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.
The exhibition match, as well as an indigenous cultural ceremony, will be broadcast live on AFL.com.au.
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.
The curtain-raiser starts at Traeger Park at 11.40am ACST.
REDTAILS
1 Gibson Turner
2 Caleb Hart
3 Francis Bruce
4 Liam Mc Donald
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
