Imagine the Melbourne Cup without horses or Sydney to Hobart without boats.
Or Anzac Day without Collingwood or State of Origin without the maroon.
The equivalent of such a glaring absence is being seen this week in the geographical heart of the nation as Alice Springs hosts the annual National Aboriginal Cricket Championship without any representative team from the Northern Territory competing for the first time in the event's history.
Since its inception in 2017, the event has always been hosted in the Top End and has always provided the opportunity for the best Indigenous cricketers to test their mettle against cricketers from other states… until now.
Former players are understandably upset to see Alice hosting a tournament without the home team represented, but NT Cricket chairman Gavin Duffy says the absence is down to a lack of suitable players capable of making the step towards competing at interstate level.
“The bottom line is that we didn't have enough players of the right standard who expressed interest and came forward to play,” Duffy said.
“It's really disappointing, but that's the truth, we've put a lot of effort over the last three or four months into going to clubs to put ourselves in the best possible position.”
NT indigenous cricketer Daryl Lowe was furious at the omission and said it was a slap in the face to not have a team representing the indigenous territory in the 2024 event.
He feared that the lack of an NT team would destroy the competition's popularity among the local community who loved the sport.
“The frustration is huge because my people love cricket, and I would like to know how many fans they get now that there is no local team,” Lowe said.
“I can assure the players and players that we are playing this tournament hard, and even if we are not there on the final day, we will make it an enjoyable day as a team.
“I'm devastated by this, I've taken time off every year for 20 years for this, and I pay myself the way I play.”
The NT's omission was one of several stories from across the country's regional and provincial competitions that caught our attention this week.
Cricket chief's vile tirade
It is never a good idea for a cricket official to target the opposition.
It's even worse when that official is the club president.
It's even worse when he's also a member of the competition committee.
However, such was the case for Narre Warren Cricket Club president Nathan Tracey, who is also a committee member of the Dandenong District Cricket Association, and who this week regretted an expletive-laced social media tirade towards rival club Springvale South.
Despite his team celebrating the win over Springville South on the weekend, Tracy's Facebook post on his own account described his defeated opponents as “a natural idiot who belittled us with cheating allegations, cultural issues, and no connection to the DDCA.”
Although the post was deleted just minutes later, it was too late, as screenshots were taken and freely shared among other clubs participating in the competition.
Not surprisingly, the DDCA is now evaluating Tracy's position in its committee.
The Olympic gold champion competes against Australia
Strange events occurred this weekend in Sydney when Olympic gold medal champions Australia pitted against their home country under the colors of arch-rival New Zealand.
London Olympic gold medalist Nathan Outridge will drive a New Zealand F50 in the Sydney SailGP this weekend for regular leader Peter Burling – a man who beat him to gold at the 2012 Games but beat him in his Olympic defense in Rio four years later .
Now, Outteridge is doing his old friend a favor, answering the call to captain the Kiwi stand-in in Sydney while Burling takes paternity leave.
In a strange coincidence, three SailGP Series skippers have either become or are about to become fathers this season, including Australian skipper Tom Slingsby, now the proud father of his young son Leo.
Paddle, paddle, paddle your boat, and watch out for this crowd
There are many paths elite talent can follow while chasing their professional rugby dreams, but few start in a rowing boat.
However, sporting second rower Isaac Fonua, part of the Waratahs U18 squad, believes the rower's consistency and balance have improved his already impressive rugby CV.
The soon-to-be 17-year-old from King's School Parramatta said his time on a boat taught him valuable rugby lessons as he was set for future success.
“I competed in the junior eights last year but rowing and rugby are clashing at the moment,” he said.
“I love rowing. It helps my stamina and work rate on the rugby field.
“In rowing I learned things about mental fitness and I learned that you can never give up.”
Fonua is hoping to guide the Waratahs to success this weekend in a clash against the Queensland Reds, but if his budding rugby career doesn't work out, at least he won't be able to go up without a paddle… he can always focus on rowing.
Keep it in the family
It is not uncommon for former AFL players to return to local clubs to play some memorable games with old schoolmates or family members such as brothers or cousins.
Former North Melbourne captain Jack Zippel announced this week he is taking another step forward as he plans to join the Avondale Heights side this year in the Essendon District Football League as a favor to his father-in-law Paddy Byrne who coaches the team. a team.
While Zippel finished his career as a defender for the Kangaroos, it seems unlikely that he will play a stop-start role in local football.
“Zero chance,” Paddy said. We suspect that Zippel will intimidate the opposition at the other end of the earth.
That's a lot of Shirin!
Fortunately, the long-running saga surrounding the Gaza Football Club salary cap scandal is nearing an end after recommended penalties for years of cheating were issued.
After finding the club guilty of 223 counts of breaching the salary cap, Judge Michael David KC – the independent salary cap commissioner – made recommendations on sanctions to the South African Football Commission on Tuesday evening.
Among other penalties related to premiership points and player signings, he recommended that the club be fined a total of $186,000 for violations.
The SAFC is expected to soon report on whether it will accept and implement the recommendations.
If they did, according to our calculations, the financial penalty would be equivalent to purchasing 775 brand-new shirins on match day.
What balls!
Finals fever takes hold at the top end
The finals have arrived – well, finally – for the best football you can get in the summer, the NTFL.
It's the time of year in the Top End that everyone has been waiting for, and if last week's little brawl (see video above) was worth it, some thought the wait was too long.
KommunityTV will live stream every match of the Men's and Women's Premier League Finals Series starting with the Qualifiers and Qualifiers clashes this weekend.
PINT, playing in their first ever Men's Premier League final, will be determined to keep the dream alive in the elimination final against last year's grand finalists Southern District Crocs.
In the women's elimination final, barely a hair could separate rivals Darwin Buffaloes and Waratahs, as each tries to end the other's seasons.
In case you want some a light Ahead of reading Ahead of the finals kick-off on Saturday, the NT News has revealed the top 100 players to wear the boots this century.
There may be a name or two you recognize.
Originally published as 'Northern Territory left without team in National Indigenous Cricket Championship'.
