Wizard of Oz

Reece Homfray

20May08

Austin Wonaeamirri in action for Melbourne last Sunday.

IT wasn't quite the return to Adelaide Austin Wonaeamirri was hoping for.

 Melbourne's 76-point loss to the Crows on Sunday was another dark day in their season of despair.

But the whiz-kid from Melville Island, who burst onto the AFL stage via Norwood, is looking at the big picture.

The last time he was at AAMI Stadium, he was a little-known Redlegs goalsneak sitting in the stands. Now he's one of the AFL's hottest young talents.

``12 months ago I didn't know I'd be here,'' he told Messenger Newspapers after the game.

``Then suddenly everything changed.

``I was pretty excited about this game. It's my first time back since I got drafted.

``A couple of the Norwood boys came down and I was pretty pumped.''

With just six games to his name, Wonaeamirri is still getting used to life as an AFL footballer.

It's a bit different to running around with barefooted blokes for the Mulluwurri Magpies on the Tiwi Islands.

``Ozzie'' has apparently been told to only answer his mobile phone if he recognises the number and just last week, squirmed his way through his first proper media conference.

``I haven't had any media training yet so I think I'm handling it ok,'' he said.

``I looked at that (media conference) and said `this is a test here' and just spoke what I thought.''

As expected, Crows defender Graham Johncock got the job of minding Wonaeamirri for most of Sunday and the contest was fairly even. Wonaeamirri finished with 17 possessions, one goal and helped set up three others.

``During the week I thought Stiffi (Graham Johncock) would come and pick me up,'' Wonaeamirri said.

``He came over and gave me a big smile. We talked a bit, he's a really good bloke.

``When he went off he said `I'm going off to the bench'.''

Playing league footy, Wonaeamirri now knows all about team meetings, recovery sessions, gym workouts and diet. He is also getting used to his new found fame.

``When I went home last week everyone came up and said `I want a signature', and I said `Look I'm from here you know'.

``I felt like I was a king.''

On Melville Island, where Wonaeamirri grew up, kids as young as three carve their skills by kicking around a plastic bottle before latching on to their first footy.

The Tiwi Islands have a population of just 2500, yet they have a seven-team football competition.

It is Australian Rules Football in its rawest form, but is the very heart and soul of the game.

Changerooms are scarce so players arrive at the game already wearing their footy gear. It's not uncommon to play in 35-degree heat and for the first half of the season, they ovals are dry and dusty, waiting for the summer rains to arrive.

Wonaeamirri's journey to the AFL has been a long one.

After playing with St Mary's and the Tiwi Bombers in the Territory, he moved to Adelaide in 2007 to play with Norwood.

After a breakout season he was rookie-listed by Melbourne and later elevated to the senior list.

Remarkably, his six games have been enough to establish a cult-like following among the red and blue faithful.

Former Richmond great, 1982 Norm Smith Medallist Maurice Rioli, who also hails from Melville Island and St Mary's Football Club said ``everyone back home knows young Ozzie''.

``Even my little two-year-old daughter, who doesn't know him, saw him at the airport, recognised him and went running straight up to him,'' Maurice said last week.

Tiwi Bombers general manager and former coach of Wonaeamirri, Brenton Toy, said he speaks to the 176cm pocket dynamo almost every day.

``I usually get a text message that says `ring me' so it doesn't cost him any money,'' Toy said.

``He enjoys getting home but he's fitting in at Melbourne really well. He's one of those guys who would fit in wherever he goes.''

Toy saw talent in Wonaeamirri as a 15-year-old.

``He's such a likable character, he does everything right so it's no wonder he's reaping the rewards,'' Toy said.

``His work-rate is exceptional and so is his willingness to learn.

``There were a few question marks over his height and body shape but I knew once he got his chance he'd make the most of it.''

Rioli and Wonaeamirri aren't the only excitement machines to emerge from the Islands 80km north of Darwin. Former Essendon players Michael Long and Dean Rioli also come from Melville Island, as does current Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli.

``It's not a bad effort for one little island thousands of miles away from the AFL,'' Maurice said.

And AFL talent scouts take note  according to Maurice, there are ``plenty more to come''.

Last week Norwood signed 17-year-old Tiwi Bomber Roy Farmer.

``And he's just as good as Austin,'' Maurice said.

Although Wonaeamirri has made a stellar start to his career, he's determined to heed Maurice's advice and not get ahead of himself.

``Maurice saw me at the airport and said, `this is the start of your career, build on that. The hard work starts now so build on every game','' he said.

That's exactly what Wonaeamirri is doing.