NTFL champions St Mary’s form partnership with CAFL community club Papunya

A relationship between two clubs on polar opposite sides of the NT has blossomed from a sharing of team colours into a partnership that could expose remote players to the top of the game.

St Mary’s Football Club may have gone to Alice Springs for a footy match, but have returned with a special relationship with a remote community footy club they intend to make permanent.

The NTFL champions share their green and gold colouring with Papunya, who play in the CAFL Community competition, so made a connection on their trip.

And it’s from that similarity that a true relationship blossomed between two clubs on opposite ends of the NT, but both holding the core value of family and culture.

Ahead of the match against the CAFL rep side, was a young St Mary’s outfit, two players from the 2023-24 premiership side and four pickups from Alice Springs, had kids from Papunya clap them out in a guard of honour.

The clubs also exchanged gifts with Saints giving away a set of jumpers, merchandise and footballs, which the community kids wore with pride.

St Mary's players held a clinic with Papunya on their recent visit to Alice Springs.

Meanwhile, those from Papunya showed their respect by gifting a traditional shield (Kutitji) and spear (Kulata), as well as earrings to honour Saints first female, Tiwi Islander president Carol Stanislaus.

Ms Stanislaus stayed in Alice to watch Papunya face-off in a must win game against Mt Allan and was mesmerised by the speed and skills on show as the Eagles triumphed 13.10 (88) to 12.7 (79).

“When I stayed back to watch Papunya play, it was just so different to what we see watching town footy,” Ms Stanislaus said.

“It would blow people away to see them play and be exposed more to the style, the fast pace and the exceptional skills that our community mob have.

“This partnership with Papunya was my biggest takeaway from the trip, it’s a relationship we want to see continue into the future, we don’t want to be a club that does one thing for a community and leaves.”

Saints held a clinic on Sunday for the Papunya players, further building on the relationship, not only at a club but on a personal player to player level too.

Two-time NTFL winning coach Anthony Vallejo took the Eagles coaching staff, including head coach Dalton McDonald, aside to share tips and strategies.

St Mary's coach Anthony Vallejo with the Papunya coaching staff.

Dorrelle Anderson helped bring St Mary’s together with the club her late uncle Sid Anderson started, and said it was a real opportunity to give the community exposure to footy.

She was pleased to see the support for the community 240km west of Alice, known for the honey ant dreaming and for being the birthplace of the Western Desert art movement and the Warumpi Band.

“The little kids were in awe, they knew this club was big and important and knew these players had come from Darwin,” Ms Anderson said.

“They proudly wore the guernseys given to them, having only just met St Mary’s, and they could see the significance of what the partnership would look and feel like.

“The men’s players were also ecstatic to see the Saints boys and get to know them, our mob can be a bit shy but they were engaged and everyone was chatting and getting along.

“This is obviously the first step for us, but there is an opportunity to build on that and the people can see it, feel it and they are excited to be a part of it.”

St Mary's Football Club president Carol Stanislaus with Dorrelle Anderson and Sarah Stockman as the club held a clinic with Papunya.

The two clubs already have plans in the works for future engagement to help shine a limelight on the talent in Papunya, not just for their senior men but their women and juniors too.

Whether that involves an exchange program with Saints going down more often, or Papunya players coming up to get some exposure in the NTFL.

“When we go down to Papunya again we will be doing everything we can, because sport in communities plays a big part for young kids’ wellbeing,” Ms Stanislaus said.

“It also gets rid of boredom, a lot of the time kids get into trouble because of boredom, but if we have programs in community that kids help develop and want to do, we can help.

“And then it becomes something that other footy clubs or sporting codes can look at as an example.”

Originally published as NTFL champions St Mary’s form partnership with CAFL community club Papunya