By
Andrew Stackpool
TWENTY-two
Air Force footballers who will arrive in Newcastle for the ADF
Interservice National Rugby League carnival are united by a common
cause – to get Army!
Army blitzed the 2003 competition and our players are out to even
the score. Air Force is hosting the carnival, which will be held
from March 6-10.
The 22 are the survivors of the 50-odd players from all over Australia
who attended the Air Force’s selection trials in October last
year.
An eclectic group, they will provide good sport for the oft-parochial
Newcastle crowd. Williamtown provided the dominant group for the
team with Amberley, Tindal, Townsville and Richmond also performing
well.
Air Force kicks off against Navy on March 6 and then goes for
Army on March 10.
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Air
Force Rugby League coach FSGT A. J. Smith.
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Air
Force’s Coach, Flight Sergeant Aaron Smith, said there were some
obstacles to work on before the team was at peak.
“Being spread all over the country it’s hard to get the guys together
in one spot for training.
I’ve been on to them about their levels of fitness and they are
doing club pre-training at the moment,” FSGT Smith said.
“I’ve told them to up their pre-training so they’ll be ready to
go when they get to the carnival. “We’ll be concentrating on basics;
basic football play and minimal mistakes.
“I think it’s going to be pretty hard football. We have three
games in a few days – Air Force plays the Correctional Department
the following Saturday – so without any previous training as a
team we won’t try anything fancy. “I’m hoping to organise some
skills sessions training with some of the Newcastle Knights training
staff then it will be straight into team training.
“We only have a short time to train and a lot of them don’t know
each other. We’ll get the guys together, get them bonded and get
them prepared mentally for the games. That will pave the way for
a good carnival.” FSGT Smith is confident Air Force can get the
points against the others. The team has a simple strategy.
“Don’t let them score as much as we do. Defence is going to be
a big key and we’ll be working hard on defence in the lead-up.”
He has no illusions about the quality of the opposition. “Navy
is always tough. They train hard and play hard.
Army rate themselves very highly. They won the carnival last year
and are the side to beat. Both Navy and we will do a lot of work
this year to overturn that outcome,” he said.
“I know our guys are pretty revved up and looking forward to playing
Army. I need to remind them they have to take on Navy first but
everyone’s keen to take on Army anyway and quiet them down from
the ‘thunderstruck call’ they had last year.”
Sponsorship from Boeing has enabled the team to get its equipment
and gear for the carnival. Air Force has the team and the ticker
to take the carnival but they are looking for support.
Anyone who is in the Newcastle area on March 6 or 10 should get
down to the Jarvis Sporting Complex at Wallsend and cheer them
on.
2004
SQUAD
OIC
FLTLT Glen Schroder
Coach SGT A.J. Smith
Asst/Coach PLTOFF Julian Garland
Manager WOFF Ross Warrall
A/Manager CPL Craig Foggo
Strappers LACW Erica Smith, CPL Paul Mason
Runner CPL Craig Robinson
PLAYERS
OIC
FLTLT Glen Schroder Coach
SGT A.J. Smith Asst/Coach
PLTOFF Julian Garland Manager
WOFF Ross Warrall A/Manager
CPL Craig Foggo Strappers:
LACW Erica Smith,
CPL Paul Mason Runner:
CPL Craig Robinson PLAYERS
CPL Aaron Power
CPL Adam Robinson
LAC Anthony Hopkin
CPL Anthony Piggott
LAC Benjamin Luke
LAC Benjamin Rogers
LAC Brad Wilson
LAC Brad Woodward
LAC Christopher Kluft
SGT Craig Morgan
CPL Darren Nolan
LAC Jay Brookfield
LAC Joshua Farmer
LAC Justin Preece
LAC Luke Troy
LAC Mathew Smith
LAC Matthew Bathe
LAC Matthew Culph
LAC Nathan Bolton
LAC Owen Storey
CPL Ricki Kiely
LAC Steve Goldsmith
