Gloriously ‘Strayan Wheelchair Aussie Rules Plays Its First Official Match

Following the massive uptake of wheelchair rugby, wheelchair Aussie rules played its first competitive match today in Adelaide’s footy-mad northern suburbs. 

The games’ success has already sparked calls for the new code to be expanded into a national league. Victoria and Tasmania, good on ’em, already want a piece of the inclusive-sport action.

Today’s match, which pitted a team of Adelaide locals against servicemen from Darwin’s Soldier Recovery Centre, ended in a strong win for the home team, 16.8.104 to 14.5.89.

The sport’s competitive debut follows April’s exhibition match, which featured none other than Prince Harry himself.

Wheelchair sports’ newest code differs from wheelchair rugby by having three players per team instead of rugby’s four.

While the sport at the centre of Murderball opts for a volleyball, wheelchair Aussie rules opts for a classic Sherrin, which is handballed through plastic posts at each end of a regular basketball court. 
In keeping with the code’s full-contact heritage, there was some gloriously “heavy contact between the wheelchairs.”
Brigadier Matt Hall said he was inspired by the wealth of red-blooded footy fans in the armed forces who were looking for a way to continue their participation in the sport, and that today’s match “created history, but more importantly it has supported the recovery of our soldiers, and has fostered a healthy spirit of collaboration between Defence and Disability Sports Australia.”
If that doesn’t make you be proud to be Australian, we don’t know what will. 



Story via ABC.
Image via Twitter.

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