AFL Townsville shows it’s more than a game as footballer with disabilities boots memorable goal
THE touching moment a player bent down to tie a disabled opponent’s shoelaces has captured the hearts of footy fans across Australia. But there was more to come, what the players from both sides did when he kicked a goal was beautiful.
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THE touching moment a player bent down to tie an opponent’s shoelaces has captured the hearts of footy fans across Australia.
Cameras captured the moment Hermit Park’s Scott O’Donnell bent down to tie the shoelaces of an opponent with a disability.
The gesture went viral as fans applauded the human touch on show.
And it was later topped when reserve-grade players from AFL Townsville’s Hermit Park Tigers and Northern Beaches Suns swamped the player after he booted a goal.
“(That) gives hope to humanity after all,” one fan wrote in response to the image.
“That’s the spirit of our game right there,” another wrote, while one social media user labelled the picture his “favourite sporting photo of the year”.
Players of both clubs ensured the day got even better for the Northern Beaches Suns player as he received a handball in the goal square and booted a major (WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE).
In a heartwarming moment, every player on the field then ran and congratulated the Suns forward.
Northern Beaches Suns president Kylie Thomas said AFL Townsville’s clubs deserved credit for letting everyone take the field.
“They’ve enabled us to allow him to play football,” Mrs Thomas said.
“We’re allowed to name him as our 23rd player each week, and then we’ve worked with the clubs from there. Just to allow someone to be able to play footy every week is amazing.
“And then to see what happened yesterday was really, really special. It brings tears to your eyes.”
Today our great game in @AFLQ was put into perspective when a young man with a disability playing in the Townsville reserves comp had his shoe laces tied by his opponent mid game. He also kicked a goal and both teams got around him #AFLQfooty #inclusion #outstanding pic.twitter.com/RFGnptuHHL
— Barry Gibson (@GibsonBarry) June 23, 2018
AFL Queensland football operations manager Barry Gibson said the touching moment came just days after the AFL held its national inclusion championships in Tasmania, in which every state and territory fielded teams.
“It certainly puts things into perspective,” Gibson said.
“It was amazing to see.”
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Originally published as AFL Townsville shows it’s more than a game as footballer with disabilities boots memorable goal