Territory football history will be created on Saturday when a Central Australian Football League side meets reigning NTFL premier Waratah in a curtain raiser match before the big Gold Coast-Adelaide AFL clash at TIO Stadium.
It's been 56 years since the same two sides met at Anzac Oval in Alice Springs where the Centralians prevailed by 10 goals.
Present day CAFL coach Matt Campbell wants to continue that trend with a win in Darwin against the Ryan Ayres coached Waratah more than half a century later.
The former North Melbourne goalkicker will fill a playing coach role against Tahs, with another North Melbourne player, Adrian McAdam and ex-Federal coach Dave Thomas as his deputies.
Waratah, who snapped a 23-year Premier League drought two months ago by beating Southern Districts in the TIO NTFL Grand Final, will have premiership coach Ryan Ayres in charge.
Both sides are expected to be without key players for Saturday's 3.00pm clash, injury and unavailability robbing the Centralians of key goalkickers Shawn Foster from Pioneer, Thomas Gorey from South Alice Springs and Shane Inkamala from Federal.
Big marking forward Daniel Stafford and clever goalkicker Dylan Barry have not played enough football this season and missed selection.
Campbell has assured fans who arrive at TIO Stadium for the afternoon clash that his side has the skill and intent to knock over Waratah.
"Any time you play in a rep game is an opportunity to showcase your best talent and the best way to do that is to win,'' he said when asked about the chances of the first representative team to wear the CAFL colours since 1984 when they lost to an NTFL side at TIO Traeger Park.
“It’s a massive opportunity for local players to showcase not only their talent but also the talent across the CAFL. Being able to pull on the CAFL guernsey for the first time in a long time will be a great recognition for players and will bring lots of excitement.”
"We've picked the side from blokes who want to play footy for the love of their town and the game itself, they're the players we want to reward and I'm sure they'll play their hearts out.''
Reigning premier Pioneer is looking at having seven players in the squad and this season's ladder leaders Federal have a few key inclusions in a show of strength and intent from CAFL selectors.
"This is the first time for a long time (42 years) since all five clubs have been represented as CAFL players and we're very keen to play well in front of Darwin footy fans.''
"In this case Waratah is a well-structured club with a good coach and players keen to do well for the jumper they're wearing, so we expect a tough opposition,'' added Campbell.
The CAFL Representative side is proudly supported by Alice Springs-based, Yeperenye Shopping Centre and Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation.
Waratah coach Ryan Ayres will be without several premiership players due to their commitments with southern league clubs.
Classy midfielder and dual CAFL best and fairest Abe Ankers will play for his hometown of Alice Springs.
But Ayres still expects to put a competitive side out on the ground with premiership captain Brodie Carroll, midfielder Edward Morris, utility Tom Cree and defenders James Arratta and Joel Crocker remaining from the grand final side.
"There's quite a few boys who have stayed in town and remember our reserves played off in the grand final and our under-18s won the flag, so it gives us a good group of players to choose from,'' Ayres said.
"Timmy Kerinaiua and Dwayne Kerinaiua were superstars in the 18s grand final win over St Mary's and will definitely play for us.
"The occasion of playing a curtain raiser to an AFL game and this being the first CAFL game for how many years will drive the players and you never play a game of footy to lose will mean the players are up for this.
"Then there is the pride in wearing the jumper, probably a big factor for the CAFL players as well, who have a great opportunity to put their competition on the map.''
Saturday 3 June 2023 | Key Timings
- 2:30 PM – Bonson and Ah Mat Gates open
- 3:00 PM – Waratah v CAFL Representative Side
- 7:00 PM – Gold Coast SUNS vs Adelaide Crows
- Purchase tickets here
