ALL STAR DREAMING by Whispering Jack

Liam Jurrah has been training with Melbourne for less than a month but he has already been selected in his first AFL representative squad - the initial Aboriginal All Star list to take on Adelaide at Marara Oval, Darwin next Saturday night. The only other Demon selected in the squad of 33, which will be whittled down to thirty on Wednesday, is Aaron Davey.

Despite the fact that Jurrah is no certainty to make the final cut for the game - observers at recent Melbourne training sessions suggest he's been struggling with his fitness and with the State’s heat wave - his selection marks a significant early milestone for the young Indigenous player from the Central Australian settlement of Yuendumu in the red centre of our vast continent.

Jurrah's home, nearly 300km north west of Alice Springs, is vastly distant not only in terms of kilometres from the sprawling metropolis of Melbourne but also in time as well. The extent of that distance and the challenges facing him were brought home to me when I watched the fascinating film ABORIGINAL RULES which I purchased recently as a DVD through Warlpiri Media. Unlike fellow Melbourne Indigenous recruits Jamie Bennell and Neville Jetta who hail from the large WA town of Bunbury and who spent a deal of time in Perth last year, Jurrah comes from an isolated community in the middle of a desert and faces challenges vastly different to those faced by other Aboriginal footballers. Even his first language is not English but rather the ancient tongue of his people.

The film is about Liam Jurrah's community of Yuendumu and he is also featured in a few of its scenes. It tells of the lives of the people of the community, of rituals and superstitions, tribal rivalries, of the menfolk who were proud Warlpiri warriors, and of how the people are adapting to the times. These days, the various tribes in the region settle things by means of playing football and the film follows the Yuendumu Magpies through the 2006 football season. Unfortunately, they missed the finals that year but won the Ngurratjuta Cup in 2003, 2004, 2005 and again in 2007 before going on to bigger and better things.

The Warlpiri people's ancient civilization goes back 40,000 years but today football is more than a game to them; it represents the new Dreaming.

Here are some excerpts from the film provided on bigfooty by poster japaljarri -

ABORIGINAL RULES OPENING TITLES, ABORIGINAL RULES TRAINING TIPS, ABORIGINAL RULES JAPU JAPU, ABORIGINAL RULES PAPUNYA SPORTS, ABORIGINAL RULES PUKATJA, ABORIGINAL RULES -THE RULES OF FOOTBALL, ABORIGINAL RULES - YUENDUMU MAGPIES FOOTBALL TEAM, ABORIGINAL RULES - MT THEO.

(See if you can spot a young Liam Jurrah in the above excerpts and please do buy the DVD - it's real value and an eye opening documentary about a part of our country with which most of us are not familiar!)

The Yuendumu Magpies are good at the game they play on the red, dusty fields of the outback. In 2008, they won the premiership in the new AFLCA competition ahead of the more traditional sides from Alice Springs. The hero was a young man who spent a month earlier this year with Collingwood's VFL team before returning home to comfort a dying friend. Liam Jurrah booted six goals in the grand final.

Aboriginal Rules brings home the great challenge of adaptation that Jurrah is facing. Like all Demon fans, I look forward to seeing him in action (whether or not it's as early as next Saturday night with the Aboriginal All Stars) and more importantly, to seeing him successfully achieve the dream of becoming an AFL footballer and in doing that, a fine role model for the kids of Yuendumu.

More on Liam Jurrah from The Oracle in CHANGES 2008: PART THREE

2009 QANTAS INDIGENOUS ALL-STARS SQUAD

Adelaide: Jonathon Griffin, Graham Johncock, Andrew McLeod, Jarrhan Jacky, Jared Petrenko;

Brisbane: Ashley McGrath, Albert Proud;

Carlton: Chris Yarran;

Essendon: Andrew Lovett, Nathan Lovett-Murray;

Geelong: Nathan Djerrkura, Mathew Stokes, Travis Varcoe;

Hawthorn: Cyril Rioli, Cameron Stokes;

Melbourne: Aaron Davey, Liam Jurrah;

North Melbourne: Matt Campbell, Lindsay Thomas, Cruzie Garlett;

Port Adelaide: Shaun Burgoyne, Daniel Motlop, Marlon Motlop, Danyle Pearce;

St Kilda: Raphael Clarke;

West Coast: David Wirrpanda, Liam Bedford, Adam Cockie;

Western Bulldogs: Jarrod Harbrow, Joshua Hill, Malcolm Lynch, Brennan Stack.

The squad has been selected by three-time premiership player Darryl White, AFL Players' Association Indigenous programs manager Cory McGrath, AFL Indigenous programs manager Jason Mifsud and Johnson.

The final team of 30 players will be selected on Wednesday, February 4, following training.

Here are some excerpts from the film provided on bigfooty by poster japaljarri -

ABORIGINAL RULES OPENING TITLES, ABORIGINAL RULES TRAINING TIPS, ABORIGINAL RULES JAPU JAPU, ABORIGINAL RULES PAPUNYA SPORTS, ABORIGINAL RULES PUKATJA, ABORIGINAL RULES -THE RULES OF FOOTBALL, ABORIGINAL RULES - YUENDUMU MAGPIES FOOTBALL TEAM, ABORIGINAL RULES - MT THEO.

(See if you can spot a young Liam Jurrah in the above excerpts and please do buy the DVD - it's real value and an eye opening documentary about a part of our country with which most of us are not familiar!)

Definitely in the last two (Liam Jurra? at full forward). Looks like an interesting character and an aquisition to the club.

I would think due to their lack of height that Liam would be a good chance for selection

I would think due to their lack of height that Liam would be a good chance for selection

Great article WJ.

If Liam plays at FF he takes on Rutten or Bock first up. That's a tough ask!

I would think due to their lack of height that Liam would be a good chance for selection

Looking at that list, the All Stars aren't going to be relying on much height but rather fast ball movement. There aren't too many talls there and even Jurrah is unlikely to be a KPP during his AFL career.

Looking at that list, the All Stars aren't going to be relying on much height but rather fast ball movement. There aren't too many talls there and even Jurrah is unlikely to be a KPP during his AFL career.

do we know how tall he is

do we know how tall he is

He's 193 cm and second tallest player in the squad behind Griffin.

He's 193 cm and second tallest player in the squad behind Griffin.

Thanks mate, can't wait to see him play in terms of acceleration, vertical leap, hands and kicking.

it is an abosolute discrace that this game is not live on TV.

Surely between the few channels the ABC, 7, 10 and foxtel have somebody would have the brains to show this live.

Lets face it, its the first taste we have all had in a while. Prime time on one of the main channels no, but the 2nd, 3rd or even 4th channels all of them have surely. Lets hope somebody sees the light before saturday.

Couldn't see it being a ratings bonanza for the ABC if it was live. Only true footy fanatics will have a passing interest and in most cases would choose to watch Collingwood vs West Coast over that match. Delayed telecast is better than nothing and already have it set in the iQ.

He's 193 cm and second tallest player in the squad behind Griffin.

Griffin is indigenous?

Couldn't see it being a ratings bonanza for the ABC if it was live. Only true footy fanatics will have a passing interest and in most cases would choose to watch Collingwood vs West Coast over that match. Delayed telecast is better than nothing and already have it set in the iQ.

Big Red I do see your point re commercial interests in the nab game, however i know that I'm not alone in saying personally would watch the all stars game. ratings I do agree re filth v west coast but I have 0 interest in this game. Its interesting to note that the game is apparently being shown live in darwin.

contray to this however from the ABC2 guide that night which will be a ratings bonanza for the ABC:

7:20pm Rex The Runt

7:30pm Classic Albums

8:35pm The Academy Season: On The Waterfront Movies, M

10:25pm The Informer

Your right why would they give up quality programing like this...........

I'm sure the ABC2 would be shattered loosing the 10 people watching these shows for a game of live afl "ALL STARS" football. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Ditto foxtel.

Fox 1 - 7pm Adrenalin Rush, followed by Le-mans - this is after a morning of adrenalin TV

Fox 2 - 9:30 pm - 11:00 (Following the A league) ANZ Ladies Masters Round 3 - I'll set the IQ for this one!

Fox 3 - 7pm-9pm ODI Australia v NZ 2nd ODI (Replay) - Im sure everybody is hanging to watch a replay of this game!

Also there is a push for this game to be shown live.... http://forum.sportal.com.au/viewthread.aspx?t=46146 (Hopefully nationally)

Telecast of this event has changed once already so to make it live should be simple: http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=535882

Anyone who wants to watch an alternative to the collingwood rubbish should state their feelings. With enough voices you never know!

Also I would be willing to bet if we were playing west coast and the collingwood were playing the all stars it would be a different outcome!

The final squad of 30 was announced today. The good news is that Aussie has been included, the bad news is that Liam's out. Not sure if he's been excluded for fitness reasons or that he was simply dropped. I suspect the former.

Flash naturally stays in the squad for Saturday night!

IMO Aussie must be considered very unlucky.

got a response from the ABC today stating that initially the game was only to be shown in the NT, but due to popularity they will show nationally and the only slot open is the 11.20pm.

Booooo. Surely there is capacity somewhere to show the game live, now LJ is out my interest has reduced a little. Bring on the scratch match next fri

The final squad of 30 was announced today. The good news is that Aussie has been included, the bad news is that Liam's out. Not sure if he's been excluded for fitness reasons or that he was simply dropped. I suspect the former.

From an article on the AFL site.

"Melbourne recruit Liam Jurrah (193cm) was the All-Stars’ next tallest player, behind Griffin, but was forced to withdraw from the squad because of conditioning."

Griffin is indigenous?

He looks as white as an egg white to me

Just an update on Liam Jurrah from that poster on bigfooty. Liam missed out on the All Stars team due to lack of condition (as foreshadowed in WJ's article). He probably was never going to play but he went up to Darwin to take part in the Indigenous Week being a week of events and media for communities, education, health promotions etc. in the lead up to the All Stars game tonight.

All of our Aboriginal players took part and Flash and Aussie have been picked to play tonight. There was a three day training camp as well as lots of mentoring and leadership sessions for the Indigenous players (including blokes who were not in the squad). The club rightly thought it would be great for him to engage in this set of activities and meet some of the other Indigenous lads in the AFL.

Liam then paid a return visit to his home community at Yuendumu for three days with full MFC support. This included plans for club officials to come with him and meet his family and the community. As mentioned above MFC had never made him available for the all-star game because of his lack of pre-season conditioning.

This has been planned for three weeks and people shouldn't pay attention to rumours that he had returned home for good. They are simply not true.

Those interested can catch up with the Yuendumu Magpies Football Club website here.

He looks as white as an egg white to me

One his grandparent's had a bit of aboriginal blood in them.

Apparently not even Adelaide knew until recently

A good win to the All Stars in wet conditions.

Aussie kicked a couple in a game dominated by the slick moving IAS.

A good win to the All Stars in wet conditions.

Aussie kicked a couple in a game dominated by the slick moving IAS.

Yep, Aussie with 2 in a big win to the All Stars.

A good win to the All Stars in wet conditions.

Aussie kicked a couple in a game dominated by the slick moving IAS.

... and thanks for ruining the game. Ha!!

I didn't catch much of the All Star game, but as soon as I turned it on midway through the 3rd quarter Wona marked and goaled and the commentators stated that he would have to be in contention for best on ground. Didn't see much of him after that but to stand out in a side like that is a promising sign.

I didn't catch much of the All Star game, but as soon as I turned it on midway through the 3rd quarter Wona marked and goaled and the commentators stated that he would have to be in contention for best on ground. Didn't see much of him after that but to stand out in a side like that is a promising sign.

What about Aaron Davey?

I was only half watching but Aussie was pretty lively up forward and Aaron seemed very quiet