RICHARD COOMBS | DALBY HERALD | 28 MAY 2013
DALBY'S Aussie rules community is still buzzing after the town hosted its first Under-15 Schoolboy State Championships at the weekend.
A whopping six members of the Darling Downs squad in this year's championships were from Dalby, comprising one of the biggest contingents in recent years.
Securing the championships was a real coup for the Swans and indeed the town, which beat much bigger places like Toowoomba and Warwick to host the four-day competition.
Teams from 10 regions across the state converged on the town for the 43rd championship where twenty games of Aussie rules were completed across the four days of hotly-contested competition.
Powerhouse South Coast was the eventual winner of the championship this year, defeating Brisbane's Metropolitan East in Sunday's final.
The Darling Downs side didn't have the best of championships after securing just one win from its four matches.
The home side lost to Northern, Capricornia and winners South Coast, but were able to clinch a solid win against the Wide Bay team.
Dalby Swans president Scott Matthews said hosting the state championships was good exposure for the club and also for the town, and he said the Dalby facilities were given a good review by everyone who was involved.
The success of this important carnival proves smaller centres like Dalby do have the capacity to efficiently host big state-wide competitions.
"Representatives from AFLQ come out and they were very impressed with the venue," Matthews said.
Mr Matthews said having six players pull on the blue and red jersey was a real testament to the quality of the Aussie rules programs run in Dalby.
In a town where other football codes traditionally dominate the landscape, it is clear proof that the game is gaining momentum in rural areas like Dalby.
But not only is the game becoming more popular, the standard of play is also improving.
The Swans have had junior Aussie rules for around 10 years, and Mr Matthews said the first cycle of players is nearing completion, and the positive effect is obvious.
Matthews said while training and drills were good, it was in the actual matches where they improved their skills.
"Now these kids are just starting to come through," he said.
"You can see the improvement - the more they play the better they get.
"We're seeing it now because they started in Under-8s."
Meanwhile, the Dalby Swans A-grade enjoyed a bye on the weekend and will take on University away on the weekend.
Last Modified on 14/06/2013 14:37
