State of Origin
Five of our HRS Academy Members recently had the opportunity to represent the Northern Territory (NT) during the Clontarf State of Origin competition in Melbourne. For the second year in a row, Clontarf Academy Members from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and the NT have spent the year vying to be picked for the best football team for their state. To be selected for their respective team, Academy Members had to achieve high attendance at school, demonstrate outstanding leadership and behaviour on the football field, in school and Clontarf, and lastly showcase their football talent in the lead-up Clontarf football games and training sessions.
Year 12 students Maxirrick (Max) and Robin were selected for the NT team, alongside Year 10 students Sonny, Jaren and Mazlan. Excitingly, Max was chosen to co-captain the NT team that travelled to Melbourne.
The boys had an enriching experience playing in the competition across two days at Victoria Park. The competition was hosted by Collingwood Football, with past player Leon Davis taking the boys for a tour of the Collingwood facilities, providing them with the opportunity to see how elite footballers train and prepare for an AFL season.
Throughout the two days, there was plenty of exciting and tough football played. All five HRS players demonstrated why they were chosen for the team. Max and Jaren were two of the most dominant forwards for NT, while Sonny and Mazlan played strong football through the midfield and wing respectively. Robin provided lots of drive from the backline, before swinging forward and kicking an exciting goal. The backflip to celebrate was even more exciting, entertaining the crowd.
Unfortunately, for the NT team, their only win came against South Australia during the round-robin component. Western Australia proved to be the dominant team for the competition, taking the honours in the eventual grand final against South Australia.
The event ended with a dinner at the Collingwood Football Club with the announcement of an All-Australian team. HRS were well represented with Max, Sonny and Mazlan all being chosen in the team. Max’s spirit and positive energy didn’t go unnoticed, with him being awarded both the NT Clontarf Spirit Award and the captaincy of the All-Australian Team.
Well done to all our boys for the way they have represented themselves this year and during the competition.
Ben Dunn
HRS Clontarf
