ONE hundred and twelve junior footballers from the Wimmera and Mallee regions travelled to Etihad Stadium on Sunday to play during the half-time break of the North Melbourne versus Richmond clash.
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26 AusKick centres from the region took the opportunity to take their AusKick players to the game.
Players from Horsham Saints, Horsham, Apsley, Dimboola, Beulah, Hopetoun, Great Western, Minyip, Edenhope, Ararat, Stawell, Warracknabeal, Goroke, Taylors Lake, Kalkee, Nhill, Rupanyup, Pimpinio, Noradjuha-Quantong, Natimuk United, Halls Gap, Jeparit-Rainbow, Yaapeet, Kaniva and Laharum attended the game.
Horsham Saints AusKick co-ordinator Andrew Sostheim said the whole day took a lot of organisation but ran well.
“The day ran really well considering the logistics of having so many centres involved,” he said.
“It was brilliant to see so many smiles on faces including all the parents who enjoy it just as much. For the country children the AusKick half-time program is a brilliant way for the boys and girls to get up close to their idols, inside the changerooms and out of the ground.”
Highlights for the children included getting high fives from the AFL players as they two teams ran onto the ground to start the second half.
“Mums might have had some trouble getting the children to wash their hands afterwards,” Sostheim said.
“A few children were thinking some of Dustin Martin's ‘Don't Argue’ super powers might rub off on them.”
