West Coast's inaugural Good Friday clash with Port Adelaide on April 19 got underway in high spirits, with the club hosting its annual Integrated Football All Stars match as a curtain raiser before the main event.
The Perth Football League's integrated football initiative is an inclusive, club-based program that provides opportunities for young men and women with a disability to play AFL.
All clubs with an integrated football team nominated their star players to participate in the exclusive exhibition match and players were divided into Blue North and Gold South teams.
CBC Green player Connor O’Neill said he was thrilled to participate in the curtain raiser.
“I was really excited to be asked to play football at Optus Stadium,” O’Neill said.
“When I arrived, I was excited and nervous at the same time. The whole experience from beginning to end was fun. I tried my hardest when playing and felt really proud when doing the lap of honour at the end.”
The opportunity to play on the big stage at Optus Stadium was one that CBC Gold player Daniel Wilson would not soon forget.
“The game was great; it was played in a feel-good spirit,” Wilson said.
“I was shocked at how good the change rooms were. When I ran out to play, the size of the arena gave me butterflies. The whole day gave me a great and beautiful feeling.”
The match culminated in the players gathering for a team photo in the centre of the ground before running a celebratory lap to thank the crowd for their support.
Blue North fullback Jayson Mann was particularly grateful for the experience.
“I loved playing at Optus Stadium with my peers and in front of an appreciative crowd to show them what integrated footy is about,” Mann said.
“My highlight was the lap of the oval and getting high fives from the crowd, as well as hearing them clap us as we went around.”
The West Coast Eagles have proudly supported the Perth Football League's integrated football competition for a number of years and the Integrated Football All Stars curtain raiser is firmly cemented in the club’s annual events calendar.
Perth Football League integrated football coordinator Hayden Marchetto praised the club for giving the players an opportunity to demonstrate their skills on Perth’s biggest sporting stage.
“Thanks to West Coast’s generous support, we were able to showcase our competition to a wider audience,” Marchetto said.
“All the players were thrilled with the opportunity, and they all came off the field with their heads held high and the biggest smiles.
“We look forward to maintaining our relationship, and the West Coast Eagles continuing to support our organisation in its future endeavours.”
