AFL Inclusion Carnival begins in Melbourne

By Tom Naghten

New South Wales coach, Ali Faraj, said the competition, which is open to males over 16 with an intellectual disability, was a fantastic opportunity for the players.

“The carnival is all about being inclusive, giving people from all walks of life a chance to represent their state,” Faraj said.

“It gives the players a platform to play at an elite level, on professional grounds on the national stage.”

The competition is hosted at historic grounds including Richmond’s Punt Road and Collingwood’s Victoria Park

Looking to improve on their third placing last year, New South Wales will play matches against teams from South Australia, Victoria Metro, Victoria Country, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Wednesday morning saw New South Wales get off to a strong start with a win against Queensland.

“The team are really bonding well and the effort was great, but the boys have a big test later today against Vic Metro, last year’s winners.”

The carnival happens to coincide with the AFL’s Multicultural Round, Faraj says this year’s squad represents a diverse range of backgrounds.

“This New South Wales side is very diverse, we’ve got Chinese, Lebanese and Malaysian players. I’m proud to be a part of this great team. ”

All teams in the carnival will also have the opportunity to play McDonald’s AFL9s on the hallowed turf of the MCG at half-time in the blockbuster match between Carlton and Collingwood this Saturday.

The carnival concludes on Sunday with New South Wales hoping to challenge the two Victorian sides for the title.