Woodside plays Clontarf in Karratha Gaelic football match

It’s not the usual code of football played in the Pilbara but teams did their best with the round ball used during the annual Gaelic football match between Woodside and the Clontarf Academy.

The yearly match was started by Irish-born former Karratha gas plant manager Niall Myles and is a more level playing field for the older Woodside players who are not as used to playing AFL as their younger, fitter Clontarf counterparts.

The game resulted in the Woodside team winning for only the second time in six years, defeating Clontarf 35-28 in a friendly competition that was played in high spirits.

Woodside Karratha life extension site manager Martin Richards said the work the Clontarf Academy goes well beyond a game of football.

“We are proud to support a program that is helping foster a generation of strong, young indigenous men who are confidently building a solid foundation for their future,” he said.

“The boys put up a good fight every year and definitely don’t take it easy on us, we’re looking forward to a re-match next year.”

As part of the game, Woodside arranged for the Fremantle Dockers to bring their Community Goals team’s popular Purple Playground, including super goals, vertical leap test and handball target practice, for families to enjoy.

The Community Goals team included AFLW midfielder Dana Hooker who said the game was fantastic to watch.

“It was played in really good spirits, the men were getting stuck in to the Clontarf boys and vice versa,” she said.

“I got to have a kick-off with some of the kids that came over and really just mingled with all the families and friends and had a chat about what we’re doing in the region.”