Making their mark on Armidale’s AFL history
By Ellen Dunger (Armidale Express, 13/04/2016)
In front of an enthusiastic Armidale crowd at Bellevue Oval, the Nomads went down 122 points to 15.
Coach Neil Dunn was thrilled with the turnout for the junior’s first match and believes the team can only improve.
“It was fantastic,” he said.
“All the kids played well.
“Everybody loved it.
“We actually had a reasonable crowd there to watch too.
“This is the first time a junior competition has been run so it is a gap between Auskick and seniors so kids can play Auskick and now they can play juniors and then play seniors so we have got a full range of AFL for all age groups.”
Dunn said although not every team in the Tamworth competition have produced junior sides, it is positive to see the game on the rise in the region.
“There are some kids playing who have come through the Auskick system but we also have some kids who are playing for the first time this year and they are going extremely well,” he said.
“There are also kids from not only Armidale but Walcha as well.
“It offers a full club atmosphere with Auskick and seniors.
“AFL is a game that has a lot of fitness and agility and it hasn’t got the full tackling of the other football codes.”
The game is continuing to grow and Dunn is calling for more juniors to put their hand up and become involved in the sport, whether or not they have played before.
“We would love to have kids come along,” he said.
“We need some more kids to play and get involved in the great game of AFL.”
Any players under 16 interested in playing in the junior AFL competition, contact Neil Dunn on 0427 411 012 or NSW/ACT AFL Development Officer Jed Ellis-Cluff on 0413 324 844.
Not for reproduction except by permission of the Armidale Express