From red dirt to green glory at Cazalys: Under-14 Crusaders’ make mark

Amid the red dirt fields of remote communities, the under-14 Crusaders emerged as a talented side with an exciting X-factor at the 2024 North Queensland Community Carnival in Cairns.

The Under-14 Crusader team during the North Queensland Community Carnival at Cazalys Stadium. Contributed by AFL Cape York House

Amid the red dirt fields of remote communities, the under-14 Crusaders emerged as a talented side with an exciting X-factor at the 2024 North Queensland Community Carnival in Cairns.

The 2024 North Queensland Community Carnival, hosted at AFL Cape York House and Cazalys Stadium in Cairns over the weekend, served as a significant platform for a team from 13 remote communities in Far North Queensland who competed in five matches across the weekend.

The Under-14 Crusader team during the North Queensland Community Carnival. Contributed by AFL Cape York House

Matt Mellahn of Cape York House said that his side overachieved at the tournament.

“We won two of the five, which is really impressive for a group of young men that have never played footy together before as a team,” Mellahn said.

“There’s 13 different communities represented and they all came together a couple of days before the carnival.

“Literally learnt each other’s names and ran out in the field and defeated Mackay and Capricornia, which was a massive effort. Those kids (from other sides) play a lot of footy in club land, train twice a week and play on weekends, they have a huge advantage coming into the tournament.

“Most of our games, we just play a natural running game, we back our way and the boys’ natural instincts.

“They wow the crowd with their ability, they’ve got a bit of X-factor and that’s how we win most of our games, just off pure instinct.”

The Under-14 Crusader team during the North Queensland Community Carnival. Contributed by AFL Cape York House

For these young athletes, accustomed to playing on red dirt rather than on the lush green of Cazalys Stadium, stepping onto such a prestigious venue was a remarkable experience.

“The kids loved playing at Cazalys Stadium,” Mellahn said.

“Even warming up in those change rooms, it’s a premier ground in Australia.

“For the kids to play on that, the boys were pretty pumped to step out on the grass.

“We just don’t have any of that up in the community. It’s all red dirt pretty much from Cooktown and further North where we play.

“It’s really just an opportunity for the kids to get out of their community and experience footy outside of where they’re from.

“They get to challenge themselves against other kids that have more experience and see where they’re at.

“For the ones that go well or progress through to the next age group up (under-16), that’s an opportunity then to get in frontof people in AFL academies and then potentially start the conversations around getting drafted.”

Fellow Far North side Cairns (Blue) Under-14 went through the tournament undefeated.

Originally published as From red dirt to green glory at Cazalys: Under-14 Crusaders’ make mark