A FOOTBALL game that means much more than the on-field result will serve as the curtain-raiser to Sunday’s Melbourne-Adelaide clash in Alice Springs.
The AFL's annual trip to the Red Centre will have something new, with the Redtails – a community-minded football club that promotes healthy living and helps players with job readiness – playing the Top End Storm.
>> WATCH IT LIVE The curtain-raiser starts at Traeger Park at 11.40am ACST
The exhibition match, as well as an indigenous cultural ceremony, will be broadcast live on AFL.com.au.
11.40am: Redtails v Top End Storm curtain-raiser starts
1.25pm: presentation of trophy to winning team
1.30pm: players to link arms and walk off together to raise awareness for No More, the ant-domestic violence campaign
2.05pm: ‘Caterpillar Dreaming’ cultural ceremony
2.50pm: Melbourne v Adelaide AFL match starts
Redtails president and co-founder Rob Clarke said his was no ordinary football club, with one of its aims being to foster a stronger bond between indigenous and non-indigenous people.
"The results speak for themselves. The people involved feel like they're worth something and we're breaking the cycle of what they're used to," Clarke said.
"We're encouraging them to think differently, support themselves, add structure in their lives and be prepared to do stuff they're not used to doing, which is training regularly and encouraging others to do the same."
The Redtails program began in 2011 and has grown to the point there are 334 active participants, including two 'Pinktails' women’s teams among the six across senior and youth ranks.
The senior men's side played a series of matches in the Northern Territory Football League in 2012 and 2013 and has organised several exhibition games since.
Two of those clashes in recent years were against Port Adelaide's SANFL team and the VFL's Casey Demons, with seven Redtails players on the Northern Territory Thunder's NEAFL list in 2018.
But that success is just one off-shoot of the Redtails.
Participants must either work, study or be part of the club's Right Tracks program, which caters for indigenous men aged 18-25 and provides education, guidance and work experience.
"People don't get it and think it's just another football side. But what differentiates it from a normal football club is that we're not trying to win a premiership," Clarke said.
"The most important thing is some of the players have kids and they watch their dad go to work every day. That's something we can't measure.
"This program is about engaging young men and women and we're using footy as a tool to do that."
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Among the players to watch are ex-Richmond rookie Gibson Turner, Dylan Barry (cousin of Port Adelaide’s Dom Barry), Baydon Ngalkin and Kane Sevallos-Seden.
Matt Campbell, who was raised in Alice Springs and played for North Melbourne, will coach the Redtails. Campbell is playing coach of NTFL club Darwin Buffaloes and also plays for the Thunder.
Former Melbourne forward and Tiwi Islands product Austin Wonaeamirri is playing-coach of the Storm.
The teams will wear specially designed uniforms featuring work by local artists. The Redtails guernsey was designed by Curtis Haines, who is from Ti Tree but now lives in Alice Springs. The Storm jumper is a recreation of the 2018 Northern Territory Thunder indigenous guernsey designed by ex-Geelong and Western Bulldogs player Nathan Djerrkura.
REDTAILS
1 Gibson Turner, 2 Caleb Hart, 3 Francis Bruce, 4 Liam McDonald, 6 Kane Sevallos-Sedan, 7 Braydon Weily, 8 Dominic Forbes, 9 Rohan Armstrong, 10 Lachy Summers, 11 Shanley Malbunka, 12 Ankin Abbott, 13 Dylan Barry, 14 Mikey Tilmouth, 16 Jamie Hampton, 19 Matthew Bannister, 21 Nigel Lockyer Jr, 24 Toshie Kunoth, 25 Bradley Turner, 27 Jackson Cole, 28 Baydon Ngalkin, 29 Zane Clarke-Edwards, 31 Luke Farrows, 32 Cameron Glover, 35 Thomas Gorey, 42 Royce Close, 44 Peter Nash, 46 Joe Roberts
TOP END STORM
1 Jack Munkara, 2 Harley Puruntutameri, 3 Pio Puautjimi, 4 Jamie Mununnggmurra, 5 Dillen Brown, 11 Louie Narndu, 12 Nelson Wurramara, 13 Robbie Murrungun, 14 Quinton Gurriwiwi, 15 Jermaine Ratjparrwarr Wunungmurra, 16 Mark Lee Nyalik, 17 Robert Tchinbururr, 18 Liam Patrick, 19 Robbie Campbell, 20 Lionel Dhakuwarr, 21 Roy Farmer, 22 Nathan Djerrkura, 23 Winston Yunipingu, 24 Kayle Kossack, 25 Frank Burarruwunga Jerry Gapirri, 26 Patrick Kossack, 27 Marcus Hamilton, 28 Rick Ashley, 29 Austin Wonaeamirri, 30 John Warnir
