{"id":148051,"date":"2025-09-16T19:05:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T19:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/148051\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T19:05:02","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T19:05:02","slug":"community-comes-together-to-support-charity-afl-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/148051\/","title":{"rendered":"Community comes together to support charity AFL match"},"content":{"rendered":"

What a way to celebrate my one year anniversary of living in Canberra with a good old fashioned match of Aussie Rules<\/a> \u2013 the game I grew up watching.<\/p>\n

The 2025 Reclink Community Cup at Alan Ray Oval, Ainslie on Sunday 14 September, saw 300 people attend despite the Canberra Raiders taking on the Brisbane Broncos in a sold-out match at GIO Stadium<\/a> on the same day.<\/p>\n

The annual family-friendly, dog-friendly Cup showdown pits the Limestones (musicians) against the Noise (media) in an important fundraiser for Reclink ACT.<\/p>\n

The Limestones won by five points but that isn\u2019t what the day was all about; it was the community spirit, which came in leaps and bounds.<\/p>\n

From the 300 people through the gates to support the players, to the thousands of dollars raised for Reclink, and, of course, the players supporting each other.<\/p>\n

This was the biggest takeaway I took from the Cup. Despite being pitted against each other on match day<\/a>, both teams train and socialise together.<\/p>\n

From the very first training session to the last, everyone supported one another, no matter what team they were on.<\/p>\n

When I went to my first training session back in July, I had never picked up an AFL ball. It was raining, very muddy and stormy with lightning.<\/p>\n

And I somehow didn\u2019t slip using just normal runners.<\/p>\n

Each week at training, I felt I was learning more and more. And taking part in a game against Parliamentarians in a friendly AFL9\u2019s match at Parliament House Sports Ground earlier this month boosted my confidence in my ability to play.<\/p>\n

On the official Cup day this past Sunday, I exceeded my own expectations in my contributions to my team. Getting a few touches, defending so my opponent couldn\u2019t get the ball, a kick and I even stunned myself when I made a mark \u2013 which happened to be off my teammate and CD editor, Vincent Samaras.<\/p>\n

Player, coach and organising committee member Luke O\u2019Loughlin thanked all the volunteers involved in making the day happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the players to all the bands, the crews working the barbecue and all the other things others did to put on this community music and footy event,\u201d he told CD.<\/p>\n

Noise co-captain Mick Weaver said this year\u2019s Cup was one of the best yet and embodied the true spirit of grassroots community sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone who pulled on a Noise jumper should be so proud of how they played the game,\u201d Mick told CD.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the perfect mix of competition and good fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cA huge thanks to the organisers, volunteers, players, umpires and everyone involved. We can\u2019t wait to do it all again next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mick\u2019s co-captain, Maddi Green, said after being introduced to Reclink in 2024, it was a \u201cno-brainer\u201d to return for the 2025 season \u2013 she\u2019s even joined a Canberra league AFL team off the back of it!<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to thank everyone, not just the players, but everyone, for getting behind and training for months prior to that match. Game day was so special,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew everyone by the end of it, whether you were on the media team or the Limestones, we\u2019ve all become friends regardless of what backgrounds we come from. And we all came together on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said the teams really felt the support of the wider community.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd getting people that have never played footy before to enjoy the sport and to enjoy Australia\u2019s own sport,\u201d Maddi said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless of the results, we all won because we were all supporting a charity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reclink Australia marketing manager Katrina Desfosses said an estimated 300 people attended the match \u2013 the highest crowd at the Canberra event since the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a great result with the organising committee driving the community engagement to build it up bigger and better than ever,\u201d she told CD.<\/p>\n

To donate to Reclink, head to reclink.org<\/a><\/p>\n

See below some happy snaps from the Parliamentary AFL9\u2019s match and the Canberra Reclink Community Cup<\/a>. Photos by Wilson Au Yeung and Jordan Mirchevski:<\/p>\n

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