Now a premiership player. Congrats Tippa!
maybe you were not watching the game closely enough!
Joe wasnât spectacular but the sight of him waddling away from the centre and hitting Lloydy on the chest with a 40 m pass was awesome
The bravest act i have seen is Joe getting between Plugger in full flight and the ball in a pocket . He didnât flinch.
There was a Jason Torney who played a few games for Richmond in the late 90âs - early 00âs.
The 12-hour trip to watch a former Bombers star win a premiership
Charlie Dunn is 11 and yet to see his beloved Essendon win a final. But on Saturday, he did get to see his favourite former player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti win a grand final in Mildura.
On a day when a number of country leagues celebrated their season finales around the state, the former Bomber livewire helped Imperials, the Sunraysia league club he joined this season, rocket from wooden spooners in 2023 to premiers on a windy afternoon just 12 months later at Mildura Sporting Precinct Oval, in front of 8000 fans.
Charlie Dunn, 11, and former Essendon player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
Charlie and his parents, Sarah and Leigh, made a 12-hour round trip from Cobden, near Warrnambool, to Mildura for the third time this year to watch McDonald-Tipungwutiâs Imperials beat Wentworth by three points, 6.11 (47) to 6.8 (44). For the grand final, Charlie even shaved âTippaâ into the back of his head.
âBeing able to watch him [McDonald-Tipungwuti] play in the grand final, itâs pretty special,â said Sarah.
âTippa has always been that player that has a very special place in his [son Charlieâs] heart. So yeah, it is a very special weekend for us.â
McDonald-Tipungwutiâs impact was evident on and off the field. On it, he delivered a crucial goal in the third quarter: having slipped, he bobbed back up with true craftsmanship to whack the ball on his boot and drive it home.
While he wasnât the best former AFL player on the scoreboard â that honour went to former GWS and West Coast player Jarrod Brander, who kicked five goals for Wentworth â âTippaâ shone when the premiership was on the line.
In the final term, when Imperials were two goals down, McDonald-Tipungwuti was moved from the forward line on to the ball for the last 15 minutes. Imperials booted three goals to Wentworthâs one to clinch the flag.
âOpposition clubs come to watch Tippaâ
Malcolm Kalms was working flat chat behind the bar at the ground on grand final day, and had umpired the under 16s grand final earlier in the day. The new-look Imperials headlined by McDonald-Tipungwuti had drawn the community to their games this year.
11-year-old Charlie Dunn and former Essendon player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
Kalms also used to play for Wentworth, so he claimed âneutralâ status on Saturday, just wanting a good game. But one thing heâd be happy about was the steady stream of people pouring in for a cold beverage, despite the wind and the cold.
âOur sales have been unreal. Like our Draft sales, due to the older crowd that come along to watch Tippa, weâve already outsold what we did last year in Carlton Draught and that was before the senior game started,â Kalms said.
âHe doesnât get many touches but every time he gets near the ball, something happens.
âSo, if you miss one second, you might miss an awesome tackle he lays [or] he grabs the ball and he ducks and weaves, then spins around and kicks one over his head.â
Not everyone was a fan of Imperialsâ resurgence
Wentworth fan Dallas Kalms â Malcolmâs cousin â was hoping that Imperials would be âfloggedâ. But he admitted that McDonald-Tipungwutiâs addition to the club was hard not to like.
Imperials are by far the most successful club in Sunraysia league history
regularly featuring in the grand final and boasting AFL talent in their ranks, including Josh Hunt (Geelong), Matthew Croft (Footscray), Dale Weightman (Richmond) and Matthew Knights (Richmond) and Hannah Priest (St Kilda for netball).
Did Dallas like seeing âImpsâ down the bottom of the ladder last year?
âYes,â said a defiant Dallas.
âBecause the Imps have been so successful for such a long period of time, I think everyone has a rivalry with Imps and they love seeing them down the bottom.
âI really donât like them. Theyâre a really good club, very successful, but not my favourite team up here. Iâve only watched the games we played against them and Tippa has been quite good on them, but I have seen even like our juniors will actually go and find out Tippa and get autographs and photos, meet with him.
âHeâs been very welcoming of the kidsâ.
This is illustrated by the first trip Charlie and his parents made to Mildura to watch McDonald-Tipungwuti play, in April. They had hoped for a photo at the most.
Instead, Charlie was welcomed by Imperials into the clubroom to meet his idol and run out with him. McDonald-Tipungwuti gave him his game-day jumper, along with his old training shorts and socks that he used to wear when he played for Essendon.
âWeâve met him a few times now and heâs just been wonderful with him [Charlie]. Very humble, kind, generous person. He was so thankful that weâd come up earlier in the year to initially meet him,â said Dunn.
âAnd last fortnight ago, we came up to watch the semi-final and of course, when Imperials won, he went into the clubrooms, he got to sing the song in the circle with Tippa. So, itâs been really, really beautiful experience.â
It was this kit that Charlie wore on Saturday, a good luck kit for the player who helped lift a club from the bottom of the bush league, to premiership glory.
Congrats Tippa you deserved one
Another Essendon player finding happiness and success as soon as he leaves the club.
100 games for Tiges then another 70-odd for Adelaide.
Unusual situation of playing every game (including finals) then getting delisted.
11h ago11 hours ago
Thereâs never been a professional AFL player from the remote NT community of Wadeye, but officials hope that will change.(ABC News: Matt Garrick)
Itâs a footy mad northern Australian community that hasnât ever produced a top tier AFL player â but thereâs hopes that could soon change.
A group of AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) officials and former and current AFL and AFLW players recently made the trek out to the Aboriginal community of Wadeye.
Based about 400 kilometres south-west of Darwin, itâs one of the NTâs biggest remote communities, with a population of around 2,000 people.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwutiâs mother Jane McDonald and emerging Wadeye traditional owner Marita Perdjert.(ABC News: Matt Garrick)
Rose and Bruce Ninnal after winning a free football outside Wadeyeâs shop.(ABC News: Matt Garrick )
Wadeye is so remote that its unpaved access road is often cut off for months every year, during the Top Endâs monsoon season.
But despite its remoteness, former players like former Essendon superstar and Tiwi Islander Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti have their sights set on Wadeye as a breeding ground for a future AFL great.
Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti visits Wadeye to inspire the communityâs next generation of players. (ABC News: Matt Garrick )
âThereâs a lot of fresh talent, and you know, hopefully weâll get a couple of players that come out of Wadeye that will play AFL, thatâd be great,â McDonald-Tipungwuti said.
âHopefully we can get one or two players from Wadeye that can go down south and try something different, and hopefully get drafted.â
Wadeye youngster Graham Melpi loves his AFL. (ABC News: Matt Garrick )
With the efforts led by another former Essendon footballer, Shane Radbone, the group has been working to pinpoint Wadeye talent and help players find opportunities in southern states.
âHopefully [weâll] create that pathway for a younger generation,â said McDonald-Tipungwuti.
âYou wouldâve seen lotta kids kicking around with a footy and everything, and so, thereâs a bright future there for a few players, boys and girls.â
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, centre, says he hopes Wadeyeâs local team will return to the field once again.(ABC News: Matt Garrick )
In 2024, Radbone and the Kardu Diminin Corporation assisted in facilitating up-and-coming Wadeye player Mathias Maloney to play some games with a regional South Australian football league.
âI just liked playing around, get a bit of experience,â Maloney said of the opportunity.
Matthias Maloney was recently picked to compete in a regional South Australian football league.(ABC News: Matt Garrick )
While Wadeye does not have a community team in NT premier league the NTFL, it does have local teams that play against each other.(ABC News: Matt Garrick)
Plans to reignite Wadeye Magic team
As well as the long-term dream of seeing a Wadeye player kicking goals at the MCG, the AFLNT also has plans for the community that it hopes could be achievable in the foreseeable future.
There are talks underway to bring back a community team, Wadeye Magic, into NT premier league the NTFL â if not permanently, then at least for showpiece matches.
AFLNT Indigenous programs manager Cassidy Fitzclarence said it had been more than 10 years since Wadeye last fielded a proper team in the NTFL.
Cassidy Fitzclarence sees a bright future for football in Wadeye. (ABC News: Matt Garrick )
Wadeye also has womenâs football teams.(ABC News: Matt Garrick )
âItâs a big logistical effort, and itâs very difficult to join a big, established competition like the NTFL, but thereâs certainly opportunities for the Wadeye Magic to play against other teams, other communities, and get out of this region, which is really exciting,â he said.
"It provides a great sense of hope for people, a great sense of joy and pride to see their family members playing footy and coming together.
âAll the families coming together in one team is really positive.â
Harold James Longmair wants to see the return of a top-grade NTFL team to his community. (ABC News: Matt Garrick )
When asked if the return of Wadeye Magic was a real prospect, McDonald-Tipungwuti said: âItâd be massive for the community ⌠itâd be good to see Wadeye Magic [in 2025]â.
Mr Fitzclarence was among the cohort that travelled out to Wadeye recently for the communityâs grand final carnival, and said he was impressed by the level of football.
âWhen people are in their home community and playing with their family, they show their best, they show their talent,â he said.
âItâs always very electric and very fast, and very exciting.â
The recent Wadeye menâs grand final between local teams the Dockers and the Suns was won in a nailbiter by the Dockers, who pipped their counterparts by three points at the final siren.
Players line up to take part in a cultural ceremony prior to the local Wadeye menâs grand final. (ABC News: Matt Garrick )
Wadeye team the Suns prior to the final. (ABC News: Matt Garrick)
Thanks for posting this, Mr Mullet, a great read. Talk about a remote community. !!
I agree. Thanks are due to drapersmullet for posting this article of interest. Really good to see AMT and his mum involved. I hope something comes of this, especially involving Essendon.
Have been to Wadeye a few years back and can confirm its remoteness.
Can confirm they are footy mad. I was part of crew running holiday events for the kids and morning footy training was an intense experience.
Great to see good things happening there.
I drove into Wadeye in 1982 for work! It was a tough drive being dirt all the way from the Daly River. I had taught some of the kids and had some family contacts. Unfortunately, it is like Papunya and a few other indigenous communities in the NT where governments forced traditional enemies into sharing space. Like those other communities it has never worked. To improve the so cial climate there is a need to implement the plan devised by the indigenous community there a number of years ago. The ABC sports commentator in Darwin has a very strong understanding of the issues. I will try to find it and post. Hopefully the work being undertaken by Anthony will have a positive impact
Just his presence there is a good start.