RPRTP Pathway into SANFL 2021
RPRTP – President and Founder – Rob Clarke’s efforts to try and get a pathway into SANFL for Central Australians in 2021.
RPRTP – pathway into SANFL for Central Australians in 2021
After hearing the surprising news that the AFLNT was pulling out all Thunder sides out of the NEAFL and VFWL in 2020, Rob Clarke felt a desperate need to fill the void and pathway for up and promising football players to make their way into higher levels of competition and an arena to be viewed by scouts from prospective AFL clubs.
Consequently, he set his eyes on the SANFL and started making phone calls to see if there was a possibility of achieving such a pathway from the RPRTP in Central Australia. After many phone calls Rob and co-founder of CAFC Redtails, Ian McAdam flew to Adelaide on the 19th January 2020 to have meetings with the SANFL representatives, the SA Premier and Sports Minister, all liking the idea and keen to get this notion set up. Rob also engaged the NT Government, Alice Springs Town Council and CAFL in the proposal, with more positive responses giving the whole concept a real glimmer of hope that it could be achieved. The COVID-19 Pandemic created an instant holt to all his efforts, but only temporarily, as this man does not know the term – give up. As soon as many sports, including football, in the territory were given the green light to recommence in July 2020 with all the COVID safety precautions and new protocols, Rob got back onto setting up this new concept and pathway. Financial business plans were drafted and letters of support acquired from the Alice Springs Town Council and the Premier of SA.
In mid-November 2020, while having a short break with his wife in Adelaide to catch up with family he reconnected via phone calls with SANFL and some of the clubs that expressed an interest in Robs RPRTP pathway plans, such as South Adelaide Football Club, Adelaide Crows, Woodville West Torrens, Rob set up in person meetings for further discussions about this RPRTP and SANFL pathway.
South Adelaide Football Clubs CEO – Neil Sharpe expressed the most interest and made himself available to join the Redtails squad for their trip to Darwin on the 22nd January 2021 to verse BRFL in a representative game, enabling him to get a vision and hands on feel of the RPRTP and how it is run and to meet potential players of interest.
Rob continued with his correspondence with SANFL and SAFC implementing ideas of the best way to get the ball rolling. It was decided that he and Ian McAdam, would fly to Adelaide on the 19th February 2021 to do a RPRTP presentation to South Adelaide Football Club and North Adelaide Football Club, being the clubs that had expressed an interest to go ahead with this proposal from RPRTP. Both Rob and Ian felt the face-to-face meetings were beneficial and aided in a clearer understanding of what their program was about and how it was structured. From the meetings, invitations for some of our players to fly down to join in pre-season trial games was discussed and organised with North Adelaide FC and South Adelaide FC.
Trial Game with North Adelaide Football Club - 26.02.2021
On the 26th February 2021 Rob flew to Adelaide with Dylan Barry and Nigel Lockyer so they could play in North Adelaide FC trial game. What an exciting prospect for these 2 young men, of whom have continued with their training and fitness regime that is run by RPRTP since the beginning of 2021, all through the Central Australian Summer with temperatures ranging from low 30 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees and above. Their preparation, attitude and dedication are testament not only to their personal characters but a true example of how effective and successful the RPRTP is and its true benefits at arming young people with positive options, support and pathways to allow them to make better choices in life and to pursue their goals and dreams that may otherwise appear too hard to accomplish without the support and guidance from the RPRTP.
These two young men (Nigel Lockyer Jr and Dylan Barry - picture above) since being a part of the RPRTP have maintained fulltime work and are living in a rental apartment caring for themselves with healthy living choices around diet and exercise on a daily basis. They also help mentor juniors not only at the RPRTP training sessions but also in amongst their families, friends and social engagements to encourage them to make healthier choices in their everyday lives. It is this snowball effect that is so important to our community especially for our juniors to see such strong and confident leaders achieving some amazing results from all their hard efforts and adjustments to their lives.
The support that Rob, Ian and Darren give to everyone that comes into the RPRTP is what helps create such a successful and positive environment that allows our players to grow and develop into healthier, stronger and better equipment individuals that now have new tools and options to utilise to help them reach their goals and aspirations and to make better choices in their lives. So, at the end of their football careers, they will have set themselves up to be able to survive in main stream society and continue to support and look after their own affairs.
It is these life skills that are so important to develop and refine along their sporting journey so they can enjoy a lifestyle where they are self-sufficient and in control of how they want to live in a way that enables them to be in control of every aspect, from their health and fitness to their educational and working life.
An update on the Redtails Pinktails Academy by Rob Clarke on the RPRTP Facebook 19.04.2021
Pathways to the SANFL have become a reality for Central Australians with Dylan Barry and Nigel Lockyer both making successful debuts for two different clubs over the weekend just gone.
Dylan pulled on the South Adelaide Football jumper at Woodville Oval last Saturday for the Panthers reserves side, after training with them throughout last week. The panthers were up against Woodville FC It was a tough day for South Adelaide as they were well beaten across the ground going down x 119 to 52.
Dylan ranked 14th out of the 22 South Adelaide players and certainly looked like he belonged, he belted through traffic at one stage like no one was there and received a handball from the Panthers ruckman, as he was steaming into goal unchallenged the umpire called the ruckman’s hand ball a throw, unlucky but showcased his explosive potential. Awesome start Dylan against a very strong side.
Dylan’s stats Accumulated: 6 kicks, 3 Handballs, 2 Marks, 1 clearance and kicked 3 points.
Nigel’s lead up for his debut for North Adelaide Reserves against Norwood was a bit different, as he flew in Friday evening ahead of the lunch time Saturday kick off.
Nigel definitely wasn’t fazed by the short preparation and looked more than at home, making the forward 50 completely his. Norwood ending up getting over North Adelaide 97 to 63 with Nigel kicking over half his side goals and looked very dangerous all game. A very solid start.
Nigel’s stats Accumulated: 11 kicks, 2 Handballs, 5 Marks, 5 Goals straight
Both have been in our program for approximately 7 years and have Become very strong leaders in our community, (pictured above), they were part of the coaching staff for the successful Pinktails Trip to Adelaide last month and have both been active in encouraging others to get on board with conditioning, training and good life choices. In other words, they are giving back to our community in some of the most positive ways possible. Well done young men, we are all extremely proud of you both.
Trial Game with South Adelaide Football Club - 3.03.2021
A second opportunity was arranged with South Adelaide FC for 6 of our players to be included in their trail game on the Wednesday the 3rd March 2021 at 7.30pm and some training sessions on the Friday 5th March 2021. Nigel Lockyer, Dylan Barry, Kurt Abbott, Tom Clarke, Jamal Lynch and Tosh Kunoth were chaperoned by Rob and Ian with an early flight from Alice Springs departing at 9.20am Wednesday 3rd March 2021 and arriving in Adelaide at 12.15 pm.
Once again as a result of all the hard training and fitness sessions run by Rob, Ian and Darren these men were able to fit in comfortably in amongst the rest of the players from SA that were trying out as well for a chance to be selected for a run in the SAFC for 2021. Aside from their pace agility and honed skills it was their respectful attitude to the rest of the players and all of the officials they were involved with that was commented on with an impartial impressive reaction. All involved were in employment or educational training to gain employment. They represented our region with pride and displayed respectful and appreciative engagements with the SAFC officials and players for this momentous and privileged opportunity.
RPRTP Facebook update from Rob Clarke - The Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program is going from strength to strength. 24.03.2021
We have been working with the SANFL over the past 18 months or so to create pathways to the SANFL for Central Australians, who will be able to, once reaching strict requirements play at the SANFL level, whilst still living and working in Central Australia, with options developing from there.
The model is to create an elite academy in Central Australia to build the desire to bring our fitness level to match our incredible talent, something that has never really been harnessed to the required level or/and sustained over a long period.
Along this journey we have been fortunate enough to engage with the North Adelaide Football Club (The Roosters) & The South Adelaide Football Club (The Panthers), over the past few months.
Two Redtails lads (Dylan Barry and Nigel Lockyer Jr) played in the Roosters intra club match at Thebarton Oval a few weeks ago, both performing extremely well.
Since then we have seen 6 Lads (Kurt Abbott, Jamal Lynch, Dylan Barry, Tom Clarke, Tosh Kunoth and Nigel Lockyer Jr) play for the Panthers reserves against Noarlunga, in a trail match at South Adelaide’s Home ground, one of our Redtails lads then played for the Panthers premier league side against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval and again two Redtails men suited up again for South Adelaide last weekend in their reserves trial match against Central Districts at South Adelaide’s Home ground. Again, all performed very well, not looking out of place at all and with positive feedback from the SAFC coaching staff.
South Adelaide also hosted the Pinktails v Pulteney match last Friday night and we sincerely thank them for their support with our women’s program. The result if you missed it was Pinktails 18-18-126 v Pulteney 0-0-0. An outstanding effort by our Pinktails players which has certainly impressed many that were watching.
This leads us into this weekend’s match at Traeger Park we’re South Adelaide’s U18 lads are coming up to the Red Centre with a crew of 40 players & support crew. They will tour the rock Thursday to Saturday and then play against the Redtails County lads at Traeger Park 6pm 27th of March 2021.
Entry to the games will be free, so come down and support this structured initiative. There will also be a curtain raiser kicking off at 4pm against Santa Teresa v Sporties Spitfires from Tennant Creek.
Although nothing has been cemented in stone to this point in regards to the SANFL Pathways, it is looking extremely positive that it will be official in the next couple of weeks, once all the required of field paper work & stipulations have been worked through.
We are looking forward to hosting the South Adelaide Football Club this week and another big thank you to their interest and support in our programs and community.