Another Tigers Overseas Community Project.

Members of the Australian Defence Force (Tigers Club Chaplain bottom row, far right) along with the Missionary Sisters of The Pro Bambini di Kabul School

As each player leaves their change rooms at Allinsure Park to run out for the Queanbeyan Tigers, the last thing they will see are the words ‘Culture Matters’ emblazoned above the change room doors.

Started in 2017 – the phrase is more than a slogan to the players, staff and volunteers at Allinsure Park.

Each man and woman who pulls on the Tigers jumper buys into the belief that while football is important – the culture behind the club is pr-eminent.

In recent years, presentations by Olympic Athletes, Norm Smith Medalists and Senior ADF Officers as part of the club’s leadership program have endorsed the mindset that the ethics and values of the club are what link the club to the community.

The Culture Matters ethos was demonstrated recently, when players and volunteers purchased, donated and then packaged and posted 100 kilograms of toys to the Pro Bambini di Kabul School – a school for disadvantaged children in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Pro Bambini di Kabul School is staffed by missionary sisters from Pakistan and India, helping to create new futures for children with mental disabilities and their families. The sisters live together in a small house with three tin

y bedrooms, a community room, chapel and kitchen, working with the disadvantaged, the orphans, the forgotten.

Pro Bambini di Kabul enrolled 10 children the first year. It was unthinkable to most Afghan families that children with mental or physical handicaps could go to school. Families traditionally kept the children out of sight because their disabilities brought shame to the family.

However, by word of mouth – more and more children began lining up to enroll. Children who had never stood upright are now walking with the aid of walkers or using wheelchairs to move about. Children who could not feed themselves, now tie their own shoes, dress or bathe and are becoming self-sufficient.

The Community Project was coordinated by Club Chaplain Scott Minchin, former Captain and now Committee person Ryan Quade and Chairman Ron Fowlie. The Queanbeyan Tigers players individually purchased toys, packaged them up and sent them to Afghanistan via the Australian Defence Force, where Scott Minchin is currently deployed with the ADF.

Minchin the man the Tigers call ‘El Chapo’, coordinated the toy drive in Kabul and presented fifty boxes of toys and sporting goods to grateful sisters, who received and distributed the toys to deserving and needy children.

On field success is always the goal at Queanbeyan, a proud club that has claimed its fair share of silverware – but its off-field impact is just as important for a club that has volunteered in their local community. In particularly this year through the Kick2Kick Community Awareness project and through the Tigers Players Camp whereby players attended community projects including HOME in Queanbeyan, Salvation Army and projects organized through the Queanbeyan City Council.

The Tigers Overseas Community Projects have been ongoing for some time.

In 2017 a team of volunteers/ players travelled (at their own expense) to the Solomon Islands assisting the local population and local Rotary Club with various building projects. Once again, this project was the brai

n child of Club Chaplain Scott Minchin who – when available is also one of the Clubs 1st and Reserve runner(s) whilst also assisting Tigerettes 1st Grade Coach – Chris Clifton.   It was the intent to go back to the Solomon’s in 2019, but unfortunately, the “Chapos” deployment put this on hold.

Many years ago, the Tigers sponsored a footy team in Samoa and then assisted the Samoan National AFL team tour Victoria and NSW for several promotional games.  From that adventure the Tigers sponsored two Samoan players who later joined the Tigers and played in the local AFL Canberra competition.   Many sets of excess jumpers have also been forward to local clubs through Indonesia.

The players, who assisted in this most recent project – to support an orphanage in Afghanistan that they probably have never heard of and that the majority will never go to – is testament that our field community projects are just as important as our field goals – and certainly has helped a club continue to grow a club where Culture Matters.

Our thanks to Scott and Jane Minchin for their invaluable and ongoing support of our Community Awareness Projects.

2019 AFL Grand Final – Tigers Connection!

The Tigers Connection to this Saturdays AFL Grand Final

What’s not well known in the AFL world is the connection the Queanbeyan Tigers have to the Richmond Tigers this weekend.

In fact, there are two relatively unknowns that connect the two clubs.

1. The first is the colours of black and gold and indeed the jumper of black with a gold stripe!

The Queanbeyan Club commenced operations in 1925 when formed by the Mason Brothers, Stan, Fred and Joe under the guidance of Wal Mason, the elder brother who was a prominent businessman in Queanbeyan at the time.

In fact, the Mason Brothers built Hotel Queanbeyan better known now as the “Top Pub”. (Current senior grade player Jack Carroll-Tape is a descendant of the Mason Family).

Any player residing within a two-mile radius were deemed to be Queanbeyan players. The Committee adopted the colours of red and white in its inaugural year. Between 1926 and 1935, the club changed colours to light and dark blue (like the Marist jumper of today) and then to a red jumper with a dark blue sash.

In 1935, a chap by the name of Garton Werne wrote to the Richmond Football Club asking for a donation of a set of jumpers for the Queanbeyan Intermediate side.  The request was agreed too, and the Richmond Club forwarded a set of jumpers plus socks to the Queanbeyan Club.

The Senior Club “borrowed” these jumpers on a permanent basis, hence the name Queanbeyan Tigers was born.

1. The second interesting connection to this Saturdays AFL Grand Final comes by way of one of its players – Ivan Soldo.
   

Pictured: The Tigers Preseason Camp held at the Klemke Farm 2014 – Ivan is “Back row 10th from the left – really tall bloke”.

The media refer to Ivan Soldo as a unique and interesting story with Ivan having been recruited from basketball through his sheer size and his athletic abilities. The Canberra recruit is an amazing story to say the least having never really played the game of AFL prior to his draft to Richmond through the rookie system in 2015.

However, perhaps (and only perhaps) one of our current day senior grade players “may” have been partially responsible for his introduction to our great game – although Ivan’s cousin and Richmond star at the time Ivan Maric may also take some of the credit.

The story goes like this – Ivan Soldo attended Daramalan College in Canberra along with Jason Taylor (JT) and Aaron Palarzo being players of the Tigers Under 18 Grade team at the time in 2014. Being good mates of Ivan, they suggested he link up with the Queanbeyan Tigers Under 18 Grade team for season 2014.

Ivan was a huge lad at age 17 and upon entering his first training session one can only imagine the thoughts going through the entire coaching staff at the time asking (including senior grade coaches) who is this bloke!!!!

Ivan trained with the club during the summer of 2014 and as can be seen by the photo below he attended the Tigers Pre-Season Camp which was held in Albury and Culcairn incorporating a trial game against the powerful Albury Tigers. Ivan played in the trial match and impressed those in attendance especially knowing his age and his lack of experience for the game.

Unfortunately, Ivan was unable to register with the Queanbeyan Tigers.

As mentioned, his cousin Ivan Maric had already suggested his name to the Richmond Football Club and hence they had him marked as a Category B recruit under the draft rules which restricted him playing or registering for a club in 2014.

The story goes however, Queanbeyan did source a pair of size 17 boots for Ivan to train and play in trial games for the Queanbeyan Tigers.

Although he never registered with the Club, we can in some way lay claim to having “some” influence on his AFL career thus far with his development and exposure to our great game of AFL.

That’s our story and connection to this weeks AFL Grand Final.

From everyone associated with the Queanbeyan Tigers, best of luck on Saturday to Richmond and Ivan in what will be a fantastic Grand Final – (with exception to those following the GIANTS including 1st Grade Team Manager Steve Wightman).

Party starts at 12.00pm with $11 Lunch Menu plus Happy Hours 2pm – 4pm, $4.20 Schooners and finger food at half time of the Grand Final, various games to be played leading into the Grand Final such as Norm Smith Calcutta / First Goal Scorer / Margin Sweeps and much more –

2 Flags in 3 Seasons – Tigerettes Roar Again!

Playing in their 3rd Grand Final in as many years, the 1st Grade team backed up from the 2018 Grand Final loss that followed their brilliant 2017

maiden 1st Grade Premiership with a comprehensive 8 goal to 1 thrashing of the Magpies to be once again crowned AFL Canberra’s best female team.

The Tigerettes program now has three Div 2 Titles (2013/14/15) and two 1st Grade Titles (2017/19) from a combined 7 Grand Final appearances in 10 years! Full credit to all of the players, coaches, support staff and administration for their efforts over the journey thus far and we are certainly excited with where the next stage leads with our Rising Stars girls playing in their 2nd successive Grand Final as they look to defend their 2018 Premiership Sunday 1pm at Footy Park.

There were plenty of nerves leading into Saturday’s decider but you wouldn’t have known it as the Tigers set about their business in a clinical fashion. A tight 1st qtr where the Tigers only kicked 1 goal from a mountain of possession led into the 2nd term where the action really went up a notch with some tough physical contests and the score set at halftime 16 to 0 in the Tigers favour.

Coach Chris Clifton was extremely pleased with the defensive part of their game and demanded the side took more rewards in offensive on the back of this stirring effort, and take advantage they did scoring 2 goals 3 to 1 behind in the Premiership quarter.

The last quarter was the best as the Tigerettes held 90% of the possession in the forward half to slam on another 4 goals to put the result beyond doubt with the Magpies scoring their only goal in the last 15 seconds of the game. There were many standout performers for the Tigers with every player playing their role to perfection.

Ash Jakim kept the League Best & Fairest Maggie Gorham quiet as did Amy Dwyer on Hannah Wallet, to be fair though the Pies forward line was starved of opportunity due to the Tigers defensive efforts from Tarni Evans & Midfield pressure led by Ella Ross, Kate Woodward, Carly Res and the

games Best on Ground Hannah Dunn.

Again, congratulations to Head Coach Chris Clifton and his assistants Kenny Sissons, Andrew Harvey and Tim Hull for getting both women’s teams into this years deciders and also a huge thanks to Joan Vosnakes and her team of helpers in making sure the girls were managed all year.

Finally to all of our Sports Trainers, Physios Danny & Lara, volunteers and tiger family for their support throughout 2019. The crowd support on Saturday night was second to none and showed how much support our Women’s Program has at the Tigers!

Grand Final

8.7-55

1.1-7

Queanbeyan Tigers

Goal Kickers: J. Parry 4, J. Stramandinoli, A. Hamilton, M. Czubara, K. Woodward Best Players: A. Jakim, H. Dunn, E. Ross, T. Evans, K. Woodward, J. Parry