WA named National Female Diversity Kickstart championsWednesday, October 18, 2017 - 9:45 AM

Western Australia’s Under-15 Kickstart team were crowned the 2017 National Female Diversity Kickstart Champions following an impressive 3.2 (20) to 1.5 (11) Grand Final victory over Northern Territory in Byron Bay, New South Wales, in October.

 WA's Under-15 All Nations also made it into their respective Grand Final against Victoria, but the Victorians proved to be too strong and ran out winners with a score of 5.14 (44) to WA's 2.2 (14).

It was an impressive campaign for both WA sides with the Kickstart team having claimed four wins from six games, while the All Nations squad secured five victories from their six games played.

In its second year, the championships saw more than 200 female footballers from both Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds across 14 teams representing all states and territories.

The championships encompasses the Rio Tinto AFL National Under-15 Kickstart program and the Australian Post AFL National Under-15 All Nations Cup and provides a pathway into the Rio Tinto AFL Woomeras and Medleys programs.

WA’s All Nations is a highly talented team which comes from a number of multicultural backgrounds including Chinese, Samoan, South African, Canadian, South Sudanese, New Zealander, Irish, Trinidadian, Zambian, Liberian, English and Ugandan.

The WA KickStart team of 40 was selected from the 250 participants who took part in this year’s Kirby Bentley Cup held in March. 

AFL General Manager Game Development, Andrew Dillon, said the 2017 AFL National Female Diversity Championships provide a strong development pathway for female football participants from both Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds.

“With the great response to the national NAB AFL Women’s competition, these championships showcased the talent of aspiring young female footballers with Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds from across the country,” Mr. Dillon said.

“Not only does the Championships provide players with the chance to showcase their talent and engage in a number of educations sessions, it also provides development opportunities for those in the Diversity Umpiring Academy.

Twenty-five of the best performing participants from the Rio Tinto AFL National Kickstart Championships will be selected to represent the Rio Tinto AFL Woomeras team, and twenty-five of the best performers from the Australia Post AFL National All Nations Cup will be selected to represent the Medleys.

FIXTURES AND RESULTS 

Tuesday October 10
KICKSTART
WA 6.4 (40) def NSW/ACT 4.1 (25)
WA Goal Kickers: Monique Humphries (2), Tara Garlett (1), Talia Coyne (1), Sarah Winmar (1) and Tei-Hahn Ryder-Woodley (1). 
WA Best: Shakira Pickett, Talia Coyne and Tara Garlett 
NSW/ACT Goal Kickers: Maleah Waters-Scholes (2), Kirri-Lee Cutmore (1) and Mattarley Kelly-Scholes (1) 
NSW/ACT Best: Afeni Tabuai-Salee, Alessia Haberecht and Nakira Riley-Brown 

WA 7.2 (44) def SA 1.3 (9)
WA Goal Kickers: Tei-Hahn Ryder-Woodley (3), Shakeeda Pickett (1), Monique Humphries (1), Shikyro Spratt (1) and Estelle Abraham (1). 
WA Best: Shakira Pickett, Tei-Hahn Ryder-Woodley and Monique Humphries 
SA Goal Kickers: Kelliah Maher (1) 
SA Best: Tesharna Maher, Shontaya Burgoyne and Shakira Francis 

ALL NATIONS
WA 6.4 (40) def SA 3.6 (24)
WA Goal Kickers: Abbey Dowrick (3), Tiana Graham (2), Abuk Nyok (1) 
WA Best: Abigail Thayer, Lauren O’Conner and Abbey Dowrick 
SA Goal Kickers: Georgia Simpson (2) and Hannah Ewings (1) 
SA Best: Hannah Ewings, Bethany Bell and Georgia Simpson 

WA 5.6 (36) def NSW/ACT 3.1 (19)
WA Goal Kickers: Abbey Dowrick (2), Zoe Southam (1), Latifah Chagai (1) and Tiana Graham (1). 
WA Best: Emma Innes, Abigail Thayer and Abuk Nyok 
NSW/ACT Goal Kickers: Sarah Heptinstall and Sibella Sarraf 
NSW/ACT Best: Sarah Heptinstall, Emily Pease and Adol Aboui 

Wednesday October 11 
KICKSTART
WA 2.5 (17) def NT 1.2 (8)
WA Goal Kickers: Shakira Pickett (1) and Monique Humphries (1)
WA Best: Jenera Alec-Mowarin, Tara Garlett and Talia Coyne
NT Goal Kickers: Samara Purntatameri (1).
NT Best: Shakira Henry, Molly Althouse and Iesha Ronberg 

WA 2.4 (16) def QLD 1.0 (6)
WA Goal Kickers: Shaye Humphries (1) and Sarah Winmar (1) 
WA Best: Shaye Humphries, Chakaeya Strange and Tara Garlett 
QLD Goal Kickers: Taiesha Bamblett (1) 
QLD Best: Shontay Hockley, Chalahn Morris-Young and Mackenzie-Rose Jacobs 

ALL NATIONS
WA 8.4 (52) def NT 0.1 (1)
WA Goal Kickers: Abbey Dowrick (3), Latifah Chagai (2), Kareema Khoer (1), Abigail Thayer (1) and Tiana Graham (1) 
WA Best: Lauren O’Connor, Tiana Graham and Latifah Chagai 
NT Goal Kickers: Nil 
NT Best: Abigale Sekitoga, Aympia Mullany and Palu Worby 

WA 3.3 (21) def QLD 2.3 (15)
WA Goal Kickers: Abbey Dowrick(2) and Tiana Graham (1) 
WA Best: Latifah Chagai, Abuk Nyok and Abigail Thayer 
QLD Goal Kickers: Bonnie Lui (1) and Lucy Single (1) 
QLD Best: Nyangela Mwajuma, Lucy Single and Maria Mbaindene 

Thursday October 12
KICKSTART
TAS 4.1 (25) def WA 2.2 (14)
TAS Goal Kickers: Aspen Auton (2), Perri King (1) and Lilly Badcock (1). 
TAS Best: Perri King, Lilly Badcock and Mia King 
WA Goal Kickers: Monique Humphries (1) and Tei-Hahn Ryder-Woodley (1) 
WA Best: Tara Garlett, Shikyro Spratt and Tei-Hahn Ryder-Woodley 

VIC 7.1 (43) def WA 2.2 (14)
VIC Goal Kickers: Georgie Prespakis (2), Dakota Tipuamantumirri (2), Paris Carpio (2) and Steph Williams (1). 
VIC Best: Steph Williams, Georgie Prespakis and Ky-ya Ward 
WA Goal Kickers: Shakeeda Pickett (1) and Jorja Woods (1) 
WA Best: Shikyro Spratt, Tara Garlett and Shakira Fitzgerald

ALL NATIONS
VIC 3.4 (22) def WA 0.3 (3)
VIC Goal Kickers: Nyakoat Doijoik (1), Tarrah Delgado (1) and Amren Abrahim (1) 
VIC Best: Chandra Abrahams, Nyakoat Doijoik and Amanda Ling 
WA Goal Kickers: Nil 
WA Best: Emma Innes, Abigail Thayer and Ula-Mari Time-Cribb 

WA 8.6 (54) def TAS 1.1 (7)
WA Goal Kickers: Abbey Dowrick (4), Tiana Graham (2), Abigail Thayer (1) and Lauren O’Connor (1) 
WA Best: Emma Innes, Abigail Thayer and Tiana Graham 
TAS Goal Kickers: Abby Burrows-Cheng (1) 
TAS Best: Priscilla Odwogo, Mya Slatter and Ella Young 

Friday October 13

All Nations Grand Final
VIC 5.14 (44) def WA 2.2 (14)

Kickstart Grand Final
WA 3.2 (20) def NT 1.5 (11)

WA ALL NATIONS

Umpire:
Brenda Amito - 14 years old
Born in Uganda and moved to Australia in 2007.

Players to Watch:

Abbey Dowrick – Hardball getter and tackling machine.
Emma Innes – Versatile player who reads the game very well.
Abigail Thayer – Fast moving player who will take the game on.
Abuk Nyok – Versatile tall that isn’t afraid to get down and collect ground balls. 

Staff List:
Ashara Wills - Head Coach
Nuria Ushoroff - Assistant Coach
Susan Chuot - Team Manager 
Louanne Wakefield - Trip Manager

WA KICKSTART

Umpire:
Kiera Hoare - South Fremantle Junior District.

Players to Watch:
Pickett Twins- Shakeeda & Shakira- super athletes who show strong football skills and can hit a moving target with ease. They show exceptional leadership qualities and commitment to the program.
Chakaeya Strange – athletic, committed, tough player who reads the play well and shows strong leadership amongst the team
Talia Coyne - is strong half back. Travels 370km each way to Perth for training whenever she can, her dedication and focus to make this team has been outstanding.  
Jeneva – Alec-Mowin - extremely versatile being able to fill positions in the back, mid, ruck and forward.

Staff List:
Kristen Nelson - Head Coach
Adam Cockie -Assistant Coach
Sharon Kenny - Team Manager