FORBES JUNIOR AFL NEWS
All the latest news & updates from the Swampies
2023Â SEASON UPDATE
31 August 2023
The 2023 Forbes Junior AFL Club and Parkes Panthers Central West AFL Auskick and junior footy season officially ended on Sunday August 2023.
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Our Auskick finished on Friday afternoon with a game of parents v the Auskickers and what a game it was with the Auskickers taking bragging rights with a lucky bounce of the ball beating the parents 3.2-20 to 2.2.14 on a beautiful afternoon.
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Our own Reece Matheson was part of the victorious under 17's team that took out the AFL Central West premiership beating the Bathurst Giants AFL Club 6.9-45 to 5.5-35. While sadly the 2023 AFL season ended for the under 14's in the premlinary finals going down 2.5-17 to 3.3-21. The Swampies nearly pulled off the win with a snap at the end only for the ball to hit the post - 10mm the other way and the Swampies would be headed for the Grand Final - but that's footy!
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Our kids have represented Forbes Junior AFL Club and Amazing Forbes NSW well all year. Thank you to all our volunteers and partners and we look forward to doing it all again in 2024!
MARNGROOK GAME A FEATURE OF FORBES COMMUNITY WIRADJURI CELEBRATION
September 28, 2022
Kids kicked a possum-skin footy and learned about the game of Marngrook in one of the features of this year's Forbes Community Wiradjuri celebrations.
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Hosted at Gaggin Oval with the support of Forbes AFL Club, the celebrations offered lots of free family activities on Saturday, from art to artefacts with Indigenous storyteller Larry Brandy.
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This year's NAIDOC theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
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Saturday's activities wrapped up days of learning and sharing Indigenous culture in Forbes, with local schools celebrating NAIDOC this week with food, games, stories and much more.
COMPETITION AFL RETURNS TO FORBES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1986
August 9, 2022
On an historic day for AFL in Forbes the Orange/Forbes under 12's continued their winning run with a commanding 50-point win against Dubbo at Gaggin Oval on Sunday.
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It was victory number eight for the Swamp Tigers as they won 8.14 (62) to 1.6 (12) in what can only be described as the best weather seen in Forbes all year for football of any code.
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Experienced mid-forwards Jack Sara and Sebastian Felice showed the war with two goals each, while Zavier Felice kicked the last one late in the last quarter to ice the game after the brave but outgunned Dubbo kept pressing throughout the contest.
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Orange/Forbes were given a reminder of the danger posed by Dubbo when they took control in the early stages. Jackson Beaudin's goal in the first quarter was timely as Dubbo had pressured and kicked the first point of the game, but the Swamp Tigers lead at the first change by eight points.
It was the Swamp Tigers who grabbed the initiative after quarter time and maintained scoreboard control following a four-goal second quarter and two goal third quarter, and the home team never had to respond as Dubbo couldn't find answering goals to stay in touch and with Zaiver Felice's final term goal Orange/Forbes took a comfortable win.
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Best on ground for the 12's were the Felice brother, Zavier and Sebastian along with Nicholas Wood. Mr Consistent Max Ridge was strong in the ruck, Tyson McLennan continues to get better each game while the defensive duo of Romulus Milsom and Will Northey were strong.
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A blistering start and five goals from an inspired Cayden Metzeling propelled Orange/Forbes under 14's to a 57-point victory over Dubbo in round 9 of the AFL Central West under 14's competition.
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The Swamp Tigers slotted seven unanswered goals in the first half, with Dubbo failing to back up the performance of the last encounter between the two teams when Dubbo nearly caused an upset.
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Playing their first match following three weeks off, the Orange/Forbes Swamp Tigers were a shining light in the 9.10 (64) to 1.1 (7) result.
Metzeling opened the scoring and Orange/Forbes took control in the first quarter, kicking two goals two, however Dubbo pulled one back to trail by eight at the first break. The Swamp Tigers best came in the second quarter adding four goals four, with Metzeling booting three, to lead by 36 at half time.
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The second half was all Orange/Forbes, with the result never in doubt. The Swamp Tigers kicked a further three goals four to one behind to cap off a dominant display. Best on ground for Orange/Forbes were the Forbes boys Zain Clark and Cayden Metzeling who were resolute in defence and dominant in attack respectively.
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The Orange Youth Girls defeated Dubbo 16.12 (108) to 0.1 (11), while in the under 17's Orange/Forbes won 12.1 (73) to 3.6 (24), in a very enjoyable match to watch.
RED BEND SCHOOL WINS CENTRAL WEST JUNIOR SCHOOLS CUP
August 9, 2022
Red Bend Catholic College recently competed in the AFL Central West Junior Schools Cup and in Red Bend's first AFL completion in over 30 years they managed to clinch victory.  Red Bend now progress to the Western Sydney Regional Finals in late August
A fantastic day of football played by everyone. Congratulations to Red Bend and it is great to see AFL continue to grow in Forbes.
JUNIOR AFL SHINES IN FORBES
March 20, 2022
Almost 150 keen AFL players from schools around the region travelled down to Forbes' Gaggin Oval to play in the South-West Local Final of the AFL Primary School Championships previously known as the Paul Kelly Cup.
The players, came from Forbes Public School, St Laurence's Parish School, Canowindra Public School, Cowra Public School and Mulyan Public School. Teams were made up of predominately Year 5/6 students, with approximately 150 students participating, many playing AFL for the first time.
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It was a clean sweep for Forbes Public School in the competition, with their teams claiming first place in both the boys and the girls games.
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Forbes Public School's boys team won all five of their games, with Cowra Public School coming in second, having only lost one game. Canowindra Public School placed third, with three wins out of their five games.
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In the girls competition, both Forbes Public School and Canowindra Public School finished the day with three wins from their four games, however Forbes won on the for-against tally.
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Forbes Public now join boys sides from St Mary’s Primary (Dubbo), Orana Heights Public and Holy Family Primary (Kelso) in Wednesday’s Regional Final. Their girls side will face Wellington.
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Alex Milsom, President of the Forbes Swampies was full of praise for his committee, and what they have achieved in such a short time. "It was a big day for our community. We are a good team to accomplish what we have in Forbes with what we have. Where we are now is incredible."
Casey White, AFL Central West Manager added "AFL in Forbes is in great hands with Alex Milsom and his committee, and we are excited to see it grow and see Forbes take the field in the coming years".
FOOTY BACK IN THE FRAY AT FORBES
March 21, 2022
For the first time since 1986 AFL posts have returned to Forbes.
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Sports equipment provider, PILA, donated a set of goalposts which were erected by the Forbes Shire Council at Gaggin Oval in February 2022, much to the delight of football enthusiasts in the region.
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The new goalposts will really help promote the club and the game in the community.
The FJAFL would like to thank AFL Central West and the Forbes Shire Council for its support of the Swampies, PILA for the generous goalpost donation, and the many AFL NSW/ACT team members that have assisted this project.
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Forbes Shire Council formally opened the Gaggin Oval goalposts at the South-West Local Final of the Primary School Championships (PSC), last Thursday February 24.
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