DARREN MONCRIEFF
Monday 11 June 2012
SATURDAY 14 July promises to be a big day for two former football greats who will meet in Sydney, magnetic board in hand hoping to go one up on each other.
WA football great Phil Narkle and AFL legend Andrew McLeod (pictured) will go head-to-head as rival coaches at the AFL's national under-16 championships next month, which will be held at the Blacktown International Sports Park in Sydney's west.
The two men never crossed paths on the football field, playing in two different eras, and their appointments as coaches are their first at national level.
Both men certainly have the football credentials.
Narkle, who won three WAFL premierships in 178 games with Swan Districts and played 66 games for St Kilda and West Coast, will lead the preominantly Indigenous WA North West side as coach at the championships.
Narkle's team is made up of players from the three regions of WA's north-west: Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley.
The squad will attend a two-day camp in Perth this weekend before heading east a week out from the championships.
"Young players will now have the chance to be part of the WA State Talent Academy without relocating to Perth," Narkle said.
"It also provides an opportunity for the player to engage in a high performance program, which will assist them in their football pathway. I'm looking forward to the challenge and passing on my knowledge and experience."
Dual AFL premiership and North Smith medal winner, Andrew McLeod, will coach the Flying Boomerangs which draws players from all over Australia and who were selected from the national Indigenous KickStart championships in April.
"The Boomerangs have been selected from the best 150 Indigenous under-15s in Australia," the 340-gamer McLeod said.
"We are creating a pathway for young players; giving them the chance to travel and learn from former AFL players.
"To play in the championships against other representative teams will enhance their development and is a fantastic addition to the 12-month program."
Both sides will play in the new Division 3 of the championships.
In addition to the Australian State and Territory sides, the division will host two international teams: South Pacific and World, which both teams will play.
Fixtures
Round 1
Saturday 7 July
Western Australia v South Australia at Blacktown, 12pm
Vic Country v Vic Metro at Blacktown 2.30pm
Sunday 8 July
WA North West v South Pacific at Blacktown, 9.30am
Tasmania v Queensland at Blacktown, 12.15pm
NSW/ACT v Northern Territory at Blacktown, 2.40pm
World Team v Flying Boomerangs at Blacktown, 5.30am
Round 2
Tuesday 10 July
Vic Country v South Australia at Blacktown, 11am
Western Australia v Vic Metro at Blacktown, 1.10pm
Wednesday 11 July
Tasmania v NSW/ACT at Bruce Purser Reserve, 10am
Queensland v Northern Territory at Bruce Purser Reserve, 12pm
Flying Boomerangs v South Pacific at Blacktown, 4pm
World Team v WA North West at Blacktown, 6pm
Round 3
Friday 13 July
Western Australia v Vic Country at Blacktown, 10am
Vic Metro v SA at Blacktown, 12.10pm
Saturday 14 July
Northern Territory v Tasmania at Blacktown, 9.30am
WA North West v Flying Boomerangs at Blacktown, 9.30am
Queensland v NSW/ACT at Blacktown, 11.30am
South Pacific v World Team at Blacktown, 2pm
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 11/06/2012 17:32