Like previous years’ camps to regional WA, this year’s visit to Broome was a great way for Fremantle to meet members, supporters and football fans of all ages who have limited contact with AFL footballers.
The visit to the Kimberley region commenced on a hot and humid Wednesday morning when Fremantle’s touring party arrived in Broome. The travelling party, which included Club Captain Matthew Pavlich, Senior Coach Mark Harvey and a mix of senior players and new recruits then made their way out to six primary and secondary schools around Broome to talk with students on the rigours of playing elite football and the commitment required to succeed.
Assistant Coach Chris Scott, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson, Ryan Murphy and new recruit Chris Hall were warmly welcomed by Year 10-12 students from St Mary’s Secondary College. The players discussed how their sacrifices and work ethic shaped their football pathway and encouraged the students to employ similar strategies with regard to succeeding at school.
Ryan Murphy speaks to St Mary's Secondary College students
Fremantle were later officially welcomed to the region by Shire of Broome President Graeme Campbell at a civic reception at the Shire of Broome offices. Garrick Ibbotson and Mark Harvey presented Mr Campbell with a signed and framed Fremantle jumper for the shire as a gesture of thanks for welcoming the club.
WA National Party leader Brendan Grylls made a surprise appearance at the reception, welcoming Fremantle to Broome and thanking them for the time they would spend in the coming days with regional supporters who do not get to see AFL players as often as those in the city.
Mark Harvey, Brendan Grylls and Matthew Pavlich
Knowing their NAB Cup opener against Richmond was just 11 days away, players later sweated it out at a one hour weights session at the Life and Soul gym following the festivities of the civic reception.
Rhys Palmer and Brock O'Brien
To cap off a busy first day in Broome Harvey, Pavlich, Steven Dodd, Rhys Palmer, Luke McPharlin and Paul Hasleby entertained a capacity crowd at the Broome Bowling Club at a Sportsman’s Night panel show. Between a series of tall stories and humorous anecdotes, the crowd were given an informed preview into Fremantle’s preparations ahead of the 2009 AFL Premiership season.
Day 2 of the camp started at 6.30am with an hour long tackling session on the sand at Cable Beach. The session was presided over by Sports Science Manager Jason Weber and Chris Scott, with the players engaging in a series of physical contest drills.
Players in a wrestling drill on Cable Beach
The travelling party later tested their angling ability at various fishing locations on the outskirts of Broome. Harvey was joined by Des Headland, Hasleby, Palmer and new recruit Casey Sibosado amongst others at Willie Creek, 40km north of Broome where they cast their lines and went searching for mud crabs.
Hasleby had the most success with the reel, pulling in five fish while Sibosado’s local knowledge also came in handy as the group caught two decent sized mud crabs.
Stephen Hill displays his catch
But it was the marquee event on Fremantle’s camp calendar, the Community Evening at the Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre that was the day’s biggest success. More than 1500 people made their way to the new football oval at the centre to meet the players and see Fremantle in action on the training track.
The evening got underway with more than 500 lively five-12 year olds registering to take part in a NAB AFL Auskick Superclinic to learn football skills from some of Fremantle’s biggest stars.
Under the watchful eye of senior players Pavlich, Headland, McPharlin and new recruits Stephen Hill, Hamish Shepheard and Matt DeBoer, the local children were put through a series of exciting and challenging drills aimed at improving their ball handling skills.
Matt DeBoer and Broome locals at the Superclinic
Pavlich said the travelling party felt right at home in Broome and the locals had demonstrated their passion for Fremantle by turning out in droves.
“We really enjoy coming out to events like this and to see so many kids taking part in this clinic is just fantastic,” Pavlich said.
After signing autographs for the excited Broome crowd, Fremantle players took to the training track with selected local talented players for a solid one-hour session.
As one of the star attractions of Fremantle’s visit, Palmer didn’t disappoint the crowd, setting the standard for the local players.
“It was great to have the guys out there with us tonight. I’ve been in their shoes before where you get an opportunity like they have and it’s unreal,” Palmer said.
“They all showed some real talent and even with the wet footballs they had good control and were pretty strong overhead.
“Their foot skills were pretty solid as well. I don’t think there was a kick from any of the Broome boys that didn’t hit me laces out.”
Harvey also took time out to play kick-to-kick with local children, while assistant coaches Barry Mitchell and Dean Wallis conducted a coaching seminar for local sports administrators, coaches and players from the Broome-based Clontarf Academy.
Barry Mitchell instructs Clontarf players during the coaching seminar
The final full day of the camp in the State’s north west saw the reduced travelling party head to remote communities in Derby, Beagle Bay, One Arm Point, Djaridjin/Lombadina and Bidyadanga to visit schools.
New recruit Casey Sibosado headed to his home community of Lombardina on the Dampier Peninsula with team mates Rhys Palmer and Paul Duffield. The group also visited schools at Beagle Bay and One Arm Point to discuss the importance of working hard at school and encouraging students to look after their bodies through good nutrition and exercise.
Casey Sibosado plays king of the pack with Lombardina children
Sibosada said returning to his home community was the highlight of his trip to the Kimberley.
“Getting back to my old school, Lombardina/Djaridjin Catholic School, was great. I got to have a chat to the kids so that was definitely my biggest highlight,” Sibosado said.
“We got a pretty warm welcome, not only from Lombardina, but from all the schools. I think they were quite proud of me representing the community.
“There are quite a few Freo fans up there and hopefully I have some sort of impact in the rise of Freo fans up there.”
Josh Head, Ryan Murphy and Brock O’Brien made a visit to Holy Rosary School in Derby, while Des Headland, Jay Van Berlo and Clayton Hinkley made the one and a half hour journey south of Broome to the most isolated stand alone community in Western Australia – Bidyadanga.
Located 180km south of Broome, Bidyadanga has a population of 800 residents, with 185 of them aged between one and 17 and enrolled at La Grange Remote Community School. Five individual languages are spoken amongst the enrolled students.
Headland, Van Berlo and Hinkley arrived at the school to a warm reception from not only the students but other members of the community who ventured to La Grange to meet their Fremantle heroes.
The trio made their way through each class at the school and spoke of their lives as AFL footballers as well as enforcing the importance of receiving an education. Each player encouraged La Grange’s students to make a concerted effort to go to school each day, learn as much as they could and to work hard while in the classroom.
Jay Van Berlo speaks with La Grange students
La Grange RCS Principal Mark Williams said his students stood to learn a lot from their time spent with Headland, Van Berlo and Hinkley.
“To have positive role models visit the community, especially indigenous players like Des Headland, and to speak on the importance of schooling and learning life skills …I’m sure it will go a long way with our kids,” Mr Williams said.
“We have really been encouraging our students to attend school more regularly and I think hearing their heroes encouraging them to do just that will be beneficial for a while to come.
“Fremantle are more supported in the Bidyadanga community than any other club so to have (Des, Jay and Clayton) here today is just fantastic. The kids got a real kick out of it and it also brought members of the community into the school, which is something we encourage.”
Following their arrival back in Broome, players headed to the Police and Citizens Youth Centre in the town to spend an hour kicking the footy and playing basketball with local children.
Des Headland and Rhys Palmer look on as a Broome local shoots from range
All Fremantle coaches, players and staff who made the trip north wish to extend their gratitude and thanks to everyone within the Shire of Broome as well as those they visited in remote communities for making them feel at home while in the Kimberley.
