GNFL all-star game looks here to stay as curtain raiser gets people excited for footy season

The Great Northern Football League finally saw some action for the 2024 season with the best players going head-to-head in the pre-season all-stars match.

The Saturday exhibition matches saw women’s, colts and league field two sides, with players putting their best foot forward for country week selection.

The curtain raisers had a good mix of the best players from across the league, with clubs required to nominate seven players for each team.

While last year saw teams wear country week jerseys and club jerseys, this year saw specially designed all-star guernseys for the match, with the blue team taking on the white team.

The women kicked off the action in the first game, and the league leader in goals kicked from last season Selina Kiddle had a few looks early for the white team but the blue side put up four goals in the first quarter.

A white forward entry was picked off, but Jessica Giudice-Nairn got the intercept to give them back the possession.

The third quarter was scoreless, but saw a big effort from the blue team defenders, with the ball living in the white forward 50, but they didn’t give up any scores.

It was the blue side that got the win, coming away up 6.4 (40) to 3.4 (22).

Following the game, past country week player Jason Graham presented the best on ground award to Andie Payne from Chapman Valley.

The colts had a fast paced start but each side had just one goal in the first term.

The Blues’ Riaz Mohammed intercepted a kick coming out of their forward and sent it back down for a behind.

The Blue squad threatened to score again quickly but Harrison Criddle from the White squad managed to pick the ball off and send it back out.

Blue came away with the 5.11 (41) to 4.2 (26) win over white.

The best on ground award for colts, presented by Bruce Gillingham, went to Mohammed from the Brigades.

The final game and headline fixture saw the league squad with a different set-up of each side in the same interchange, with both teams being coached by Leith Teakle.

The game started quickly with one of the league’s best, Kim Schofield, proving he still is in the top echelon, with a quick goal for the white side.

While players weren’t playing as hard as in a regular game, the risk of injury was still prevalent and stuck early as Braden Jupp suffered an injury to his hand crashing a pack early into the game.

The Northampton captain came off the field shortly after and didn’t return to the game.

The blue squad did not have much luck in the first quarter with scoring, but broke out for a quick goal in the second.

It was again Schofield responding for white with a second goal not long after.

A Paydn Mason mark in front of goal gave Blue an easy score, with the side heating up late.

Another injury late in the game saw the match called off early, with the white side winning 9.12 (66) to 8.6 (54).

After the game, best on ground went to Towns’ Callum Marquis, as he was presented with the award by Yvonne Marsden.

Following the success of the day in its second year, GNFL president Carrissa Bellottie said it would look to become a regular fixture on the league calendar.

“We no longer have any pre-season competitions anymore, so this is kind of becoming somewhat of that and the whole community gets behind it,” she said.

“It’s looking like something that might stay on our calendar for a few years to come.”

The matches not only give fans a chance to watch but also lets coaches evaluate players for country week selections.

“Great day, three teams out there and I think it gives an opportunity for the coaches to start and where to go for selection into country week,” Bellottie said.

“I think everybody’s taking it on board, you know everybody’s always excited.”

The three best on ground awards had a twist this year that honoured the leagues past champions.

“This year was a little different in regards to our best on ground, we decided to acknowledge past GNFL country week people who’ve done a lot, whether as a player or an official,” Bellottie said.

“We had Jason Graham do the women’s, Bruce Gillingham in the reserves and we just had the wife of the late Keven Marsden from Railways, Bubbsy, she came down and presented the league.

“Next year we’ll have a whole new three.”

The GNFL’s regular season kicks off with round one taking place on April 27.