WA Team Named for AFL National Inclusion Carnival 2023

WA All Abilities Football Association has selected a 16-man squad for next week’s AFL National Inclusion Carnival to be played in Queensland from 9 – 13 October.

The team was selected from the 44-player Rise Inclusion Football Academy which saw the players participate in a Draft Combine, three training sessions plus leadership, game sense and personal wellbeing sessions, culminating in three exhibition games.

Fremantle CBC player Kyron Timms will captain the WA team, while Tom Medhat was named coach and David Wright Assistant Coach.

Timms has represented WA at the AFL National Inclusion Carnival five times, including vice-captain twice (2019 and 2022), and is excited to be leading his state.

“I’m very proud and honoured to be named captain of the WA State Football Team and looking forward to stepping into this leadership role,” Timms said.

Aimed at footballers with an intellectual disability aged 16 years and above, the Carnival’s first two days will see a round-robin format between the eight teams from NSW/ACT, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro and Western Australia battle it out. Based on results, the top four teams go into Division 1, with the remaining teams making up Division 2.

WA All Abilities Executive Officer, Hayden Marchetto said there is a good mix of talent featuring some experienced and new players.

“This is a great experience for the players to travel interstate as a team and experience football at the top level playing against the very best from around the country,” Marchetto said.

“This was a great year, not only has our All Abilities program continued to grow; we increased the number of players into our Football Academy as a result, allowing for more players to experience a Draft Combine.”

Timms added how important the player pathway had been for him in learning a new sport, developing new skills and making new friends.

“The coaches in the WA Rise Inclusion Football Academy help us with a range of programs to develop our football and leadership skills,” Timms said.

“I had never played football before attending a Come and Try Day at Fremantle CBC Football Club back in 2010,” he said.

“Now, I have played 144 games for CBC over the last 14 years, and I am looking forward to playing my 150th milestone next year.

WA last claimed the Division 2 Premiership in 2018 where Timms was named WA’s Most Valuable Player of the carnival.

Timms has set the benchmark for his side this year.

“Last Carnival we finished third in Division 1; this year we have a very strong team and I would like to see WA finish in the top two places so we get the opportunity to play in the Division 1 Grand Final, either Vic Metro or South Australia.”