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GAME FOR PEACE
By Lt-Col Rob Barnes
Edition 1175, September 20, 2007 |
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Like a tiger: Cpl Steve Guiliani out paces a UN Warrior player in the Australian Rules football exhibition match in Dili. Photo by Cpl Mark Doran.
Photo by LS Kade Rogers |
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| Cpl Adam Bourke receives the Commander’s Cup from the Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Margaret Twomey. |
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THE International Stabilisation Force (ISF) Tigers 14-09-93 proved too strong for the United Nations (UN) Warriors 04-07-31 in a much-anticipated AFL exhibition match in Dili on September 8.
But the end result wasn’t just measured by the scoreline, as the match itself also proved a winner in spreading the ISF/UN message of peace and progress in Timor-Leste.
The game raised $8000 for the Mary MacKillop Foundation to help underprivileged children in Timor-Leste, and was also the culmination of a six-week joint program between the ISF and the UN in using Australian Rules as a tool for developing closer links with the Timorese population.
The game was preceded with a high-quality AUSKICK game between two sides of young Timorese children.
The brain-child of ISF military policeman Cpl Adam Bourke and Australian UN police officer Phil McCabe, ISF troops and Australian UN police conducted AUSKICK clinics in Dili for Timorese youth.
Beginning with only 15 children, the clinics grew to more than 100 and became an important way of teaching children teamwork, confidence and pride, as well as providing them with a positive and healthy activity each weekend.
The main game between the ISF Tigers and the UN Warriors was played on a specially prepared oval at Democracy Field in central Dili before an enthusiastic crowd of ISF, UN, expats and locals.
Included among the VIPs were senior representatives of the UN, the ISF and the Government of Timor-Leste.
The Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Margaret Twomey, also attended and presented the ISF Commander’s Cup to the victorious ISF Tigers.
The cup was delivered to the field with a match ball by the ISF’s Aviation Group in a Kiowa helicopter, before the Warriors won the toss and elected to kick into the wind.
Scores remained close in what was a tough first half with both sides demonstrating strong commitment to their new team jumpers. (The ISF wore the Richmond strip, while the UN wore the strip of the NTFL team Waratah Warriors who volunteered their club jumpers for the big game).
Good skills were also on display with many of the “foreign” contributors (the ISF team included a New Zealander, while the Warriors incorporated a number of Kiwis, Portuguese police, Timor-Leste police and Aussie expats) demonstrating a great ability at picking up the unique nuances of the Australian brand of football.
However, superior fitness and the benefit of six weeks’ training paid off for the ISF in the second half as they assumed control of the game and kicked away in the third quarter before running out eventual winners over a tired but determined UN team.
Best players for the ISF included: WO2 Dave Drabble at full forward who finished with five goals; Cpl Steve Giuliani who worked tireless in defence at full-back, and Capt Stefan Shearer who controlled the ruck. For the UN, best players included: Snr-Sgt Allan Giles, Snr-Sgt Rob Cleary (NZ police) and Snr-Sgt Andrew Gibson.
In a popular decision from both sides and the crowd, the international judging committee awarded the “best on field” medal to Beretto Ronaldo, 25, one of the two Timor-Leste police officers playing for the UN Warriors.
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