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Over 280 school students from around the state got a taste of life as an AFL player during the week when they travelled to Sydney to take part in the Primary School Sports Associations (PSSA) state carnival at Blacktown Olympic Park.
Riverina claimed the ultimate prize by winning the grand final against Mackillop by 37 points. Mackillop finished in second place while Sydney East came in third and CIS in fourth.
There will be a few smiling faces today given 23 people will be representing NSW at the School Sport Australia Championships being held in Perth later this year.
Of this number, eight players were chosen from Riverina, four from Mackillop, four from CIS, three from Polding, two from South Coast, one from Sydney North and one from Sydney East.
Carnival organiser, Andrew Lowing, said the week has been an absolute success and he is hopeful the event will return to Blacktown Olympic Park next year.
"The week's been absolutely fantastic. It has been very enjoyable for all of the kids that have come from the 13 teams we've had this year," Lowing said.
"The state team will be a strong side and those selected will go away and represent NSW with pride. They will do extremely well when they get over to Perth later in the year.
"Overall the facilities here are first class and I hope other carnivals will be held here in the future. I know the CIS are looking at next year and hopefully the national carnival in the next couple of years can be held here as well."
Everyone at the carnival took a lot out of the event as students were given a rare insight into the life of an AFL player when Team GWS and the Sydney Swans attended the carnival.
Former Geelong dual premiership winning captain, Tom Harley, traded in his football boots for a whistle as he took to the stage as an umpire for the Barrier and Sydney South West match.
Harley also took the opportunity to speak to the players and their parents providing encouragement and congratulations to the developing young footballers. Riverina local and former Sydney Swans great, Paul Kelly, came to the event to wish all of the kids participating good luck.
Some students swapped their football boots for a note pad and a recorder as they pretended to be journalists at a Sydney Swans 'press conference'.
It was a fantastic occasion for young aspiring footballers to ask their favourite Swans players some questions about how they got involved in the game and the commitment required to make it in the AFL.
The activity was made even more special given four of the five players in attendance, Kieren Jack, Craig Bird, Nathan Gordon and Dylan McNeil, have all competed in the PSSA carnival before going on to be listed with the Swans. Byron Sumner was the other Swans player who attended the press conference.
The statewide competition is the equal largest primary school based event in Australia, tied with only rugby, bringing students from 13 different regions together for a sports carnival.
Grand Final
Riverina 7.3.45 v Mackillop 1.2.8
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PLACINGS 2010
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1
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Riverina
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2
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Mackillop
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3
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Sydney East
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4
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CIS
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5
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North Coast
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6
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South Coast
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7
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Polding
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8
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Barrier
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9
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Sydney North
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10
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Sydney West
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11
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Sydney South West
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12
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Hunter
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13
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Western
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State team to travel to Perth
|
Given |
Surname |
School |
Region |
|
Fletcher |
CARROLL |
Trinity Anglican College Thurgoona |
CIS |
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Harrison |
MACREADIE |
St Pauls Henty |
CIS |
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Cody |
BEAUMONT |
Trinity Anglican College Thurgoona |
CIS |
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Tom |
BAKER |
The Scots School Albury |
CIS |
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Harry |
PERRYMAN |
St Josephs Lockhart |
Mackillop |
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Connor |
BYRNE |
Mater Dei Wagga Wagga |
Mackillop |
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Luke |
SHANNON |
St Patricks Griffith |
Mackillop |
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Elliott |
HIMMLEBERG |
Mater Dei Wagga Wagga |
Mackillop |
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Jake |
BROWN |
St Marys, Grafton |
Polding |
|
Alex |
SCHMALER-LOOMES |
St Marys, Warners Bay |
Polding |
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Remy |
BORDIGNON |
St Augustine's Coffs Harbour |
Polding |
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Dylan |
PETTINGILL |
Lavington East PS |
Riverina |
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Tylar |
YOUNG |
Lavington PS |
Riverina |
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Jacob |
TURNER |
Temora PS |
Riverina |
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Julian |
HAYES |
Jindera PS |
Riverina |
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Lachlan |
KAYE |
Lavington PS |
Riverina |
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Jack |
HARPER |
Ariah Park CS |
Riverina |
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Matt |
McGRATH |
Lavington PS |
Riverina |
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Ryan |
GARTHWAITE |
Corowa South PS |
Riverina |
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Mac |
WRIGHT |
Pambula PS |
South Coast |
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Hamish |
WENCZEL |
Pambula PS |
South Coast |
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Angus |
BAKER |
Castle Cove PS |
Sydney North |
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Justin |
CANN |
Maroubra Junction PS |
Sydney East |
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|
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|
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Travis Irvin |
Parkview P.S |
Coach |
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|
Glenn Hidson |
Chipping Norton P.S |
Manager |
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Andrew Marshall |
Peakhurst South |
Trainer |
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Results
Day one
Sydney West 11.9.75 v Hunter 0.0.0
Sydney North 1.1.7 v North Coast 5.3.33
Barrier 6.6.42 v Sydney South West 2.3.15
CIS 3.6.24 v Sydney East 6.6.42
MacKillop 4.4.28 v Riverina 3.6.24
Polding 4.3.27 v South Coast 4.4.28
Sydney West 10.9.69 v Western 0.1.1
MacKillop 5.3.33 v CIS 2.1.13
Riverina 6.2.38 v Sydney East 1.1.7
Polding 14.19.103 v Hunter 0.0.0
South Coast 2.9.31 v Sydney West 3.2.20
Hunter 3.1.19 v Western 4.7.31
Sydney North 8.9.57 v Sydney South West 2.1.13
North Coast 9.2.56 v Barrier 2.1.13
Day two
South Coast 10.8.68 v Hunter 0.0.0
Polding 14.8.92 v Western 1.0.6
North Coast 13.5.83 v Sydney South West 1.2.8
Barrier 7.2.44 v Sydney North 4.6.30
South Coast 16.10.106 v Western 0.0.0
Polding 5.9.39 v Sydney West 1.2.8
Riverina 5.1.31 v CIS 3.5.23
MacKillop 5.4.34 v Sydney East 2.2.14
Finals (end of day two)
Sydney West 5.0.30 v Sydney South West 1.2.8
Sydney East 6.2.38 v North Coast 3.7.25
MacKillop 9.7.61 v Barrier 3.1.19
Sydney North 6.18.54 v Western 0.0.0
CIS 11.4.70 v South Coast 1.6.12
Riverina 5.5.35 v Polding 2.3.15
Day three
Polding 7.7.49 v Barrier 3.1.19
Sydney South West 7.9.51 v Western 0.0.3
Mackillop 5.2.32 v CIS 3.1.19
Riverina 6.11.47 v Sydney East 1.0.6
North Coast 6.0.36 v South Coast 5.5.35
Sydney North 6.4.40 v Sydney West 2.3.15
Sydney East 8.4.52 v CIS 2.1.13
Hunter 6.4.40 v Western 3.0.18
Grand Final
Riverina 7.3.45 v Mackillop 1.2.8 | 
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