1998 RIO TINTO CHAMPIONS
The West Kimberley Football Association can
rightfully claim the title of the best football league in the
North-West after another victory in the Rio Tinto North West Football
Championships held in Broome. The WKFA has won all three championships
and will start warm favourites for four in a row when the championships
are held in Broome next year. Teams travelled from all over the
Kimberley and Pilbara, with representative sides from East, West
and Central Kimberley competing with North Pilbara. The championship
highlighted the best football talent the North West has to offer.
The high esteem with which the championships are held is indicated
by Westar Rules clubs sending representatives to look at players.
North Pilbara started favourites for the championships
and on the Saturday the experts appeared to have made the right
guess. The North Pilbara exerted its authority from the start
as it trounced the West Kimberley in a crushing display. The West
Kimberley was expected to give strong opposition but went down
by a considerable margin. In the afternoon, the North Pilbara
had a closer game against the Central Kimberley but still looked
impressive as it controlled the tempo. The West Kimberley bounced
back to thrash the East Kimberley.
By Sunday the tide had turned though with
the East Kimberley getting by three point in a low scoring affair
against the North Pilbara. With a sniff of a chance of making
the final, the East Kimberley watched the West and Central Kimberley
teams fight out a tight tussle. The win by the West thought gave
them enough percentage points to reach the final over the East
and a rematch against the North Pilbara.
The North Pilbara, hurting from its loss against
the East Kimberley in the morning, started slowly and the West
Kimberley booted away to an early five-goal lead. Half way through
the second half engines in the North Pilbara team started to fire
and the scores were levelled shortly before half time. Kicking
with the breeze in the third quarter, West Kimberley regained
the lead and turned for home seven points in front. Most commentators
expected North Pilbara, kicking with the help of a strong breeze,
to come home over the top. Two important goals by Arnold Bamba
and a host of others from a variety of West Kimberley players
saw the game blow out with the West Kimberley finally running
out winners by 32 points.
West Kimberley 14. 9 (93) d North Pilbara
9.7 (61)
(Courtesy of the Broome Advertiser)