The Hunter AFL Masters have returned victorious from the inaugural AFL Vanuatu Masters 9s tournament last weekend.

Held in hot and humid conditions over Friday and Saturday at the Kauwenu Sports Field in Port Vila, the Hunter Hornets were the only complete team from Australia to compete at the event, with nine Hornets players making the three-hour flight from Sydney to play: Mark Hope, John Holmquest, Don Spencer, Bob Hunter, Glen Mitchell, Mark Scanlon, Andrew Boyle, Ed Reddin and Ben Konetschnik.

Taking on the Hornets were three opponents – a composite team of Australian players from various states (The Forfeits Plus) as well as two Vanuatu teams that each featured local players and a sprinkling of Aussie expats (The Tremors and The Aftershocks). With an average age of almost 61, the Hornets had at least two decades of experience on their opponents.

All teams played one pool game against each other, with the third- and fourth-placed teams playing a consolation final, followed by a first vs second grand final.

After splitting their two games on the opening day of the tournament, the Hornets earned their way through to the grand final with a solid win in their final pool game on Saturday. The decider would be against Forfeits Plus – the only team to defeat the Hornets throughout the pool games.

Kicking with a steady breeze in the opening quarter, the Hornets took the early ascendency in the grand final, slotting four goals straight. The defence meanwhile was rock solid at the other end, taking many deep intercept marks and keeping the opponents scoreless for the term.

A couple of late goals to Forfeits Plus in the second term brought them right back into the contest, with the Hornets holding a two-goal advantage at the long break.

The Hornets added another two goals in the third term, but with Forfeits Plus finishing with the wind, it was all to play for in the final term. As if to script, the pressure mounted
in the final term when their opponents kicked three goals unanswered to pull within a kick.


However, a miracle goal by BK on the run and under pressure in the dying minutes essentially sealed the win, with the good guys holding on for a 13-point win.

As with all games over the tournament, the final was played in good spirit with players celebrating opponent’s goals and encouraging one another. The Saturday was a festival of local Aussie Rules, with representatives from the local AFL Committee and sponsors attending, while Australian Deputy High Commissioner Emily Fisher competed in an all-girls exhibition game during the day. A local under 16 representative game capped of festivities after the grand final.

Hunter AFL Masters also recognises and celebrates the huge contribution of the player’s wives and girlfriends on the trip. As additional familiar faces overseas, their ongoing support at functions and on match days provides a huge lift to the overall vibe of the trip. And their vocal support at games is unmatched anywhere in Masters footy!

Special thanks to AFL Vanuatu President David “Beachy” Beauchamp for organising a fun and well organised event. Aside from the great facilities and an army of AFL Development Officers and Umpires, players were treated to an opening function on the Thursday night, local cuisine on the final day of games, a golf day on Sunday, and free pickups and drop offs to games.

Results:

Game 1. Win vs Aftershocks by 5.4.34 to 3.3.21

Game 2. Lost vs Forfeits Plus by 3.7.25 to 5.1.31

Game 3. Win vs Tremors by 9.7.61 to 1.3.9

Grand Final. Win vs Forfeits Plus by 7.3.45 to 5.2.32

Player bios:

Andrew Boyle: Starting in the ruck and switching to defence, Boyley provided great delivery and support to the midfield. Played the grand final with a broken finger after injuring it in the final pool game, and after forming a formidable partnership with Mark Scanlon, can now be considered one-half of the AFL’s great ruck duos.

John Holmquest: Johnny worked seamlessly alongside BK and Thumper up forward, using all his guile and game smarts to dazzle the defence and deliver many scoring opportunities. Finished the carnival in style with a bevy of goals in the final, but was denied goal of the tournament when a torpedo goal was deemed to have been kicked from outside the forward third.

Mark Hope: The general of the backline, Hopey was the architect for countless attacking moves out of defence. Along with elite foot skills to initiate countermoves, Hopey also was a constant presence with his voice, directing teammates to help fill holes in defence.

Bob Hunter: The elder statesman of the team, Bob accepted a move to the backline on the opening day competition without complaint, and became a rock in holding down the defence alongside Hopey. Also integral in providing a link in chains of possession as we moved the ball forward.

Ben Konetschnik: A true goal scoring machine, BK was dynamic across the Hornets forward line providing many scoring options and opportunities, and was a strong candidate for player of the carnival, certainly for the Hornets.

Glenn Mitchell: Played his role to perfection, anchoring the attack as the stay-at-home forward, giving the midfielders a deep option and simultaneously tying up the defence. His crafty work, especially early in the tournament, resulted in multiple goals.

Ed Reddin: Dynamic around the ground, pushing back in defence and lacing out the ball to the leading forwards. Quickly gelled with Donny Spencer and the ruck combination in the middle to provide great service in attack. Among the best afield each day, complimented on-field performance with off-field leadership.

Mark Scanlon: The other half of one of the AFL’s great ruck duos, Scanners was one of the players of the tournament, switching between the ruck and defence with Boyley. His slicing and decisive runs off half back often resulted in creative switch plays across the field that cut opponents to ribbons and delivered successful forward forays.

Don Spencer: An incredibly calm and consistent presence in the middle, Spence provided the perfect complement to the on-ball contingent. His ability to be in the right place at the right time was uncanny, and his ability to make astute and timely observations during in-game huddles was priceless. A key to the overall success of the team.

Click here to read the Vanuatu Daily Post coverage of the event.