Warwick Redbacks AFL team unable to field players with club making ‘desperate’ callout

An institution of Warwick sport has been forced to make a ‘desperate’ callout amid a pre-season player drought. Here’s how you can get involved, with absolutely no experience required.

Tyhe Clarkson, Warwick. AFLDD, Toowoomba vs Warwick. Saturday, 29th Jun, 2019.

A longstanding regional sports club has become ‘desperate’ to survive after a critical lack of player created serious pre-season woes.

Warwick Redbacks put the callout on social media for both their men and women AFL teams in an effort to field some new recruits to bolster their sides in 2024.

“The Warwick Redbacks AFL Club are in desperate need for players of our great game … absolutely no experience required,” the post read.

Tyhe Clarkson, Warwick. AFLDD, Toowoomba vs. Warwick. Saturday, 29th June, 2019.

Redbacks men's senior coach Tyhe Clarkson said the club was looking for some new talent, as the current roster stands at about 14 players, with 15 new players needed for the club to be “comfy”.

The club needs 22 players before the first round of the AFL Darling Downs competition kicks off in April.

“A few of our older guys retired, and some younger guys have moved away for work or university, so definitely need to fill those positions,” Clarkson said.

Warwick Redbacks player Mason Stewart (left) and Dylan Newman of South Toowoomba Bombers in AFL Darling Downs round 16 at Heritage Oval, Saturday, August 18, 2018.

Clarkson said the one of the reasons for the player shortage was that there wasn’t much for people to do after graduating school, so they leave the region.

The coach also said after his 12 years with the club player numbers ebbs and flows, with 2017 seeing low registration before players turned up just in time for round one, leaving the club with a plenty of numbers.

“Every now and then, every couple of years people sort of just move on and we struggle but here’s hoping we get some turnouts just in time for round one.”

Training is on Thursday nights at 6pm at Warwick Credit Union Oval. No experience needed.

Originally published as Warwick Redbacks AFL team unable to field players with club making ‘desperate’ callout