In the Northern Territory’s vast outback, the tyranny of distance takes on new meaning – but when it comes to footy, nowhere is too far.
Table of Contents
Core items:
- The Daly River Buffaloes’ first home game drew hundreds of people to the remote community of Nauiyu for a day of arts and sports
- They faced the Katherine Camels in the team’s only home game
- After a tough game, the Camels won by 16 goals to 10
It was a twist of fate and a last-minute decision that saw the Daly River Buffaloes take on the Big Rivers Football League challenge — a huge step forward for the local football team.
“One of the other senior teams from the Big Rivers Football League in Katherine has retired,” said the team’s president, John Bonson.
“We got a call basically saying if you’re interested can you find sponsors, can you commit every weekend and maybe compete for the next 10 years?
“We just grabbed the chance.”
Getting to Katherine from the tiny, remote community of Nauiyu on the banks of the Daly River was no easy feat.
Every weekend, the team rushes onto a bus at dawn for the eight-hour round trip, navigating winding roads, flat tires and wild buffalo big enough to stop a car.
But on Saturday, the team played its only game on home soil. And hundreds of people came to watch.
“You can scream”
The goals came in a scorching fight that saw the Buffaloes keep up the pressure as they took on the Katherine Camels.
Spectators came from hundreds of miles away, shouting their support from the sidelines.
It was the first time the community had welcomed visitors in large numbers since the pandemic began, and emotions ran high.
“We were locked up for almost two and a half years and it was scary,” said community leader Dr. Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM.
“When I heard the boys were having a home game, I spoke to the arts center and said, ‘Hey, why don’t we do it with the boys?’
The idea sparked the community’s first Arts and Football Day, and for Dr. Ungunmerr Baumann was excited to watch her team for the first time.
She said she hopes the weekend’s event will be the first of many.
Making the home game a mainstay on the NT calendar was a sentiment shared by Labor Party member for Daly Dheran Young.
“Something I’ve always imagined is this [event] to be even bigger and better than the Tiwi Islands Grand Final,” he said.
“I don’t want to speak too soon, but Daly River is only two hours from Darwin.”
In search of victory
In round two of the Big Rivers Football League, the Buffaloes lost to the Katherine Camels in a close two-point battle.
But this week they sought victory.
“We’ve got skills, we’ve got speed… some really impressive footballers but it’s more than just football,” Mr Bonson said.
“Football and community sport is a great vehicle, it’s not just about the game and it’s not just about reaching the top. It’s the journey along the way.
After a tough game in which the Katherine Camels held the upper hand until the final quarter, the Katherine team secured a 16-goal win to 10.