DARREN MONCRIEFF
Friday 27 January 2012
A 8-2 win-loss ratio and the bringing together of its various clan groups has given the Wadeye football team an ideal base to show cause why they should remain in the NTFL.
The Magic played a 10-game trial in the NTFL’s Division 1 (formerly reserves) and was placed third in the 11-team league by the end of their run.
Those two losses were against last season’s grand finalists, Banks and Waratah, and they weren’t beaten by much in both games: 15 points by the Bulldogs and eight points by the Warriors.
Wadeye’s biggest win came against Darwin in round 7; an enormous 33.14 (212) to 2.0 (12) 200-point victory over the hapless Buffaloes.
Around 50 players from Wadeye donned the Magic jumper in its 10 games, pointing to a rotation policy that gives the community's footballers a chance.
Perhaps the community’s enthusiasm for the concept was best illustrated in the form of two players at the opposite end of the age spectrum: Roger Melpi, who is 40, and Gabriel Warnier, 16, playing in the same side against Banks.
"The Wadeye team brought a whole lot of guys together from various clan groups, provided some positive role models to young kids and created a bit of a buzz in the community," Johnathan McLeod, who helped facilitate the team, said.
"A number of the players participated in work and employment training programs.
"The school boys stayed in school, there was about six or seven of them…these kids staying in school was probably the greatest achievement because most of them don’t show up in the second half of last year."
McLeod said the Magic's season review with the AFLNT could take place by at least the end of next month.
"Whether they stay (in the NTFL Division 1) will be based on securing funding for them to participate over a full season," he said.
Match report: Wadeye vs Banks
THIS week, Roger Melpi, Gabriel Warnier and Roderick Smiler get their chance to pull on the Wadeye Magic guernsey as part of the club’s rotation policy.
The inclusions typified what the Wadeye Magic FC is about with a 40-year-old (Melpi) and a 16-year-old (Warnier) getting an opportunity in which they both clearly relished.
The match was touted as match of the round in the NTFL Division 1 with both sides being undefeated. They had shown great form in disposing of teams by large margins in the previous weeks.
AFLNTv Live broadcasted the match live via YouTube, allowing people in the community to view the game, as well as supporters all around the country.
The first quarter was a genuine hard slog for both sides with the ball moving quickly from end to end. Although Wadeye kicked into the breeze they had the ascendancy as they ran the ball well and had plenty of chance to put goals on the board. However, both sides lacked accuracy and no goals were kicked in the first term.
The Magic came out firing in the second quarter, leaving their opposition a little shell-shocked. The pace of the game was seemingly worrying the more fancied Banks side.
Murphy Longmair was on his game up forward, kicking two majors and the Magic went in to the main break 26 points up.
Unfortunately for Wadeye, the second half was a different story. The run seemed to dry up and the bigger bodies of the Banks side became progressively harder to stop.
Banks piled on the goals in the third quarter and held a five-point lead at the last change and, although they had to kick into the breeze in the last, appeared to be in control.
Wadeye came out in the last quarter and battled their hardest but it was to no avail, the Magic going down by 15 points.
Daniel Ariuu continued his sparkling form with yet another best-on-ground performance. Alfred Moongi gave everything at centre half-forward and provided a fantastic focal point for the team. Murphy Longmair provided plenty of highlights with his best return for the season with four majors as well as taking a great ‘speccy’ that got the crowd on their feet.
Scoreboard
Banks 11.11 (77) def. Wadeye Magic 9.8 (62)
Goals: Murphy Longmair 4, Leon Kinthari 2, Alex Lantjin, Desmond Mollingen 1, Roger Melpi 1.
Best: Daniel Ariuu, Alfred Moongi, Gary Ariuu, Murphy Longmair, Roderick Smiler, Alex Lantjin.
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 27/01/2012 15:41