Former Melbourne Demon Liam Jurrah keen to play for Wanderers

FORMER Melbourne Demon Liam Jurrah wants to play in the NTFL competition this season

Liam Jurrah back when he was play for Melbourne, at training at the MCG. Picture: PETCH COLLEEN

LIAM Jurrah wants to play for Wanderers in the NTFL competition this season.

The 30-year-old high flyer from Yuendemu in the Northern Territory’s western desert region was the big attraction in Saturday’s curtain-raiser game to the Melbourne-West Coast AFL match in Alice Springs.

The former Melbourne Demon, dubbed the “Walpiri Wizard’’ after his people, booted three goals at Traeger Park where his Alice Springs Redtails beat the Top End Storm.

Jurrah and son Jessiah at Traeger Park. The former Demon wants to play under new coach Shannon Motlop at Wanderers in the NTFL this season. Picture: Grey Morris

Awarded the 2010 AFL mark of the year for his big leap over teammate Jack Watt and Port Adelaide’s Nick Salter, Jurrah became a cult hero in his 36-game career.

Jurrah’s opponent was Wanderers defender Mitchell Taylor and he wasted no time telling him he wanted to pull on the blue and gold jumper under their new coach Shannon Motlop.

Joining Wanderers will unite him with his cousin Liam Patrick, who carved out a brief career with the Gold Coast Suns.

Footballer Liam Jurrah flies over Port Adelaide’s Nick Salter in Adelaide to take the 2010 AFL mark of the year.

“I told Mitchell Taylor during the game I wanted to play in Darwin again and I’d love to play under Shannon, so I’ll be calling him soon,’’ Jurrah told the NT News.

“Darwin is a really good place to play footy and I always enjoy it up there, so hopefully, fingers crossed, I’ll be in blue and gold this season.’’

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Jurrah watched his old side Melbourne lose a close match against West Coast.

“It’s always good to watch the old side in action,’’ he said. “They should have beaten West Coast and I was disappointed, along with the rest of my family.

“My son Jessiah and my brother Saverio who played for the Storm against me because he lives in Lajamanu instead of Yuendemu and my cousins were all there.’’

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Jurrah has emerged from a rough period in his life since his AFL days to be a respected member of the Yuendemu community.

“I’m working with the younger guys in the community and the footy club while playing for the Yuendemu Magpies again in the Alice Springs competition,’’ he said.

“It’s all good now, hopefully I can get a game with Wanderers and we’ll see where we go from there.’’