*Football commentary*
Catholicism and football together form the religion on the Tiwi Islands.
Southern, white football fans first got a glimpse of the glory of Tiwi football when
the legendary David Kantilla went to play for South Adelaide in the 50s.
The young man from Garden Point on Melville Island played football like no
southerner before him. He led the way for greats like Essendon's Michael Long
and Richmond's Morris Rioli, both voted best on ground in AFL grand finals.
The 1993 winner of the Norm Smith Medal is Michael Long of Essendon.
Probably about six years ago Tiwi Islanders
came under notice when the Northern Territory played in the
Bicentennial Football Carnival. They won the second division championship and
nine of the 27 players that went on that trip, in fact, came from Garden Point,
which was a community of about 200 people. All of a sudden the southern
media, the talent scouts and the football coaches said 'gee whiz, what a load of
talent! How do we get a hold of that?'
It's no wonder Melville Island has produced
some pretty good Aussie Rules Football stock over the years. The island was
declared a place for incorrigible natives early on this century, but later on part
Aboriginal children that were extradited from their families across the Northern
Territory were brought up here to be raised the European Way by Catholic
missionaries. If anything, it was football that offered glory and finally a chance
to prove themselves
On the football mad Tiwi Islands there are eight teams from a population of just
3,000. Imalu from Garden Point are the most successful, dominating the
Premiership winner's list. Just like the Longs, the Rioli name is synonymous with Imalu.
With eight sons, Cyril Senior is the father of all Riolis.
Just about everyone, the whole eight of them went down there
to play for South Fremantle.
Hard was it though for your boys to go away?
I think it was a bit hard for them. A bit hard.
They probably miss home now and then but what can they do?
They had to try and do something with themselves.
You know you're going to Melbourne,
and this is what you've got to do, you know, to become a top player you
know you got to work hard and do the right things. But the hardest thing
is the fear of failure, you know? You go there with a reputation. I did go there
with with a fairly big reputation and the media really built me up.
And I had to live up to that reputation.
So that pressure was there.
While Maurice was feeling the pressure in Melbourne, the
Rioli dynasty was carrying on the 40 tradition at home. Imalu became the
team that always won. In 22 seasons they've snatched 12 Premiership flags
I can only remember once we've been out of the finals.
Well, once since we started in '69.
Oh now someone's been flattened behind the play here. And Rioli has been sent off.
There's always attention.
This is most hated team in the Tiwi Island Football Leauge.
The most hated, maybe, but it's a club that involves much more than football players
Not so much of any particular footballers have made a good
club. They certainly have but I don't think that's the reason
the club keeps winning. That's mainly because there's a sense of
belonging in the club. you know?
And it's that sense of belonging that has made
the Imalu Tigers living legends and their offspring the stars of tomorrow