Kimberley’s Next Generation Academy players to play AFL Indigenous All Stars curtain-raiser at Optus Stadium

The Kimberley’s footballing talent will take centre stage at Optus Stadium, with nine rising stars from the region selected to play in the Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Academy curtain-raiser ahead of the AFL Indigenous All Stars clash on February 15. Fremantle’s academy team will play their West Australian counterparts from the Naitanui Academy. The Fremantle NGA side features Carl Rex and Damien Newry representing Kununurra, Rhys Clark from Wyndham, Michael McKay from Halls Creek, D’Ontae Wungudin from Fitzroy Crossing, Keanu Crispin, Kobie Yarran, and Leithan Turner from Broome, and Quaden Cox flies the flag for Beagle Bay and Broome. For many of these young footballers, this will be their first experience playing on an AFL ground in front of a big crowd, giving them an invaluable taste of the big stage. Fremantle Football Club’s regional engagement officer Ben De Meo said some of the Kimberley boys were already in Perth while some would fly out the day before the match. “A couple who board in Perth are down, the others will be here next Friday for training then the game on the Saturday,” he said. It comes as the full Indigenous All Stars team was announced on February 3. It includes Derby’s Brisbane Lions player Callum Ah Chee as one of the key players in the squad with the addition of St Kilda’s Liam Henry, Collingwood’s Ash Johnson, Western Bulldogs’ Liam Jones and Geelong’s Lawson Humphries who all hail from or have family ties to the Kimberley. “Being a Kimberley boy that grew up in the Pilbara, to be able to represent my culture and background surrounded by friends and family in the stands is something I won’t take for granted,” Humphries said. The Fremantle Dockers Next Generation Academy has helped develop other players from the Kimberley, including Henry and Jason Carter.