Magpies want a shot at Dreamtime curtain-raiser
FRESH from conquering Pioneer in the AFL Central Australia grand final a fortnight ago, Yuendumu coach Lindsay Walker has his eye on the green grass of the MCG.
Yuendumu can qualify to play at the famed ground if they can win the community club division at next week's AFL Northern Territory's pre-season carnival in Darwin.
The Magpies are considering registering to play and, if so, will be one of an expected 13 community sides in the carnival, the winner of which will play the curtain-raiser to next year's AFL Dreamtime at the 'G match between Essendon and Richmond.
"If the Tiwi mob can do it, so can we," Walker said, in reference to NTFL club Tiwi Bombers playing at the MCG two years ago.
But Walker need only look nearby for inspiration after Santa Teresa, which also competes in the AFLCA, won the Darwin pre-season grand final last year and went on to play Aboriginal Victorian club Fitzroy Stars at the MCG this year.
But when we finally tracked Walker down, what he really wanted to talk about was his side's premiership.
"Everyone is feeling really good about it," he said.
"It's an historic win; records were broken and legends have been made. We won back-to-back premierships (with 2007's Country Cup).
"Yuendumu belongs in this competition. In the last eight to 10 years we've always been in the finals.
"We came the hard way (from fourth) and we travelled for the last seven weeks, that really helped us because every week we played it helped with our hardness at the football.
"It was a new level of footy and as an individual you pull out your best skills for that sort of game.
"And when that siren sounded I was floating on air, my heart went away, it jumped, and it come back again."
DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Last Modified on 04/10/2008 13:39