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NEAFL ARTICLE By JOHN FORRESTER ER By James Fennessy ON A DAY WHERE ISRAEL FOLAU KICKED HIS FIRST EVER GOAL AND FINISHED THE DAY WITH FOUR, IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT SOMEONE COULD HAVE STOLEN THE SPOTLIGHT FROM THE FORMER RUGBY LEAGUE STAR BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT ADAM FLAGG DID. Only seventeen-years-old, Flagg booted five goals and worked tirelessly in the GIANTS 41-point win over Queanbeyan at Blacktown Olympic Park last weekend. The tall forward presented all day and out-marked a number of experienced Tigers opponents. Flagg said he wanted to make up for failing to capitalise on ample opportunities when the GIANTS met the Brisbane Lions Reserves in Round seven of the NEAFL. “I really wanted to improve after letting so many chances slide and I was lucky enough to get a dream start and kick three in the first quarter,” Flagg said. “My confidence was pretty high so I just had to focus on maintaining it for the rest of the game.” Still in year 12 at St Ignatius College in Sydney, Flagg admitted it has been hard for him to cope with a full study load as well as his footy commitments. “I try and get to the training sessions as much as I can but with school and footy, it’s pretty hard trying to balance them,” Flagg said. 8
“I get a bit of extra support, like tutoring but when you have time to study you just have to make it count, otherwise it won’t happen. “When you’ve got a lot of good people around you, it makes everything a lot easier.” Two of those good people are Adam’s mother and father who live on a drought-afflicted farm in the small northern Riverina community of Ardlethan which is about a 6 hour drive west of Sydney. “Dad couldn’t make it today but he would have loved to and mum is a big fan of the GIANTS Facebook page,” he said. “They’re both right behind me and it has made my time here a lot easier.” Flagg was spotted by the GIANTS playing for the Under 16’s NSW/ACT RAMS in last year’s national AFL carnival which he will attend this year in the RAMS Under 18’s side. WHEN ASKED HOW IT FELT TO FINISH THE GAME WITH ONE MORE GOAL THAN FOLAU, FLAGG LAUGHED AND ONLY HAD PRAISE FOR HIS 22-YEAR- OLD TEAMMATE. “IZZY DID REALLY WELL AND WHEN HE KICKED HIS FIRST GOAL EVERY PLAYER GOT AROUND HIM WHICH WAS GREAT,” HE SAID. Dylan Shiel, Alex Carey, Stephen Clifton and Folau were other standouts for the GIANTS while Toby Conroy, Mitch Heaslip, Tim Cook and James Kavanagh were among Queanbeyan’s best. “It was a team effort, we came together and all the boys getting around me and saying I had a good game made me feel pretty good,” Flagg said. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Jake Neade showed plenty of promise in only his second game for the GIANTS against much larger bodies. The young player said he was satisfied with his game and was happy his team came away with the win. “I’m pretty happy with how I played and the coach looked happy after the game which is always good,” Neade said. HAILING FROM THE SMALL COMMUNITY OF ELLIOTT WHICH IS ALMOST SMACK-BANG IN THE MIDDLE OF DARWIN AND ALICE SPRINGS, NEADE PLANS TO CONTINUE IMPROVING HIS FOOTBALL SKILLS. “HOPEFULLY I GET A BIT MORE EXPERIENCE TRAINING AGAINST BIGGER BODIES AND CAN BECOME A BIT MORE OF AN ATTACKING PLAYER,” NEADE SAID. “I get inspiration from Cyril Rioli, his pressure and hard-ball-gets, and when he gets the ball he always does something with it.” Round nine of the AFL was the Indigenous Round and with Lance Franklin kicking six, Andrew Krakouer and Leon Davis in full flight for the Magpies and Travis Varcoe tearing it up on Friday night, it was a great weekend to acknowledge and view how much Indigenous Australians give to Australian football. Neade said he wanted to acknowledge former Essendon great Michael Long and GIANTS coach Kevin Sheedy for everything they have done for Indigenous footballers. “Without Sheeds and Michael they wouldn’t have the Indigenous Round,” The GIANTS win over Queanbeyan has moved them to third on the NEAFL ladder behind Ainslie and the undefeated Sydney Swans Reserves. 9
Page 1 and 2: RECORD
Page 3 and 4: INSIDE BOUNDARY LINE 2 COUNTRY TO C
Page 6 and 7: NEAFL ARTICLE COUNTRY TO CANBERRA B
Page 8 and 9: NEAFL ARTICLE by Michael Minns By J
Page 12 and 13: NEAFL ARTICLE By JOHN FORRESTER By
Page 14 and 15: NEAFL ARTICLE CELEBRATIONS ALL ROUN
Page 16 and 17: NEAFL ARTICLE PREPARING FOR PERFORM
Page 18 and 19: NEAFL ARTICLE CLUB NEWS By JOHN FOR
Page 24 and 25: NEAFL ARTICLE ROUND 8 RESULTS - 201
Page 26 and 27: DIV 2 NEAFL ARTICLE TEAMLISTS No. N
Page 28 and 29: NEAFL ARTICLE ROUND 8 RESULTS - 201
Page 30 and 31: NEAFL LEADING ARTICLE GOAL KICKERS
Page 32: North East Australian Football Leag

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