Western Sydney Alliance. Phto courtesy of ‘Captured by Cindy’
THE Western Sydney Alliance Under 15 AFL Division Two team has made history, completing the home-and-away season undefeated and claiming the minor premiership of the AFL Sydney Juniors competition.
Western Sydney Alliance finished the season with 13 wins and one draw and a 808-476 points for-and-against record, playing their home games at Dukes Oval, Emu Plains (four games), Bensons Lane, Richmond (two games) and Greygums Oval, Cranebrook (one game).
The Alliance is a coalition of four Western Sydney clubs, with some teammates living up to 70 kilometres apart. Completing an undefeated season is a historic achievement for each of the clubs involved.
Coached by Kevin Tate and James Mansfield, the playing group includes representative NRL and AFL players, national-level athletes, First Nations footballers and young men from diverse cultural backgrounds.
“We started as boys from four different clubs, living up to 70 kilometres apart. We finished the season as one undefeated team,” Tate said. “This group proves that where you come from matters far less than what you are prepared to contribute when you pull on the same jumper.
“We have representative footballers, national-level athletes, First Nations players and boys from many cultural backgrounds. Their differences are a strength, but their commitment to each other is what made them undefeated.”
Tate said the team’s success reflected the dedication of the players, coaches, team staff and families who travelled across Western Sydney each week to bring the Alliance together.
“The scoreboard records the wins, but it does not show the kilometres travelled, the sacrifices made by families or the work these boys put in when nobody was watching.”
The Western Sydney Alliance (WSA) hoped to carry its unity and momentum into the finals but fell 49-43 to the Southern Crows in the Qualifying Final on Sunday. WSA will now meet Pennant Hills / Westbrook in the Preliminary Final this Sunday at 2:20pm at Belmore Road Reserve, Bella Vista, with the winner facing the Southern Crows in the grand final.
