By
Andrew Stackpool
THE
Air Force Australian rules season kicks off on April 2, with 10
days of selection trials for the men’s and women’s teams at RAAF
Base Williams.
The trials will be used to choose the national squad of men and
women to represent Air Force at the ADF Australian football championships
in Canberra from April 12-19.
Teams’ spokesman Corporal Rob McManus said the training squad
would be put through its paces and could expect a lot of training
drills, fitness testing and practice matches. “The Melbourne week
is extremely demanding,” he said.
“With only 27 positions up for grabs for each team, it will also
be extremely competitive.”
As well as training on the base, the squad will get the chance
to train with some of Australia’s best when Hawthorn Football
Club provides a training session with one of its assistant coaches,
followed by a presentation lunch at the Hawthorn social club.
The championships will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra against
the Army and Navy national teams. Games will be played on April
15, 17 and 19. In the Air Force versus Navy competitions on April
15, the women will kick off at noon and the men at 2.15pm.
The best male players from all three Services will be chosen to
represent the ADF team in the AFL curtain-raiser at Telstra Stadium
on April 23.
“I strongly encourage all Air Force members in the Canberra area
to come along and support our teams. They deserve to win the championships
and I can guarantee hard playing and real fireworks,” CPL McManus
said.
