The Austin Wonaeamirri Thread

[monoccular 17,417]

Well, the guy clearly didn't / couldn't / wouldn't make an AFL career a priority, with the hard work and sacrifices that a successful one entails.

I wish him well.

[Jarka 767]

Apparently Austin's journey has been conflicted between his obligations to the MFC - which we all understand - and his cultural obligations in the Tiwi Islands following the death of his father (whose name cannot be spoken in that culture ) which most of us do not understand at all.

Austin has stayed in Melbourne with a friend who encouraged him to come to this city and who has spent time in his home environment and understands that Aussie had obligations to go through a mourning process that goes over 12 months and this friend is saying that Aussie wants to find a path back to footy here if he can.

These cultural obligations are every bit as real as the imperatives under which we operate - if not much more so

not saying I have any special knowledge beyond this - for information only

The one problem with your post (which is a great one btw) is Aussie's lack of communication with the club. As already pointed out in this thread the club couldn't even get in contact with him prior to him being delisted. That does not appear to be the actions of someone who wants to play at the highest level, and I'm pretty sure that the club would be all over the 'cultural requirements' of his community.

[Crompton's the man 659]

The one problem with your post (which is a great one btw) is Aussie's lack of communication with the club. As already pointed out in this thread the club couldn't even get in contact with him prior to him being delisted. That does not appear to be the actions of someone who wants to play at the highest level, and I'm pretty sure that the club would be all over the 'cultural requirements' of his community.

Will dig further and report back next week

[PaulRB 6,352]

I suspect that Wonna has communicated to the club about his situation, and they (the club and him) prefer it stay private.

[Elwood 3184 1,298]

Does all this mean we get no more updates from Darwin?

I was beginning to take an interest in the comp up there.

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

Does all this mean we get no more updates from Darwin?

I was beginning to take an interest in the comp up there.

Thanks for bringing it up Elwood 3184.

Today happens to be the day of the NTFL's Wonaeamirri-Gregory Cup match between the Tiwi Bombers and St. Marys which was introduced last year as a tribute to the late Matthew Wonaeamirri and a means of recognising the career of Leon "Foxy" Gregory, the first Tiwi islander to win the Nichols Medal.

The Wonaeamirri Medal goes to the player judged best on ground for the Tiwis and the Gregory Medal to the best St Marys player.

The game is actually under way and I'll see if I can contact my sources to find out if Austin is playing for the Tiwi team.

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

OK - its Tiwis by 21 points with about 15 minutes left.

Austin is playing but apparently little impact.

[Elwood 3184 1,298]

Thanks WJ.

Did they say anything about the weather up there?

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

Thanks WJ.

Did they say anything about the weather up there?

The same as it is every week during the wet season. Hot and steamy with thunderstorms on the way.

Years ago Darwin was almost destroyed by a cyclone on Xmas Day.

Not my cup of tea.

[monoccular 17,417]

Thanks for bringing it up Elwood 3184.

Today happens to be the day of the NTFL's Wonaeamirri-Gregory Cup match between the Tiwi Bombers and St. Marys which was introduced last year as a tribute to the late Matthew Wonaeamirri and a means of recognising the career of Leon "Foxy" Gregory, the first Tiwi islander to win the Nichols Medal.

The Wonaeamirri Medal goes to the player judged best on ground for the Tiwis and the Gregory Medal to the best St Marys player.

The game is actually under way and I'll see if I can contact my sources to find out if Austin is playing for the Tiwi team.

There were some summer season NT games on FTA TV ? ABC Melbourne a year or two back. We're those this competition, and are they no longer televised?

It was good to get a bit of a footy fix in the off season.

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

A few years back we could get the ABC NTFL match of the day on a week's delay on ABC2 (which I got through Foxtel). In the year that the Tiwi Bombers were introduced into the competition there was an emphasis on their games which was great. The team played an exciting brand of footy and had an eclectic mix of colourful characters like Efrem Tipungwuti, Rupert Pupangamirri, Roy Farmer and our very own Austin Wonaeamirri.

Then some genius in programming at the ABC made a decision to axe all sport from the ABC2 Channell. I understand there were protests but they fell on deaf ears and I wouldn't be surprised if the station's ratings fell to record lows. Judging by the latest programming that I saw, I wouldn't be surprised if their audience comprised of more dead people than living. Still, it's their 8c.

NITV occasionally shows a footy carnival from Alice Springs on Sunday afternoons but the games are from last Easter.

[monoccular 17,417]

Thanks W_J

LOL your moment re their audience being more dead than alive. ;-)

[Elwood 3184 1,298]

The ABC has three digital channels and shows lots of childrens programs, repeats of old movies, BBC news and even a couple of hours daily of propaganda from Al Jazeera and yet there's no room for sport and especially those sports that only the ABC programmes. I find that pathetic.

[Lutz 76]

It costs nothing to just show a repeat of an old program, or show something they already have the license to.

There's a lot more involved with broadcasting a sporting event, with commentators and producers required.

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

It costs nothing to just show a repeat of an old program, or show something they already have the license to.

There's a lot more involved with broadcasting a sporting event, with commentators and producers required.

But the ABC in Darwin already covers the match of the day which means no extra cost.

The problem is that the genius in charge of programming is anti-sport.

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

One of the posters on Bomberblitz asked Rhett Bartlett of Foxtel about the NT football telecasts and they might consider it.

The NTFL resumed today with the Tiwi Bombers thrashing the Darwin Buffaloes.

Tiwi Bombers 38.22 (250) d Darwin 6.6 (42)

Goals

Tiwi: Tipungwuti 5, Cunningham 5, Height 5;

Darwin: Wilson 2

Best

Tiwi: Palipuauminni, Albert Tipungwuti, Donal Mungatopi;

Darwin: Shaun Wilson, Lee Cranswick, Gary Ariuu

Austin Wonaeamirri played for the Bombers and kicked one goal.

[old dee 23,782]

One of the posters on Bomberblitz asked Rhett Bartlett of Foxtel about the NT football telecasts and they might consider it.

The NTFL resumed today with the Tiwi Bombers thrashing the Darwin Buffaloes.

Tiwi Bombers 38.22 (250) d Darwin 6.6 (42)

Goals

Tiwi: Tipungwuti 5, Cunningham 5, Height 5;

Darwin: Wilson 2

Best

Tiwi: Palipuauminni, Albert Tipungwuti, Donal Mungatopi;

Darwin: Shaun Wilson, Lee Cranswick, Gary Ariuu

Austin Wonaeamirri played for the Bombers and kicked one goal.

Not much out of a total of 38.

My guess is he pulled a hammy in the first 5 minutes.

[alpha33 311]

Not much out of a total of 38.

My guess is he pulled a hammy in the first 5 minutes.

Like it or not Austin made the decision to walk away from the game as it was his right to do. The personal tragedies and the injuries did not help. I think we should all wish him well representing the Tiwi Islands which is his home and that he can be happy in his place there.

[Carlos Danger 380]

One of the posters on Bomberblitz asked Rhett Bartlett of Foxtel about the NT football telecasts and they might consider it.

Sounds like a great idea, would surely attract some interest in the off-season.

[monoccular 17,417]

Like it or not Austin made the decision to walk away from the game as it was his right to do. The personal tragedies and the injuries did not help. I think we should all wish him well representing the Tiwi Islands which is his home and that he can be happy in his place there.

Sure he had every right to stop playing AFL, as does anyone.

I guess it is just disappointing for us to see such raw talent without the heart and application to make the grade consistently: he really almost teased us!!

Let us all hope that the new coaching and off field structures facilitate Liam, who also has has 'issues' at home, which is also a long way away, producing his best on a consistent and long term basis. If that happens we could be n for one very exciting times.

[Sir Why You Little 37,008]

Sure he had every right to stop playing AFL, as does anyone.

I guess it is just disappointing for us to see such raw talent without the heart and application to make the grade consistently: he really almost teased us!!

Let us all hope that the new coaching and off field structures facilitate Liam, who also has has 'issues' at home, which is also a long way away, producing his best on a consistent and long term basis. If that happens we could be n for one very exciting times.

Aussie lost his dad and Maurice Rioli who were both Football legends in his family. I don't blame him for going home to mourn. Aussie has a big heart i have no doubt & i am sure he still loves the MFC.

[Bonkers 994]

Sure he had every right to stop playing AFL, as does anyone.

I guess it is just disappointing for us to see such raw talent without the heart and application to make the grade consistently: he really almost teased us!!

Let us all hope that the new coaching and off field structures facilitate Liam, who also has has 'issues' at home, which is also a long way away, producing his best on a consistent and long term basis. If that happens we could be n for one very exciting times.

The mourning process for indigenous Australians is very complex & sometimes lenghty(sometimes upto 18 months). It can probably only be fully understood by a member of that community. Anyone making a judgement on whether Austin has enough heart is being unfairly judgmental IMO. Only Austin knows what his obligations are & some posters should seek to understand what he is going thru before forming an opinion.

[Whispering_Jack 29,840]

Only Austin knows what his obligations are & some posters should seek to understand what he is going thru before forming an opinion.

I agree. It's his business and there are no rules that make him beholden to the football club. Like all of us, he's a free agent and doesn't have to explain his decisions to anyone.

On a different note, it's interesting to see that Waratah, the team for which Brendan Fevola, Waylen Manson and Kayne Pettifer were "fly-in" players in the early part of the season, were well beaten again today. Earlier in the season they won the first six in a row when the big guns were playing and firing but since then they've lost five and drawn one (against Tiwis when they had Fev and Manson). There must be a lesson there about sending messages to the players in your team about commitment.

[Lutz 76]

Pretty sure I've read somewhere that Aussie was regarded as playing his best footy in the Back Pocket, according to a former indigenous star of the game whose name I can't recall.

One of the blokes from the Marngrook show, I think.

It's possible he was playing in the backline.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Lutz

[Crompton's the man 659]

I suspect that Wonna has communicated to the club about his situation, and they (the club and him) prefer it stay private.

This sounds right to me and is the exact reason I have not followed up