TAC CUP ROUND 13 JULY 13-14, 2013 $3.00 VVicic MMetroetro 99.7.61.7.61 d VVicic CCountryountry 66.6.42.6.42 AFL VICTORIA CORPORATE PARTNERS NAMING RIGHTS PREMIER PARTNERS OFFICIAL PARTNERS APPROVED LICENSEES EDITORIAL Celebrating Multicultural Round FOOTBALL is a game we share, a game for everyone. It’s a game that knows no political, cultural, language or Now he’s the No 1 ruckman for religious boundaries. Western Jets and along the way It’s a game that unites people, communities and cultures represented the World Team, from the most unlikely places. And, that’s another reason gained selection in the AIS/AFL Academy and won the that broadens its appeal. inaugural Jim Stynes scholarship. Inside the AFL Victoria Record editions across the Peter During the lead-up to Multicultural Round we have Jackson VFL and TAC Cup this weekend, there are some witnessed many wonderful, insightful, rewarding and truly inspirational, heart-warming and wrenching stories of inspirational initiatives. how football has changed people’s lives. Earlier in the week the Australia Post Multicultural Team of One of the common themes is how football has not only Champions was announced, then there was the inaugural introduced people of multicultural backgrounds to play the AFL Iftar Dinner celebrating Ramadan at Windy Hill with game but how the game has become a regular part special guests Ahmed Saad and Bachar Houli. of their daily life and also drawn families together. It’s worth noting some of the nationalities representing Omar Abdallah, a Lebanese teenager, refl ects how he Victoria and the World Team at this week’s NAB AFL U16 hopes his fl edgling career at Coburg can instill a Championships in Sydney – Lebanese, Indian, New purpose, provide inspiration and leadership within his Zealand, Egyptian, Sudanese, Kenyan and Macedonian. community. And, at Avalon Airport this weekend around the Werribee Abdallah recalled how his father Mohammed wasn’t a fan Tigers vs Casey Scorpions VFL game there will be a number of Aussie Rules when he fi rst began playing and didn’t see him play for seven years, but after he made the Calder of multicultural celebrations including pre-match Cannons squad his interest grew and now he’s a regular at entertainment, multicultural food stalls and a half time all his games. NAB AFL Auskick session and Cadbury AFL9s games. Werribee player Anthony Piva, a son of Italian and Samoan It is worth noting also that many community parents, speaks of the pride of being the fi rst member of his Leagues around the State will activate and celebrate family to play Australian Rules. various multicultural events throughout the weekend. Young Turk Ozgur Uysal, also playing at While much progress has been made, much more work is Coburg, proudly notes how his father hasn’t missed any of needed to identify, embrace and encourage greater his games since Under 10s! involvement of multicultural communities. And, then there’s emerging Sudanese star Duom Dawam Remember “many cultures, one game”. whose family escaped political upheaval to migrate to Australia where Duom had never picked up a football until Grant Williams he was in his mid-teens. AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, David O’Neill, Rick Morris, Nick Price Design & Print: Cyan Press Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams www.afl vic.com.au State League & Talent Manager: John Hook High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Cover photo: Western Jets’ Duam Dawam versus Eastern Ranges’ Talent Operations Coordinator: Sophie Timms Abraham Nyok Talent Operations Offi cer: Lauren Bunting www.taccup.com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE TAC CUP MEDIA COVERAGE Keep up to date with all the action from the TAC Cup via the following media coverage: TAC Cup Radio Tune in from 11:15am for the TAC Cup Radio match of the week. Join Phil Crooks, Rick Morris and Gabe Sorrentino as they bring you a weekly TAC Cup match throughout the season. Saturday July 13 – Calder Cannons vs Western Jets, 11:15am Listen live on the Red Time Sport iPhone App or www.taccup.com.au Next game: Northern Knights vs Geelong Falcons TAC Cup Future Stars TAC Cup Future Stars is back on Channel 9 for season 2013. Join Craig Hutchinson, Kevin Sheehan, and Terry Wallace as they keep you up to date with results and information from AFL Victoria’s TAC Cup competition. Tune in this Sunday July 14, at 1pm on Channel 9. TAC Cup Online Keep up to date with the TAC Cup via the following methods: Website: www.taccup.com.au @TACCup #taccup www.facebook.com/taccupfooty 2 www.afl vic.com.au DUOM DAWAM Dawam proud of cultural background DUOM Dawam has lived through what most of us only read or watch in trepidation in various media platforms. Dawam spent several years living in fear as he and family train them a little bit,” Dawam said. members fl ed Sudan to Egypt before migrating to Australia “I want them to start young so when they become older when he was nine. they can follow that footstep. While he’d heard of Australia he knew nothing of “There’s not many Sudanese players in the AFL … I look to Australian Rules. Basketball was more his bag and at 201 what Majak’s done and that’s what I want to do. cm that was understandable. “I want other Sudanese kids and my brothers to follow on Dawam’s fi rst introduction to Australian Rules was in as well.” the school yard at recess and lunch time. He remembers having little confi dence or feel for the game, and didn’t Dawam said Daw has made a signifi cant impact in his life. really know how to hold or kick the ball, but he went along Both came through the Wyndham Vale juniors, albeit four with some friends to try out with local club Wyndham Vale. years apart. “From school to local level was a big step for me,” Dawam Daw attends the Jets’ training where the multicultural recalled. squad bearing his name train. “I have a chat to him, ask him how AFL is going, how do you manage it, how does he That was back in 2009. Over the past four years, Dawam has made spectacular progress. manage his time. He has represented the World Team in the AFL Under 16 “I’m proud of him,” Dawam said. Championships, gained selected in the AIS/AFL Academy, Duom Dawam is already fi lling with pride all those who won the inaugural Jim Stynes scholarship and now carries know him and the journey he’s taken. the mantle as the No 1 ruckman for Western Jets. Dawam (right) in the ruck Certainly, the AIS/AFL Academy proved an against Gippsland eye-opener. “That’s where it all began for me,” earlier this year Dawam said Jets’ Talent Manager Shane Sexton marvels at the progress made by Dawam since he joined the club’s Brad Johnson summer training squad in 2011-12. Sexton said Dawam continues to impress with his ruck work as his knowledge of the game expands as well as taking advantage of the one- on-one strength, conditioning, skills and game situation scenarios with Dan Haberfi eld. “We think that he is improving rapidly,” Sexton said. “He has a sense for the game. His ability to get the ball off the ground given the size he is and his capacity to handball the footy is really good. Marking and kicking are the two areas we’re working on.” Dawam uses the space outside his home to teach his younger brothers what he’s learned about the game. “I go out the front yard and just kick with them, www.taccup.com.au 3 4 www.afl vic.com.au KENNY ONG Ong enjoys rise to VFL KENNY Ong, the eldest son of Malaysian father and Chinese mother, found his love playing Australian Rules in the school yard. Ong’s parents migrated from their respective countries While their interest may have been minimal beforehand, and met in Melbourne where Kenny and younger brother Ong’s parents are now regulars and have watched him Cancho, 18, were born. progress through to the VFL. Interest in the game with his parents was limited to knowing the clubs, but little else. “Dad loves it, he’s pretty It didn’t stop Ong from from pursuing his passion. “I basically started playing footy at school during lunch time,” keen now, but before I Ong recalled. “I just got asked with some of the other guys to go down to started they didn’t really play with the local club and it’s gone on from there.” follow it,” Ong said. While he also played tennis throughout his school days, Australian Rules now consumes all Ong’s sporting time. Expectations were measured when he started at Sandringham, but Ong has played eight games and is It quickly became evident that the kid at Ormond Junior on track to play double digit games for the Zebras – an Football Club possessed talent and he gained an invitation outstanding return for a teenager straight out of the TAC to try out with Sandringham Dragons. Cup. During his two seasons with the Dragons, Ong played in “I think I have been a bit lucky with the team not travelling Sandringham’s 2011 TAC Cup premiership and last year as well as we would have liked,” Ong said.