Mt Barker embraces AFL ChallengeThursday, March 3, 2016 - 3:55 PM

ALMOST 5000 people attended the AFL NAB Challenge game between Fremantle and Adelaide in a highly successful event for the Mt Barker community at Sounness Park on Sunday, February 28.

The Dockers held off the Crows 1.9.6 (69) to 0.8.19 (67) to win in front of the big crowd that gathered to watch the first AFL game to be played in the Great Southern since Albany hosted West Coast and Collingwood in 2008.

Mt Barker, which is the home town of Fremantle's 2015 best and fairest winner Aaron Sandilands, hosted a WAFL game between Claremont and Swan Districts last year, but had never previously hosted an AFL match.

Plantagenet Shire president Ken Clements said he was thrilled the game was played at Sounness Park, a ground that recently underwent a multi-million-dollar redevelopment.

"It gave everyone a chance to see what we've done, what the town is about," he said.

The Shire also thanked the West Australian Football Commission and Perth Stadium Management for successfully hosting the event.