Against the odds

Volume 48, No. 7, May 04, 2006

A RAAF Wagga Tricats player (in blue) leaps for the ball during a game against Army’s 1 Health Support Battalion at Wagga.

Photos courtesy CAPT Philippa Cleary

LAC Travis McKee from RAAF Base Wagga leaps over his Barbarian counterpart in a ruck duel during a Kapooka 12’s Aussie Rules match at Wagga.

THE only Air Force team to compete in the Kapooka 10’s competition served it up to Army to claim the Bowl trophy at the annual rugby competition in Wagga.

The team from 381 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (381ECSS), RAAF Base Williamtown, out-muscled the Riverina Vikings’ Old Boys to take the Bowl final 31-14.

They were up against 10 other teams for the competition Cup and Plate trophies, which were fought out amongst the four strongest Army sides.

The day of hot football competition wrapped up a double weekend of Kapooka action, where players from around Australia rolled up for the annual event, starting on April 1.

Air Force also promised much at the Kapooka 12’s Aussie Rules competition, but dropped the ball at the quarter finals of the combined Aussie Rules and netball carnival.

The RAAF Wagga “Cats” team comprised members of the RAAF School of Technical Training, backed up by players from all three Services in acknowledgement of the base’s tri-Service environment.

Early games indicated the ADFA male and female teams were the main contenders for the title, with the Army side just there to show their skills before heading to Canberra for the selection trials.

Initially, Air Force prospects in the comp looked promising, as the Cats won their opening hit-out by three goals with attacking football coming out of the middle of the ground by ruckman LAC Travis McKee and star rover, AC Dale Thatcher.

Prospects improved with a four-goal win against traditional cross-town rivals Army Recruit Training Centre (ARTC), but the third game was a let-down against HMAS Melbourne with a four-goal loss.
The quarter final was a game to remember – just not for the Air Force side. Despite an excellent effort by AC Matthew Davey, the Cats went down by five goals.

Team coach SGT Ken Robertson said “We beat Kapooka and all in all, it was an excellent hit-out for the Wagga side. We were the only Air Force side in the competition and I think the guys represented Air Force proudly.”

In the Kapooka 7’s netball competition, the ACT combined team proved too good for HMAS Cerberus, while in the women’s clash, Navy triumphed over ARTC by one point.

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