Tomorrow afternoon will see the Cazalys Under 17 Female NT Thunder Academy compete in the first game of the NAB AFLW Under 17 Championships at TIO Traeger Park.
This match will mark the first time AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) have held a National Under 17 Female Championship game in Central Australia.
Team Baird, named after former Cazalys NT Thunder Academy and 2020 AFLW Gold Coast SUNS draftee player Janet Baird and Team Ponter named after former Cazalys NT Thunder Academy and AFLW Adelaide Crows Premiership player Danielle Ponter will be mixed with squad players from both the Top End and Central Australian regions.
Central Australia’s Kyanne Campbell is set to feature among the squad after coming off the back of two TIO Central Australian Football League (CAFL) premierships last Friday evening. First, she played in the inaugural Under 16 Junior Girls Grand Final for Rovers Football Club and backed it up later that evening, helping the Rovers’ Senior Women secure the 2021 Premiership.
Emma Stark is another emerging talent both as a player and an umpire. After an impressive 2020/21 TIO Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) season on the wing with St Mary’s Football Club and after appearing in the Under 15 Michael Long Cup, forming part of the new AFLNT talent program, Stark will be another rising star to watch.
AFLNT Talent Manager Simon Hargrave said this game will be one of two matches set to showcase the upcoming talent in the Territory.
“After many interstate game changes and being impacted by COVID restrictions this year, we are excited to put on a couple of games which will display the highly skilled and hardworking players from across the Territory on home soil,” he said.
“After months of training twice a week mixed with nutritional sessions, it will be a great opportunity to display the growth of talent on the field.”
Team Baird and Team Ponter will be Head Coached by Rhiannon Busch and Darren Pfeiffer with Assistant Coaches being Hason Grace, Ian McAdam, Lateesha Jeffrey and Rob Clarke.
The second game of the Championships will be played later this month in the Top End on 24 September with the venue still to be determined.
NT NAB AFLW Under 17 Championships Game Day Details:
Teams: Cazalys Under 17 Female NT Thunder Academy – Team Baird vs Team Ponter
When: 4.30pm, Friday 17 September 2021
Where: TIO Traeger Park
Gate Price: FREE
Watch live: https://youtu.be/KWbAv4l8qxs