae McNamara who was one of the best players for Collingwood in the match. Also Irishman Paul Cribbin is playing for the Pies. Another lesser known Irishman also playing for Collingwood is Cathal Corr who was born in Ireland to Irish parents but moved to Australia as a lad and played junior football in suburban Melbourne. We won't spoil the match any further by revealing the score.

The Korin Gamadji Institute (KGI), based in the ME Bank Centre, at the Richmond Football Club was officially launched by Prime Minister Julia Gillard today.

 

The KGI provides opportunities for young Indigenous people to participate in programs to develop leadership, vocational skills and training and ultimately assist them in creating sustainable careers.

 

“The Korin Gamadji Institute is confirmation that the work of Reconciliation isn’t always about the big gestures. The transformative power of education should never be underestimated, and the Korin Gamadji Institute will be responsible for changing lives,” said Prime Minister Gillard at the launch.

WAFL powerhouse Claremont has claimed the 2012 Foxtel Cup, going one better than their runners-up finish in 2011.

The match was played in Perth at Patersons Stadium on Thursday night and Claremont jumped VFL side Werribee to take a good early lead before the visitors fought back to trail by just 9 points at the first break.  The third quarter proved decisive with the home side booting four goals to none and never looked back, running out easy 44 point victors.

15 year old Jasmine Fitzgerald recently started playing football for the Lalor Stars Youth Girls team and after playing 6 games she claims she is hooked on it, proudly singing out her team’s song with her arms round her team mates when they win.

 However, unlike her team mates, Jasmine only has one leg, the other having been amputated as a child after she contracted meningitis. Despite this, you would barely notice the difference as she runs around the field enthusiastically with the help of a surprisingly ordinary looking prosthetic.

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Six pioneering women have been selected as finalists for the 2012 Football Woman of the Year (FWOTY) award. The winner will be announced at the Grand Final Comedy Debate on Thursday 27 September at Crown Palladium.

The finalists are:

Cheryl Cates - President of the South Australian Women’s Football League (SAWFL)
Jo Del Prete – Advisory role to the West Australian Football Commission
Belinda Duarte - AFL’s SportsReady Indigenous Program and Director of Korin Gamadji Institute
Peta Searle - Port Melbourne Football Club Assistant Coach
Suki Hobson - Strength Scientist at the Essendon Football Club
Diana Taylor – First woman on the VFL Tribunal and President of the Western Region Football League.

Level 3 coaches Peta Searle and Nicole Graves have been selected in the 2012 Women’s High Performance Academy which will be conducted in Melbourne this week.

The seven-day high performance camp coincides with Women’s Round - Round 17 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season. The Academy involves 50 participants including coaches, players, an umpire, strength and conditioning coaches and talent and coaching managers and aims to enhance football and coaching skills.