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AFL Grand FInal

Jakarta Globe Saturday/Sunday, October 1/2, 2011

Will the Cats Pounce Or the Magpies Soar?

The winner of todays clash will deservedly be able to claim to be an era-defining team

Report Mick Powell

Cats signaled to the football world that the season was no longer a one-horse race. They savaged the Pies in the first quarter but kicked poorly (2.9 to 1.1 in the first quarter) and Collingwood were able to grab back the lead by half-time. In a see-sawing last quarter, it was Geelong in front by three points when the siren sounded. The second clash in the last round of the season was a dead rubber. However, the Cats used the game to play themselves back into form, which had been down the previous few weeks, and they thumped the Pies by a massive 96 points. True, the Magpies were more interested in self-preservation and had shut up shop early in the game but the size of the loss must be a worry to the coaching staff. During the run-up to the grand final, both teams had to defeat Hawthorn and the West Coast Eagles on their way to a grand final berth. Geelong, which had lost to the Eagles and had narrow victories over Hawthorn during the home and away season, dominated both in their finals matches. Collingwood, on the other hand, had to withstand withering pressure from the Eagles and the Hawks before recording narrow wins. Against the Hawks, Collingwood looked beaten at three-quarter time, trailing by 17 points in a low scoring game, but managed to claw their way back to win by three points. Which path to the grand final brings a premiership remains to be seen. Geelongs dominance looked foreboding but Collingwoods ability to survive the pressure and win while down on form will give them some belief good teams win the close games. The Coaches Collingwoods Mick Malthouse, 58, is currently the AFLs longest-running and most experienced coach. He began his football as a hard-nosed back pocket defender with St Kilda and Richmond and made his coaching debut with Footscray (now the Western Bulldogs) in 1984. He took over the coaching reigns with West Coast in 1990, guiding the club to

two premiership cups (both against Geelong) before returning to Victoria in 2000 to coach the Pies. Malthouses emotional and tearful response to his teams narrow escape against Hawthorn underlined the importance he places on winning this grand final and his attachment to his players. In contrast, Geelongs Chris Scott is a first-year coach and at 35, the leagues second youngest his identical twin brother Brad, who is in charge of North Melbourne, is three minutes younger. He began his playing career as a tough defender with the Brisbane Lions, playing in two cup wins before injuries curtailed his career. He spent three years as an assistant coach with Fremantle, landing the envious job of leading Geelong after the sudden departure of Mark Thompson during the off season. Key Forwards Both teams are evenly matched when it comes to goal-scoring Geelong kicking 408 goals over the season with Collingwood only five less. The Pies big men have fared better around the goals, scoring 127 goals to 98. Small forwards from both sides have six players who have kicked 20 or more goals, but Cat wizard Steve Johnson has 46 compared to the Woods best, Andrew Krakouer, with 32. This is why Johnsons knee dislocated last Saturday against West Coast is the story of grand final week. If he doesnt play, the scoring statistics swing back in Collingwoods favor. And Cat youngster, Daniel Menzel, who kicked five goals against the Pies in round 24 is already out with a season-ending knee injury. Both teams have big hardworking forwards who lead well and are strong in the packs. The linchpin of the Magpie forward line is burly center half forward Travis Cloke. He has kicked over 60 goals this season, well up on last year, and he is the AFLs leader in contested marks. He runs long and hard to give his team a target and his strong hands in packs close to goal make him the most dangerous big man in todays game. He is well supported by the equally burly but less experienced Chris Dawes, who, like Cloke, kicked three goals to keep the Pies in the game last week against Hawthorn. Leigh Brown is the third tall,
Alan Toovey of Collingwood and the Cats Allen Christensen in action in Round 24. Continued on Page 4

he stars are aligned, the oracles have spoken and the gods of war are smiling. Its all as it should be. The titans of 2011 the Collingwood Magpies and the Geelong Cats do battle for gladiatorial supremacy in todays Australian Football League grand final at the MCG. The two clubs have towered over the competition like few before them. Collingwood won 20 games out of 22, with the Cats a game behind on 19. Both teams come into the game with exemplorary resumes. Collingwood are last years premiers and are looking to go back-to-back while Geelong won in 2007 and 2009, which would have been a three-peat except that Hawthorn upset them in the 2008 grand final. Todays match will not only decide this years premiers but will stamp the winner as an era-defining team. Collingwood will start slight favorites for the grand final but Geelong has the better recent form. Lets have a look at the two combatants and see how they line up. The Clubs Collingwood is arguably the AFLs most successful club. Since 1897, it has appeared in a record 42 grand finals (its nearest rivals are Carlton and Essendon with 29 appearances). However, while the club is second for most premiership wins currently one behind its arch rivals, Carlton and Essendon in recent times it has become better-known for losing grand finals, having only won four since 1936. Over the same period, Geelong has been premiers eight times and runners-up nine times. This is the Cats most successful period since the Fifties and early Sixties, although they were runners-up four times from 1989 and 1995. The Cats and the Pies have met in five grand finals, with Geelong winning three. The last, in 1953, resulted in a 12-point win to the Pies. The Form The two sides have met twice this year, with honors going to the Cats on both occasions. In round 8, the

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Jakarta Globe Saturday/Sunday, October 1/2, 2011

Continued from Page 2

changing in the ruck with Darren Jolly. Geelongs high-flying James Podsiadly has been a revelation since recruited as a 28-year-old matureaged rookie. The Pod has kicked 52 goals so far this season and is ranked third for contested marks. Like Cloke, he doesnt mind working hard up-field to help his teammates. Playing alongside Podsiadly, the 197-centimeter-tall Tom Hawkins has hit career best form in recent games and is just starting to deliver on his early promise. He is hard to stop on the lead and is a booming kick. Ruckmen Mark Ottens and Trent West will both spend time up

forward, giving the Cats extra clout in the air. If theres a truism in football, its that theres more ball to be had on the ground then in the air, and this is where the game may be decided. The Magpies proved this axiom when their smalls failed to score for three-quarters against Hawthorn last week and Collingwood looked beaten. It was last-quarter goals by smalls Leon Davis, Dane Swan (32 for the season) and Luke Ball (17) that got the Pies home. Even with Johnson out, Geelong still have good array of goal scoring midfielders, including veterans Billy Bartel (23) and Paul Chapman (24), and first year rookie Allen Christensen (18).

27 to 1
The difference in number of years coaching between the Pies Mick Malthouse and Geelongs Chris Scott

The Magpies Cameron Wood clears the ball ahead of Joel Selwood (left) and Trent West (right) of the Cats in Round 24. Right, Travis Varcoe is chased by the Pies Steele Sidebottom.

Key Backs Collingwoods back six are recognized as the best in the competition. Not only do they have the tightest defensive record, but their run and long precision kicking especially by Brazilian-born dasher Harry OBrien and club stalwart Heath Shaw can quickly turn defense into scoring opportunities. Full back Chris Tarrant former Collingwood bad boy who returned this season after a stint

with Fremantle will probably line up on Podsiadly while tall youngster Ben Reid will take Hawkins. OBrien will go to Johnson should he play and Malthouse will try to free up either Davis or captain Nick Maxwell as a loose man in defense. Prior to 2010, it was Geelongs defensive six that were the toast of the town and theyre still a formidable unit. While Matthew Scarlett is recognized as the best fullback this decade, it will be the high-marking Harry Taylor who gets the job on Cloke while Tom Lonergan will go to Dawes. Scott will probably put Scarlett on the less dangerous Brown, where his attacking prowess can be used to better effect. The On-Ballers Winning the contested footy and applying tackling pressure at stoppages and center bounces is where the game will be won or lost and both sides bring a good mix of skill and hardness to this vital area. This years Brownlow Medalist Dane Swan may be unfashionable, but he is big and strong, difficult to tackle, always stays on his feet, can run all day and is the games highest average possession winner. His only downside is that hes not always precise with the football and for that reason Geelong may choose to hard tag Scott Pendlebury and make Swan the responsibility of everyone in his vicinity. Without doubt, the class act in the Pies midfield is the tall athletic Pendlebury. Not only does he rack up high possessions all over the ground but his ball use is usually impeccable and creative. Geelong may give their strong-bodied captain, Cameron Ling, the task of quelling Pendleburys influence. The speedy Dale Thomas has also shown himself to be a big occasion
Continued on Page 6

Decade Upon Decade, Why No Love for the Pies?

Hating Collinwood. Its the most powerful meme in Australian football. This meme has been leaping across generations and growing stronger since the 1920s. And it gets particularly strong at this time of the year if theres a Collingwood team in the finals. The meme has even found its way to the Big Durian. During a live telecast of last weeks Collingwood Hawthorn game at Aphrodite bar, a Collingwood fan called out Carn the Pies. To which someone at the other side of the bar yelled back with equal fervor, Come on the other team. The equation is really that simple. If youre not a Collingwood fan, you hate them. Or at least have a niggling disinclination to wish them well. So why the animosity? Academics trace it back to the early 20th century when fierce suburban rivalry fuelled by religion and class prevailed. Collingwood was a predominately Irish Catholic and working-class club, and a game between the rough and ready Micks and the supposedly more genteel Prods would have added some extra spice to those suburban battles. Having said that, Collingwoods toughest games in those early days were against Richmond, an equally Irish Catholic working class club, and not too many hate Richmond well, not nowadays given theyre an easy four points. The hatred came not because Collingwood were an Irish Catholic and working class club, but because they were a very successful Irish Catholic and working class club. The Pies had five premierships to their name coming into the 20s. In one decade spanning into the 30s they would add another six four in a row from 1926 to 1929 (the only team to achieve this feat) and back-to-back premierships in 1935-36. That gave them 11 cups in all well ahead of the rest. Bloody upstarts. And they have remained a successful club. They are the first club to break the 70,000 mark for members, this year their games averaged 63,000 spectators, placing them in the worlds top nine clubs, just behind Manchester United who pull an average of 69,000. There are other reasons for the dislike. Collingwoods ubiquitous president, TV celeb and businessman, Eddie Everywhere McGuire and his supporter doppelganger Joffa with his tacky gold jacket are two . And then theres the perceived arrogance. When every other team was ordered to have an away jumper, the Magpies refused, It was rumored, however, that they offered to change their traditional black background with white stripes to one with a white background and black stripes. Cheeky buggers. And the stereotypical references to their working class (or more accurately not-working class) origins still persist with frequent mentions of the dole and lack of dental care. But one of the main reasons is because theyre fun to hate. For while Collingwood is a very successful club in clout, cash and fans, it hasnt been very successful at what football clubs measure their success winning premierships.Since 1936, the Pies have won only four 1953, 1958, 1990 and last year and have been runners-up on countless occasions. This is a big stick for opposition supporters and they use it with much glee to beat Magpie fans over the head with. If the Pies win tomorrow, that stick will become considerably smaller. We cant have that. And theres one last reason. Collingwood love to be hated. Who wants to be pitied like Fremantle or everybodys second team, the Western Bulldogs. Being hated is not a burden. Its a badge of honor.

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Jakarta Globe Saturday/Sunday, October 1/2, 2011

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performer and will have to be watched, while ex-Saint Luke Ball gets through a lot of work in close. The Geelong player to step up most after Abletts defection to Gold Coast has been the quiet achiever, James Kelly. He is the clubs highest ball winner and most prolific tackler. His solid no-nonsense, career best season is one of the reasons Geelong were able to bounce back this year. When it comes to putting his head over the ball (and milking free kicks), 23-year-old veteran Joel Selwood has few peers. His tough inside work is vital to Geelongs premiership ambitions. Stalwarts Chapman, Bartel and Joel Corey are also strong and effective when used on-ball. The Ruckman Last season, former Swan Darren Jolly, like ex-Saint Ball, was a godsend for Malthouse at Collingwood, with his strength and experience at ball-ups and throwins opening up the play for his midfielders. However, he is down on form this year and has been carrying a groin injury. Jollys back-up, Brown, is a makeshift ruckman at best and would not be expected to trouble the Geelong pair. Geelongs powerful Brad Ottens is the form ruckman in this game and should give his on-ballers first use of the ball. He is also dangerous going forward. He will be partnered by Trent West who has also shown some form in the last few weeks. Game Styles Collingwoods Malthouse is a great believer in the axiom that strong defenses win finals, and this has been drilled into his team. Attacking out of defense, the Magpies will avoid the corridor and hug the boundary, making a sudden turnover easier to defend (unlike a turnover in the corridor, which invariably means a score for the opposition team). But it is Malthouses most recent innovation that has left other clubs scrambling to catch up. Using a hyper version of St Kildas forward line defensive press (which aims to lock the ball into the forward fifty and thus increase scoring opportunities), Collingwoods pace has allowed Malthouse to extend this press to a more whole-of-ground approach, enabling him to throw numbers at the contest; especially in the corridor. Once the Pies swarming defensive pressure causes a turnover, they spread quickly into the open spaces and attack the goals, enabling the Pies to score multiple goals in quick time. But few can score goals quicker than the swashbuckling Cats. Traditionally, good Geelong sides have been loaded with highly skilled players, and this current team is no different. Their talent and quick, precise movement of the ball especially by hand allows them do what other teams long to do: attack through the corridor at every opportunity. It was this cavalier approach that won them

While he has been named in the side, he still has to pass a final fitness test on Saturday morning. If he doesnt come up, he will be most likely replaced by veteran Darren Milburn. Team Changes Injuries aside, the Cats have named an unchanged team. Malthouse has dropped young on-baller Dayne Beams who played poorly in both last years grand final and had only two possessions last week against Hawthorn when the game was hot and replaced him with exciting rookie Alex Fasolo. While veteran half forward Alan Didak has been named in the side, his poor form over the season may yet see him replaced on game day by Tyson Goldsack. Strategies At the Stoppages: Even if Jolly was fit and in form, the Cats have an edge in the ruck, with their big men more likely to dominate the tapouts. However, the Magpie on-ballers shade their opponents when it comes to the all-important clearances despite often roving to losing rucks. Whichever team gets the most clearances will have taken some vital steps towards victory. Key Indicators: Along with clearances, the key indicators for winning are contested possessions and tackles. Statistically, over the year, the Pies have the slightest of advantages here. Loose Man: Collingwood like to set up a loose man in defense, usually speedy ball user Leon Davis. Geelong may choose to ignore this and set up their own loose man or put someone on Davis to make him responsible and lessen his impact, just as Hawthorn did with some success last week. Ball Movement: While Geelong often uses a series of quick handballs to break into the corridor, this is high risk at the best of times, much more so in a grand final against the swarming Magpie press. However, stats show that in recent weeks Geelong are using the long kick option more often. Collingwood, with their big forwards, are also not afraid to attack the goalsquare with long bombs. The Weather The forecast is for wet footy, which both teams play well. However, a wet track could cut into Collingwoods pace advantage and usually favors the bigger bodied side. Under wet conditions, getting the ball on the boot as quickly as possible will be the order of the day. The Verdict Who will the gods of war smile upon? Collingwood are younger, faster and have a game plan proven in grand finals. The Cats are more experienced and have the stronger bodies and both teams have shown they can handle the pressure on the big stage. Theres very little between the two but Im going to go along with a pro-Geelong banner I saw last week: Too old, too slow, too good. Geelong to win by 17 points.

Above: Paul Chapman and Cameron Ling of the Cats celebrate their win after the Round 24 match. Right: Steele Sidebottom of Collingwood handballs ahead of Daniel Menzel of Geelong. Cover photo and all photos in this article courtesy of the Australian Football League

two premierships and promised them more. That was until last years preliminary final when Collingwood and its defensive swarming pressure completely dismantled Geelongs game plan and made the Cats look old, slow and outdated. This defeat, coupled with the loss of their coach and number one player Gary Ablett Jnr, made it look like the Cats were headed for a tumble down the ladder. However, Scott and Cat pride have turned things around. They still attack the corridor more successfully than other team, but like other teams, they have learnt the Collingwood lesson. They have implemented a more defensive approach, developed a looser but functional press of their own and are now prepared to mix up their precise but high risk quick ball movement with long kicks to the goalsquare in fact, in what looks like a tactical turnaround, in the last four games the Cats now have the highest kicks-to-handballs ratio in the league. They have also increased their contested possession and tackle statistics to put them almost on par with the Magpies. The game boils down to a battle of mindsets Collingwoods defensive mindset with the ability to score quickly against Geelongs offensive mindset and the ability to score quicker. Beyond this sizing-up of players, skills and tactics, there are still a number of areas where the game could be won or lost:

Collingwood are younger, faster and have a game plan proven in grand finals. The Cats are more experienced and have the stronger bodies.

Injuries Collingwood ruckman Jolly and center half back Reid, both under injury clouds with groin and quad injuries, have been named to play. However, Malthouse must be concerned if either player should break down. Jolly going off would leave the Pies badly exposed in the rucks with only part-timer Brown to throw up against the Cat ruckmen. Likewise, the loss of Reid would mean Maxwell would have to take the much bigger Hawkins and he would have less opportunity to play the third-man-up role he does so well. For Geelong, the loss of Johnson would be a huge blow. He is their most creative footballer and has the ability to turn a game in quick time.

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AFL Grand FInal

Jakarta Globe Saturday/Sunday, October 1/2, 2011

2011: Sex, Bets and a Little Bit of Footy

he 2011 season saw the AFL administration continuing to apply copious amounts of spit and polish to keep its brand as squeaky clean as possible. Not an easy task considering its brand is based on the on- and off-field performance of more than 500 testosterone-fueled young men with time and money on their hands. Still, the off-field drama was probably down a fraction on last year. Jason Akermanis had retired, and despite some residual background noise, was now nobodys problem. Likewise, bad boy Brendan Fevola was apparently being a good boy as he tried to kick-start his career in the secondtier league. This doesnt mean there was no drama. During the off season, the St Kilda/schoolgirl scandal blew up again and threatened to turn into a long-running soap opera, with serious consequences for those caught up in it. And a few players and a coach got on the wrong side of the Leagues strict no-betting policy a policy that appears to contradict the AFLs cozy relationship with the gambling industry. On the football front, the AFL would have been well pleased. Collingwood, the biggest crowdpulling club in the League, finished on top of the ladder. And runners-up Geelong probably play the brand of football the AFL would like all teams to play. This is unlikely to happen in the short term as the AFL stretched its footballer resources by adding the Gold Coast Suns to the league this season with Greater Western Sydney to follow in 2012, making it an 18-team competition. The comings and goings of coaches also got good press, with six coaches moving on. This includes Collingwoods reigning premiership coach Mick Malthouse, who, in a deal garnered in 2009, agreed to step down next year in favor of Magpie golden-haired boy, Nathan Buckley. If Collingwood win today, this would probably make Malthouse the only coach to be effectively stood down after winning back-toback premierships. The Off Season The 17-year-old schoolgirl who accused a St Kilda player of getting her pregnant earlier in 2010 drags the club into the headlines again when she posts nude pictures of St Kilda players including Saints squeaky-clean skipper Nick Riewoldt on the Internet, where they immediately go viral.

Round 19: Geelong kick 37.11 (233) to smash Melbourne 7.5 (47). The mammoth loss sees the Demons in what many saw as a knee-jerk reaction dump Dean Bailey, their coach of the last four years. Round 21: West Coasts Patrick McGinnity is suspended for one week after saying he would rape the mother of Melbourne footballer Ricky Petterd in an on-field sledge. Veteran Rodney Eade is sacked after a disappointing season by the Western Bulldogs. An innovative strategist hes the coach who started putting extra numbers down back, a forerunner to many of the defensive tactics being employed today Eade coached Sydney to a grand final prior to moving to the Bulldogs. Round 23: Brendan Fevola, former AFL badboy sacked by both Carlton and Brisbane, kicks 10 goals for his VFL side, boosting his hopes of a return to league footy. Carlton flatly denies it is interested and nobody even bothers asking Brisbane. Round 24: In something of a surprise following the AFLs heavy-handed reaction to the Collingwood betting scandal in July, Essendon assistant coach Dean Wallis is caught gambling on the football. He is suspended for 14 weeks and fined $7,500. Wallis says he was vaguely aware of the Leagues anti-betting policy. He also says he is stupid.

Scandal and intrigue: Kim Duthie is given a lie-detector test on national television; Collingwoods Shaw got stung for betting on his captain; Fremantle Dockers coach Mark Harvey was chopped off at the knees.

takes a number of twists, all in the space of about 30 minutes. Duthie first declares during a television interview that she lied about having sex with Nixon. Immediately following the show she is caught on tape saying that everything I just said I lied about. Half an hour later she tweets that she was joking about lying about having lied. Phew! Meanwhile, back at the football, Geelong and Hawthorn continue their post-2007 record of tight matches and Geelong victories. Geelong, which had vowed never to lose to the Hawks again following their upset grand final loss, won by five points.
Round 14: Western Bulldog recruit Justin Sherman is suspended for four games for racially abusing Joel Wilkinson, a first-game teenager for the Gold Coast. Wilkinsons father is Nigerian. Round 15: Geelong suffers its first defeat of the year, going down to Essendon by four points. Round 16: Allan Jeans, legendary premiership coach at both St Kilda and Hawthorn, passes away. Darryl Baldock, Jeans captain in St Kildas only ever premiership in 1966, also passed away this year. Round 17: Collingwood player Heath Shaw is suspended for eight matches and fined A$20,000 after using insider information to place a A$10 dollar bet on the football. Shaw bet on his captain Nick Maxwell to kick the first goal; Maxwell, who usually plays in the backline was selected on the forward line that week. Maxwell is also fined after his family bet on him based on information he had given them. Round 18: Adelaides coach of the last seven years, Neil Craig, resigns, effective immediately. Former Adelaide premiership captain Mark Bickley takes over as caretaker coach.

Nixon of having a drug-fuelled sexual relationship with her. Rixon, 48, whose stable includes Riewoldt, admits to inappropriate dealings but flatly denies the sex and drug accusations. When later asked about the photos showing him semi-naked on the Duthies hotel bed, Nixon replies he has no idea how he got there. If I knew the answer to that wed all be geniuses, he says.
March 7: In a 60 Minutes interview, Duthie admits fabricating the 2010 pregnancy story and the subsequent miscarrying of twin boys. ''I was a stupid immature little teenager, she says in her defense. March 17: Nixons career is now in tatters, with the AFL suspending his accreditation as a player agent for failing to meet the standards of conduct expected of him.

The Season Proper Round 2: St Kildas aspirations for another tilt at the flag are dealt a severe blow when vice captain and best-and-fairest winner Lenny Hayes suffers a season-ending knee injury in its drawn game against Richmond. The inspirational Hayes won the Norm Smith Medal for best afield in last years grand final draw.
Round 5: Last years runners-up St Kilda win their first game of the year, downing a winless Brisbane. The Saints will take another four rounds to win their second; leaving them two wins from nine games and out of the running for a top four spot. New boys on the block, the Gold Coast Suns, surprise to win their first AFL game, defeating Port Adelaide by three points. Round 8: Geelong wins the clash between the two remaining undefeated teams, defeating Collingwood by three points. It is the first time the Magpies have lost in 23 games. Round 9: Brisbane wins their first game of the season. Round 12: The Duthie Nixon scandal

The Final Weeks September 15: The Fremantle Dockers suddenly and savagely sack Mark Harvey as coach, and the media go into a rumor frenzy about his replacement. But very few get it right. In the best kept secret of recent times, the Dockers appoint Ross Lyon who had a few days earlier indicated he would be staying with St Kilda as their coach. Despite the media and public backlash against the way Fremantle ran roughshod over Harvey, Lyons appointment is seen as one of the biggest coups in the clubs short history.
September 17: The Melbourne Demons sign current Collingwood assistant Mark Neeld as their new coach. Neeld played for Geelong and Richmond in the 1990s. September 19: In a shift from the tradition of only naming ex-AFL players as coach, Brendan McCartney a highly regarded assistant coach at Essendon is appointed by the Bulldogs to replace Eade. September 26: Collingwood on-baller Dane Swan romps away with the Brownlow Medal after failing as hot favorite last year. Mick Powell

February 19: The scandal quickly dubbed DikiLeaks by the medias more mischievous scribes takes a new turn when Kim Duthie (the 17-year-old St Kilda schoolgirl) accuses player manager Ricky

Pre-season 11th March: The NAB Cup final sees Collingwood kick off their back-toback premierships bid with a 22-point win over Essendon.

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Jakarta Globe Saturday/Sunday, October 1/2, 2011

The Bintangs: Where Indonesia Meets Oz

tereotypes about Australian expat sportsmen are almost as widespread as the countries they inhabit. Youve probably heard a few. They like a beer, love their sport and are happy to keep to themselves rather than engage with the community, among others. If asked, the Jakarta Bintangs would probably cop to having a drink every now and then, and theyd definitely plead guilty to loving Australian Rules football. When it comes to being part of the community, though, the Bintangs dont just break the mold. They set the standard for taking the sport to a new audience. There can be a stigma attached to Australian football or expat sports people, said Lee van Gils, the Bintangs youth development officer. We do things other than play football. We dont just play sport and drink beer. Since the clubs founding in 1995, the Bintangs have provided a sporting outlet for people of all ages and nationalities in Jakarta who enjoy having a kick of the footy.

In recent years, though, the clubs focus has expanded from training, playing and socializing and emphasized taking Australian Rules football to the children of Jakarta. Bintangs president John Eddy estimates coaches from the club have held clinics at between 150 and 200 schools and exposed about 15,000 Indonesian children to the sport since the its juniors program began in 2007. Weve got two full-time Indonesian coaches, [Boy Sabar and Ibad], traveling around to schools and running clinics five days a week, Eddy said. On an ideal week, theyll see a couple of schools each day. Theyve probably seen a lot more of Jakarta in a week than the average person. Coaches from the Bintangs travel to schools across the city, putting on clinics that include an introduction to Australian Rules football, a discussion of the games nuances and a question-and-answer session. They also show the students the basic skills of hand-balling, kicking and marking. If they like what they see, Eddy said, they are invited to train with

The Bintangs in action during a tour to Balikpapan this year

the Bintangs. Some stick with their newfound sport, training regularly with the club and becoming involved with its junior league. The Jakarta Australian Rules Football Youth League, launched in March 2010, offers the students drawn in by the clinics a chance to

get out on the field and experience the full range of the sport. Those who excel can go on to play with the Bintangs and even represent Indonesia. Weve started taking a lot of Indonesians with us on tour to play for the Bintangs, Van Gils said. Were developing a team to take to the International Cup in Australia in 2014, and the ones were taking with us will probably provide the nucleus of that team. At least two of the bestperforming Indonesian players joined the Bintangs on trips to the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Balikpapan this year, and Eddy said the clubs commitment to developing local talent put it in good company. I think our program is the envy of quite a few [other expat clubs], he said. If we look at who participated in the International Cup from this region, China and Japan are certainly there, and [East Timor] because of the military influence there. The teams we compete against Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia werent even close to putting a

team in. We only just missed out because we werent quite organized enough. Well be there next time. Missing the International Cup, a triennial tournament for teams outside of Australia, was a disappointment for the club, but it will also drive it during the next three years as it continues preparing for the next tournament and developing its youth league. There have been discussions about creating a division for new teams in the youth league, as well as starting a womens competition. In the meantime, the Bintangs will try to keep everyone in the club motivated and sustain their momentum. Taking the guys who are training hard and deserve it on tour and seeing them actually perform is really rewarding, Van Gils said. Another big plus is when you visit schools, see kids turn up at training and see in their faces that youve had an impact on them. When you can see the results from what youve been doing in training, those are the most rewarding things.
Paul Freelend