2017 National Male Diversity Championships Tuesday, April 11, 2017 - 9:25 AM

The annual Under 15 AFL National Male Diversity Championships is currently underway in Blacktown, the traditional land of the Darug people.

Currently in its fourth year, the AFL National Male Diversity Championships has been developed to provide a supported talented player pathway that compliments the NAB AFL Under 16 Championships and exposes Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural players, coaches, umpires, doctors, and trainers to an elite AFL Program environment.

Supported by Australia Post and Rio Tinto, the Championships feature over 300 young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural AFL players across 13 teams representing all States and Territories.

Games are being officiated by twelve umpires who represent the National Diversity Umpiring Academy, selected from state academies based on high performance while coaches leading the squads are members of the Diversity Coaching Academy.

The Championships will form the basis for selection to compete in the Boomerangs and World Teams at the NAB AFL Under 16 Championships.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA 

ALL NATIONS TEAM
2017 WA All Nations Team

FIXTURES AND RESULTS
Sunday, April 9
SA 2.5 (17) def WA 2.3 (15)
Leading Gola Kickers: Buka, Alvarez

WA 10.6 (66) def VIC 1.2 (8)
Leading Goal Kickers: Goncalves (4), Haddow (3), Alvarez (2), Vitalone

Monday, April 10
WA 5.7 (37) def TAS 5.0 (30)
Leading Goal Kickers: McNess (2), Mackane (2), Tozawa
Best Players: Weshern, McNess, Pati
 
WA 7.9 (44) def NSW/ACT 1.0 (6)
Leading Goal Kickers: Makane, Berry, Haddow, Vitalone, Tozawa, Harris
Best Players: Harris, Western, Haddow

Tuesday, April 11
WA 5.9 (39) def NT 1.0 (6)
Leading Goal Kickers: Western, Makane, Kavanagh, Cresswell
Best Players: Walker, Western, Makane

WA 9.6 (60) def QLD  1.0 (6)
Leading Goal Kickers: Western, Vitalone, Walker, Tozawa, Makane Buka, Seale
Best Players: Makane, Vitalone, Tozawa

Wednesday, April 12 - Finals
WA 9.7 (71) def QLD 0.1 (1)
Leading Goal Kickers: Western (3), Alvarez (2), Haddow (2), Harris, Goncalves
Best Players: Western, Pati, C.Walker

WA 6.5 (41) def TAS 5.3 (33)
Leading Goal Kickers: Goncalves (2), Makane, Tozawa, B.Walker, Pati
Best Players: Pati, Tozawa, Vitalone

Thursday, April 13 - Grand Final
 

TEAM PROFILE:
Training started in early February, where the boys trained once a week including two trial matches against the WA Kickstart team. The boys have been extremely coachable and train with great intensity at each session.In 2016 the WAFC worked closely with the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Academies. This partnership has significantly boosted the 2017 All Nations program in WA to the point where we had 52 kids try out for the team this year.

This year’s team has a great mix of size and pace as well as some great small forwards and defenders. There is some extreme athleticism amongst the crop this year and WA is excited to defend its Championship from 2016.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

1. Chris and Brandan Walker
2. Manfred Pati
3. Keanu Haddow

Identical twin brothers Brandan and Chris Walker will be clear stand outs at the 2017 All Nations Cup. The “Walker Boys” who have African heritage will bring excitement to every match with their speed, agility and breath taking leap. Both boys have cleared over 180cm in high jump and are regular podium finishers at school athletics championships. Both boys are part of the Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Acdemy.

KICKSTART TEAM 
2017 WA Kickstart Team
 

FIXTURES AND RESULTS
Sunday, April 9
WA 11.5 (71) def NSW/ACT 1.1 (7)
Leading Goal Kickers: Gerrand (3), Bynder (2), Curley (2) Mallard, George, Bockman, Dann

WA 4.7 (31) def TAS 2.2 (14)
Leading Goal Kickers: Gerrand (2)

Monday, April 10
WA 2.6 (18) def VIC 2.5 (17)
Leading Goal Kickers: D.Bolton, Z.Bolton
Best Players: George, MaGearn, Z.Bolton

WA 10.6 (66) def SA 3.0 (18)
Leading Goal Kickers: Gerrand (5), Badwn (2), Bynder, Brokeman, Z.Bolton
Best Players: Kickett, Gerrand, Jetta

Tuesday, April 11
WA 6.3 (39) def NT 4.3 (27) 
Leading Goal Kickers:  Z.Bolton (2), D.Bolton, Gerrand, Bockman, Curley
Best Players: Z.Bolton, Kickett, Riley

WA 12.8 (80) def QLD 1.0 (6)
Leading Goal Kickers: Brown (2), D.Bolton, Ansell, Bynder
Best Players: Kickett, Z.Bolton, Bynder

TEAM PROFILE:

The 2017 WA KickStart Team has been selected through the annual Nicky Winmar Carnival which featured more than 450 Aboriginal boys from metro and regional WA competing in a one day carnival. Following the carnival a trail squad of 70 players participated in a series of training sessions and scratch matches until a final team of 22 players was selected.

The 2017 WA KickStart Coaches have also been selected through the Nicky Winmar Carnival as part of the WA Football Commissions Diverse Coaching pathway. The 2017 head coach will be Adrian Bartlett who is based out of Geraldton who will be assisted by Ricky Jetta and Kevin Dalgety.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

1.Joron Kickett
2.Reece Gerrand
3.Austin Riley