A Defence team has played a South Australian side in the first officially organised game of wheelchair Australian Rules today.
The exhibition match at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide was the culmination of discussions between the Australian Defence Force, Disability Sports Australia (DSA) and the Australian Football League (AFL) about developing Australian Rules football into a recognised wheelchair sport.
The Defence team included 12 personnel from the Soldier Recovery Centre - Darwin.
Australian Defence Force Australian Rules Chairman, Brigadier Matt Hall said the soldiers’ participation highlighted Army’s commitment to supporting the rehabilitation of its wounded and injured members.
“The Soldier Recovery Centre-Darwin uses adaptive sports as part of its innovative recovery programs. They have been conducting informal games of wheelchair Australian Rules for some time and many of our injured people have found it has helped their recovery,” BRIG Hall said.
The profile of wheelchair Aussie Rules was raised significantly when His Royal Highness Prince Harry played with some members of Army’s 1st Brigade in Darwin earlier this year.
Sapper Stephen Burgess, a member of Darwin's Soldier Recovery Centre, said he was excited about the prospects of playing in such a unique sport.
"I watched from the sidelines when Prince Harry played Wheelchair Footy in Darwin and it looked like heaps of fun. I used to play Aussie Rules on a proper footy field, but now that I've got a bad back it's impossible, so this is a great opportunity," he said.
This weekend, representatives from the ADF Adaptive Sports Program, ADF Australian Rules and Disability Sports Australia held a workshop to finalise a modified set of rules and then conducted familiarisation clinics for players and umpires. Today’s game was contested on a basketball court and featured six players on the court at any one time.
“This match has created history, but more importantly it has supported the recovery of our soldiers, and has fostered a healthy spirit of collaboration between Defence and Disability Sports Australia,” BRIG Hall said.
CEO of Disability Sports Australia, Jenni Cole said the partnership between DSA and Defence had been crucial in generating momentum for the development of wheelchair Australian Rules.
“We look forward to continue working with Defence and the AFL in further developing the adaptation of such an iconic Australian sport,” Ms Cole said.
The final result was SA 16-8-104 ADF 14-5-89
Media contact:
Defence Media (02) 6127 1999
Issued by Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication,
Department of Defence,
Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999 Fax: 02 6265 6946
