This week we are off to play at our Central Australian home, alongside our Alice based brothers. All our players show great commitment to the program, but our remote and regional guys do an amazing job to represent the people of the NT. I’d like to share what our Alice Springs based players get up to on a weekly basis and the amazing opportunity the Redtails Right Tracks program provides for the talented footballers of Central Australia.

The Redtails Right Tracks program endeavours to drive change in the community of Central Australia. It provides strong pathways in behaviour, job readiness programs, healthy living and bridges the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, creating unity and pride throughout Central Australia through football. It only allows its players to participate if they are employed, studying or in the Right Tracks Program.

This NEAFL season we are proud to have seven talented Centralians on our senior NT Thunder list, all of whom have come through the Redtails program. They continue to train and be involved with the program, as well as their CAFL local clubs. If selected to play NT Thunder each week, they encounter the heaviest travel load on our list. Most occasions travelling a day before and returning home a day later than the main squad.

I’m excited to give another Alice player the opportunity to represent the ochre and black jumper, when Zane Clarke-Edwards makes his debut this weekend. Jamie Hampton, Matt Campbell and Abe Ankers will run out alongside him on their hometown deck and what better time for Abe to step up as captain than this weekend in front of his family and friends.