Vics restore pride with 41-point win over Tiwis at MCGBRAMBUK Eels' Aaron Clark says the match against Imalu at the MCG on Saturday was, for his mob at least, more of a cultural celebration than a football one.
Clark, a ranger at the Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre in western Victoria, said for many of the Eels players, Saturday's match at the home of football was their first visit to the famed ground.
The Eels restored some Vic footy pride after defeating the Tiwi Islanders by 41 points, 13.10 (88) to 7.5 (47), in the curtain-raiser to the Richmond-v-Essendon Dreamtime at the 'G. Most of Brambuk's players, drawn from five groups from western Victoria, have historical ties to the men who played Marn Grook, the traditional game which influenced Tom Wills, the founding father of modern football.
"This was like a cultural event for us," Clark, 28, said. "We had about 400 of our mob in the crowd. It was certainly an honour and the boys were thrilled representing our people. That was the theme of the week; to do our families and communities proud."
Clark, a one-time premiership player with NTFL club St Mary's, said the gameplan was quite simple.
"It was to play long and direct footy with a touch of hardness," he said. "We implemented that and it paid off on the day; we knew the Tiwis had the pace but it (gameplan) came off.
"Everyone got a run and the pleasing thing about it is that everyone contributed, even five or six of the boys who were under 17."
The Eels were a class above the Tigers. The Koorie team, with some talented Victoria-based Nyoongars, led at every break. Their smart use of the ball, defensive pressure and structure saw them run away with the win. A late rally by Imalu when goals came to Daniel Stassi and Michael Wilson were counted by majors to Ben Barry and Aidan Kickett in the final quarter.
* Picture: Imalu's Graham Puruntatameri (right) takes a mark in front of Brambuk's Dwayne Sampi at the MCG on Saturday night. Credit: SLATTERY MEDIA GROUP.
* See the Photo Gallery for more pics from the game.
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Darren@AboriginalFootball.com.au
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Last Modified on 01/07/2009 19:56