Transport problems force an end to footyA BREAKDOWN of the island's transport system has forced the Tiwi Islands Football League's first dry season competition to end just six matches in.
The Tiwis hadn't been able to play matches for a month so league officials made the decision recently.
Two of the island's buses used by the league's clubs were shipped to Darwin for repairs last month and the wait had become too long for the season to be sustainable. The season's grand final had been planned for mid-September.
"This time last year we had two buses provided by Tiwi Island Land Council with a free bus service from Garden Point to Bathurst Island; in addition to that we had another community bus plus two 24-seaters. So effectively we had four buses to now having nothing," TIFL general manager Billy Toy said tonight.
"The boys want to play footy but there's nothing anyone can do about it. There's not enough private cars to transport people, then you got to start talking about fuel costs, so all of that's not viable anyway."
The Tiwis had organised their first dry season competition since organised football began about 40 years ago there after heavy rains played havoc with roads during last season's wet. The league were only able to put on four games up to the half-way mark of the 2008/09 season (January 1). A seven-round season plus finals was played in February and March with Tapalinga winning the grand final over Imalu.
Toy predicted the TIFL will have its own regular dry season competition, plus something during the wet. The lure during the wet is TIFL teams playing the curtain-raisers to the Tiwi Bombers' proposed four Northern Territory Football League matches on the islands' redeveloped Tiwi Oval.
"Our footy just got stuffed around," Toy said. "We've had a mini wet season comp and now a mini dry season comp; the people here just want to play footy. The Tiwis would play footy 12 months a year if they could.
"We will get a regular dry season comp and a mini season in the wet. The Bombers will have their home games here before the Christmas break -- this season they could have four -- and the local sides will play before them."
Of the six games played, Muluwurri proved strongest, having played in all rounds and not lost a single game.
"They were on fire; they were the most organised team," Toy said. "They never lost a game but then the wheels (of the competition) fell off, almost literally."
DARREN MONCRIEFF
Darren@AboriginalFootball.com.au
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Last Modified on 18/08/2009 21:18