Austin Wonaeamirri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Austin Wonaeamirri |
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Austin Wonaeamirri playing for the Tiwi Bombers in February 2016
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Austin Wonaeamirri | ||
| Date of birth | 2 October 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Milikapiti, Melville Island, Northern Territory | ||
| Original team | St Mary's Football Club (NTFL) | ||
| Draft | 19th overall, 2007 AFL Rookie Draft Melbourne |
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| Position(s) | Forward pocket | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Austin Wonaeamirri (born 2 October 1988) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He is from the Tiwi Islands and used to play for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
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Austin Wonaeamirri's Early Life
Austin Wonaeamirri was born on 2 October 1988. He grew up on the Tiwi Islands in a remote community. This community is called Milikapiti, on Melville Island.
Austin started playing football when he was just six years old. As a junior, he played for the Muluwurri Magpies. This team is part of the Tiwi Islands Football League. He was also a young player on the club's senior team. When he was 12, his mother passed away. His father, Matthew, then raised him.
Austin also played senior football in the Northern Territory Football League. This league is based in Darwin, Northern Territory. He was a junior star for the St Mary's Football Club.
He was chosen for the first-ever Tiwi Bombers team. He was one of their youngest star players. Austin helped the Bombers win big against the Rumbalara Football Club. This historic game was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was a special match before the "Dreamtime at the 'G" game.
Moving to Adelaide for Football
After not being picked in the 2006 AFL Draft, Austin moved to Adelaide. He played in the SANFL for the Norwood Football Club. He hoped this would help him get drafted from a more competitive league.
That year, he also represented young Indigenous Australians. He went on a tour to South Africa. His team, the "Flying Boomerangs", played against the South Africa's Buffaloes.
After a good season with Norwood, he put his name forward for the AFL Draft. He had strong performances in the 2007 AFL Under 18 Championships. He played for the Northern Territory team. He was voted the best player for the Territory at this tournament. This caught the eye of many talent scouts.
Austin Wonaeamirri's AFL Career
Experts thought Austin might be picked in the national draft. He was a small forward who was very fast. He was good at putting pressure on opponents. He could chase them down and win the ball. He also had skills using both sides of his body. Some people worried he was a bit heavy for an AFL player. His short height also made some clubs hesitant. But others compared him to famous players like the Davey brothers. They thought he was like Essendon Football Club star Alwyn Davey. Despite these concerns, the Melbourne Demons chose him in the 2007 Rookie draft.
He joined Aaron Davey and Matthew Whelan at the Melbourne Demons. They were all players from Darwin.
Making His Debut
An injury to Jack Grimes opened a spot for Austin. He made his AFL debut in Round 3, 2008, against Geelong. He had eight kicks and four tackles. This was enough for him to keep his spot. He played in the next few games. In his second game, against North Melbourne, he kicked two goals. He also scored three goals against the Brisbane Lions.
His big moment came in Round 7 against the Fremantle. He kicked four goals in a thrilling comeback win. One of his goals was very important. It helped his team take the lead for the first time and win the game. He kicked three goals in the last quarter when the game was very close. His excited celebrations made him a fan favorite. Many people started calling him "Aussie" and "Wonna". He was nominated for an AFL Rising Star Award for his great game. He ended up getting one vote for the award.
In his first season with Melbourne, he was the club's second-highest goalkicker. Only Brad Miller kicked more goals.
During the off-season, Austin went back to Bathurst Island. It was his first time home since the AFL season. People there treated him like a celebrity.
Later Career and Challenges
In 2009, Austin changed his guernsey number. He went from number 39 to 33. This number was worn by Indigenous heroes like Jeff Farmer and Byron Pickett. He lost weight and was chosen for the Indigenous All-Stars team. They played against the Adelaide Crows. Austin kicked two goals and was one of the best players for his team.
Austin had a tough 2011 season. He took some time off and went home to the Tiwi Islands. He came back to Melbourne later in the season. He managed to play five matches. At the end of the season, the new coach, Mark Neeld, decided to remove Austin from the team list.
Austin Wonaeamirri's Personal Life
Austin Wonaeamirri loves to visit his home in the Tiwi Islands. When he has free time, he enjoys talking to people in his community. He also likes seeing friends and making kangaroo stews.
He has a special passion for hunting sea turtles, especially the flatback turtle. This hobby earned him the nickname "Austin 'Turtle' Wonaeamirri" in football circles. His coach, Dean Bailey, once shared concerns about Austin's love for turtle meat. Dietitians had said it has a high fat content.
Austin's favorite food is magpie goose.
