Liam Jurrah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liam Jurrah |
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Jurrah in August 2009
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Liam Jungarrayi Jurrah | ||
| Nickname(s) | LJ, the Warlpiri Wizard, the Cougar | ||
| Date of birth | 22 September 1988 | ||
| Original team | Yuendumu Magpies (CAFL) / Nightcliff (NTFL) | ||
| Draft | 1st overall, 2009 Pre-Season Draft Melbourne |
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| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Liam Jungarrayi Jurrah (born 22 September 1988) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Liam is also known as "Jungarrayi". This is a special name given to him as an initiated member of the Warlpiri people. The Warlpiri people live in Yuendumu, a small community far from big cities. It is about 300 kilometers north-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Liam Jurrah made history as the first Indigenous person from a remote community in Central Australia to play in the AFL.
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Early Life and Football Journey
Liam Jurrah was born in Yuendumu. His mother is Corrina and his father is Leo Japaljarri Jurrah. Leo was a famous football player in Yuendumu. Liam also had his Grandmother Cecily help raise him, which is a Warlpiri tradition.
Growing up, Liam learned to speak four different Indigenous Australian languages. He also learned English. He had never seen or swum in the ocean until he was older.
Liam started playing Australian rules football when he was very young. He played on the local red dirt oval in Yuendumu. He also played in football events called Sports Weekends. These events were held in the Central Australian desert against other remote communities.
When he was a teenager, Liam would travel 600 kilometers each week. He went with his father to play for the Yuendumu team in the Alice Springs Central Australian Football League. Liam also volunteered with a youth program called Jaru Pirrjirdi. He helped run sports, bush trips, and discos for young people in Yuendumu. He became a mentor, helping other young Warlpiri men.
In 2007, Liam visited Melbourne for the first time. He was a guest of a group from the Collingwood Football Club. He watched his first game at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. He returned to Melbourne in 2008 and played four games for Collingwood in the Victorian Football League. He showed amazing skill and speed. Later that year, he played for Victoria against South Australia. He then returned home for important family matters.
In September 2008, Liam won the Everingham Medal. This award was for the best player in the CAFL Grand Final. He kicked four goals in the first quarter, helping Yuendumu win the championship. After the CAFL season, Liam played for Nightcliff. He kicked five goals in his last game there. This is when AFL talent scouts first noticed him. Aaron Davey, another AFL player, also saw him and told the Melbourne Football Club about him.
Liam was later chosen for the AFL Pre-Season Draft. This was a special chance for him to join an AFL team.
AFL Career Highlights
The Melbourne Football Club picked Liam Jurrah as their first choice in the 2009 preseason draft. He joined them from the Yuendumu Magpies.
When Liam first moved to Melbourne, his Indigenous teammates helped him a lot. Aaron Davey, Matthew Whelan, and Austin Wonaeamirri helped him get used to city life.
Before the 2009 AFL season began, Liam was chosen to play for the Indigenous All-Stars team. This was a special pre-season game against Adelaide in Darwin.
Liam made his AFL debut in Round 12 of the 2009 AFL season. He played against Essendon at Etihad Stadium. He kicked an amazing goal while falling down. In Melbourne's win against Port Adelaide in Round 15, Liam scored four goals. He also helped his teammates score many other goals. Because of his great play, he was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award.
Fans started calling him the "Warlpiri Wizard" because of his exciting style of play. He continued the tradition of highly skilled Indigenous forwards, like the original "Wizard" Jeff Farmer.
In November 2009, Liam went back to Yuendumu with Melbourne's president, Jim Stynes. This trip allowed Liam's family and friends to celebrate his success. It also showed the Melbourne Football Club where Liam came from. A story about their visit was shown on the TV program Sunday Night.
Achievements and Awards
Liam Jurrah achieved many great things during his football career and beyond.
Football Achievements
- AFL Rising Star nomination: Round 15, 2009
- Harold Ball Memorial Trophy: This award is for Melbourne FC's best first-year player, which Liam won in 2009.
- 2010 Mark of the Year winner: This award is for the best catch (mark) in a game.
- 2011 Melbourne FC leading goalkicker: He kicked 40 goals, more than anyone else on his team that year.
Other Achievements
- Northern Territory Young Australian of the Year 2010: This award recognized his positive impact and achievements as a young person from the Northern Territory.
Images for kids
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Jurrah in August 2009
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Jurrah playing for Melbourne at Subiaco Oval in July 2010
