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AFL Cape York House Hosts Tri-Series Event
AFL Cape York and AFL Cairns have successfully hosted their Tri-Series event, a multicultural celebration of sport and culture. Held from the 30th of August to the 1st of September in Cairns, the event welcomed two under-16 teams from Papua New Guinea, joining AFL Cape York Crusader teams in a weekend of friendly competition and cultural exchange.
The Tri-Series brought together participants from Cape York, the Torres Strait, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cairns, and Papua New Guinea in a unique four-team competition for boys and girls.
Games were played at Cazalys Stadium and Buchan Street Reserve, the home of Cairns Eagles FC.
AFL Cape York House General Manager Rick Hanlon said the event was not just about football but about using sport as a connection point to foster deeper relationships, cultural understanding, and respect between the young players and their communities.
“This wasn’t just about playing football. It was about engaging our closest international neighbour, Papua New Guinea, to come together in the spirit of friendship and culture,” Mr Hanlon said.
“Football was the vehicle, but the highlight was the way it brought us together to celebrate our diverse backgrounds.”
The weekend was filled with exciting matchups, particularly noting the Papua New Guinean teams’ agility and speed, which kept the games lively and entertaining.
The tournament’s main attraction, however, took place off the field on Saturday night with a cultural feast at AFL Cape York House for Boys. More than 200 people gathered to enjoy a spread of traditional Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Papua New Guinean foods, generously prepared by the PNG & Wantoks Association Cairns and staff from AFL Cape York.
“A highlight of the weekend was the Saturday night where we had a feast of different foods, particularly traditional Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Papua New Guinean foods,” Mr Hanlon said.
“Our team at AFL Cape York House prepared a Torres Strait Islander Kup-Murri (a shallow earth oven filled with stones) and we were grateful to connect with the Wantoks Association who helped us out by cooking traditional PNG foods and then they participated in the evening.”
“We had well over 200 people in attendance – players, officials, and some guests.
“We shared in song, we shared dance, and food. It was just fantastic.”
Another standout moment came during the presentation of the Coaches’ Awards, where a Papua New Guinean player was recognised for embodying the values of cultural connection, respect, and relationship-building. The enthusiastic cheers from all players demonstrated the strong bonds formed during the weekend, further reinforcing the event’s focus on unity.
The success of this year’s Tri-Series marks AFL Cape York and AFL Cairns’ commitment to building relationships through sport and culture.
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