Noranda: female Indigenous footy players show off skills at 2018 Kirby Bentley Cup

MORE than 250 rising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female football players competed in the 2018 Kirby Bentley Cup in Noranda on March 2.

Players aged between 13 and 15, including Girls Academy students from Cecil Andrews College, Kiara College, Girrawheen and Balga senior high schools, formed 18 teams to compete in the carnival at Lightning Park.

Fremantle Dockers AFLW player Kirby Bentley made an appearance on the day where she encouraged players and signed autographs.

East Perth won the cup for the second year running, beating South Fremantle 6.7 (43) to 2.0 (12).

Layla Nelson was best on ground in the grand final.

Cecil Andrew School and Girls Academy Year 8 student Teija Morrison said she started playing football in 2016 with her brother and cousins.

“The Girls Academy encourages sportsmanship, leadership and team work,” she said.

Fellow academy student and Cecil Andrew School Year 10 student Aaliyah Dinah said the academy encouraged students to have a healthy lifestyle.

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