Liam Jurrah
Encyclopedia
Liam Jungarrayi Jurrah (born 22 September 1988) is a professional Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

er currently playing with the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....

.

Jurrah is also known as Jungarrayi an initiated member of the Warlpiri
Warlpiri
The Warlpiri are a group of Indigenous Australians, many of whom speak the Warlpiri language. There are 5,000–6,000 Warlpiri, living mostly in a few towns and settlements scattered through their traditional land in Australia's Northern Territory, north and west of Alice Springs...

 people, who are based in Yuendumu, a small and remote Indigenous Australian community 300 km north-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

.

He is the first indigenous person from a remote community in Central Australia to play senior football in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

.

Early life

Jurrah was born in Yuendumu to mother Corrina and father Leo Japaljarri Jurrah (a legend in Yuendumu football). Amongst many others, as per Warlpiri tradition, his Grandmother Cecily was also instrumental in his upbringing. During his childhood Jurrah grew up speaking four different indigenous Australian dialects as well as learning English and had never swum in the ocean. Liam began playing Australian rules football from a very young age, playing most of his football at the local red dirt Yuendumu oval and at Football carnivals throughout the Central Australian desert (Sports Weekends) against other remote communities such as Papunya, Lajamanu
Lajamanu, Northern Territory
Lajamanu is a small town of the Northern Territory in Australia. It has a population of 669 , of which a significant amount are of Aboriginal origin...

 (home of his cousin Liam Patrick
Liam Patrick
Liam Patrick is an Australian rules footballer who was pick up by Gold Coast as a zone selection after the 2009 National Draft. He made his debut against Essendon in round 6 of 2011 season.-External links:...

) and Hermannsburg. In his mid-teens he began following his father 600 kilometres each week to play for Yuendumu in the Alice Springs Central Australian Football League
Central Australian Football League
The Central Australian Football League is an Australian rules football competition operating out of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia.The CAFL organises the annual Ngurratjuta Town Vs Country Challenge event and local Rec Footy competitions....

. Liam was involved in the 2005 Under 17, 2005,07,08 A Grade premiership seasons with the Yuendumu Magpies. Also during his mid-teens Jurrah began acting as a volunteer with the Mt Theo Program under its Jaru Pirrjirdi youth development program, which saw him helping to run youth activities such as sport, bush trips and discos for Yuendumu youth (http://www.mttheo.org). His leadership and strength saw him rapidly progress through this program to begin acting as a youth mentor helping other Warlpiri young men in Yuendumu.

Jurrah was first brought to Melbourne in 2007 as a guest of a Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 coterie group called the Industrial Magpies when he watched his first match at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...

. He returned to Melbourne in 2008 where he was played by Collingwood in the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...

 for four games and showed great athleticism and talent. Later that year he represented Victoria (VFL) against South Australia (SANFL). His stay in Melbourne was cut short by his need to return to Yuendumu for family responsibilities to support a dying friend.

In September 2008 he won the Everingham Medal as the best player in the inaugural combined competition CAFL Grand Final, with his four first-quarter goals helping to set up Yuendumu's premiership victory. This historic premiership was in the new combined competition of the 'town' and 'country' sides who had previously played separately in Alice Springs. It also marked the culmination of a great era in Yuendumu football having won Senior 'Ngurratjuta Country Cup' premierships in 2003-04-05 and 2007 before the combined comp CAFL premiership in 2008. Following the CAFL season Jurrah also played for Nightcliff
Nightcliff Football Club
The Nightcliff Football Club, nicknamed, Tigers, is a member club of the Northern Territory Football League, and is based in the Darwin suburb of Nightcliff.-History:The club was formed in 1950.It was formally known as Working & Housing....

 in the Northern Territory Football League
Northern Territory Football League
The Northern Territory Football League is an 8 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory.The premier grade is the largest Australian rules football league in the Northern Territory...

 where he kicked five goals in his last game and AFL talent scouts first identified him – Aaron Davey also noticed him at this time and spoke to Melbourne recruiting staff. Jurrah returned to Melbourne in December, where he was pursued by numerous AFL clubs including the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...

 where he trained

Jurrah was later nominated for the AFL Pre-season Draft
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...

 by former Collingwood player Rupert Betheras
Rupert Betheras
Rupert James Betheras is an Australian rules footballer formerly playing in the Australian Football League.-Early career:...

, and was given special dispensation to nominate, despite not nominating for the previous National Draft.

AFL career

Jurrah was recruited by Melbourne from the Yuendumu Magpies (CAFL) with the first selection in the 2009 preseason draft
2008 AFL Draft
The 2008 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2008/09 Australian Football League off-season. These were Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft...

.

Jurrah spent his first year in Melbourne living with friends and currently resides with his partner, as well as fellow Melbourne player Austin Wonaeamirri
Austin Wonaeamirri
Austin Wonaeamirri is a professional Australian rules football player of indigenous origin. He previously played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early life:...

.

Prior to the 2009 AFL season
2009 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...

, Jurrah was named to play for the Indigenous All-Stars representative side in a pre-season match against Adelaide in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...

.

His senior indigenous teammates at Melbourne, Aaron Davey
Aaron Davey
Aaron Davey is a professional Australian rules football player of Indigenous Australian heritage. He currently plays for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....

, Matthew Whelan
Matthew Whelan
Matthew Whelan is a former professional Australian rules football player.Wearing the number 45 jersey, Whelan was reliable defender/back pocket known by Demons fans simply as the "Wheels". He also earned the nickname "Wrecker" for his big hits and tough and uncompromisingly defensive style of...

 (both from Darwin) and Austin Wonaeamirri
Austin Wonaeamirri
Austin Wonaeamirri is a professional Australian rules football player of indigenous origin. He previously played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early life:...

 (from the Tiwi Islands
Tiwi Islands
The Tiwi Islands are part of Australia's Northern Territory, north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island and Bathurst Island, with a combined area of ....

) have all played major roles in assisting Jurrah to adapt to life in Melbourne.

In Round 12 of the 2009 AFL season
2009 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...

 Jurrah made his AFL debut against Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 at Etihad Stadium on Friday Night Football
Friday Night Football (Australia)
In Australia, Friday Night Football is the broadcasting of both the National Rugby League and Australian Football League Friday night matches on television. Friday Night Football is generally considered to be the biggest stage and generate the most publicity for the clubs involved in both codes...

. He kicked a remarkable goal whilst falling to the ground after attempting a specky
Specky
A spectacular mark is a term for a type of mark in Australian rules football...

 in the goalsquare and also had two long kicks at goal touched on the line. In Melbourne's Round 15 victory over Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...

, Jurrah scored four goals and assisted in multiple other goals for which he was rewarded with an AFL Rising Star nomination. While the Demons struggled for success on the field he became a shining light for supporters. He was given the moniker "Warlpiri Wizard" for his scintillating style of play. He carries on the tradition of magic indigenous forwards set by the original Demon "Wizard" Jeff Farmer.

In November 2009, Liam returned to Yuendumu with the Melbourne President Jim Stynes
Jim Stynes
James "Jim" Stynes OAM is an Irish former professional Australian rules footballer who is currently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008....

 and Channel 7's Tim Watson
Tim Watson
Timothy Michael "Tim" Watson is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, sports journalist and media personality.He is notable for his long career at the Essendon Football Club as a player where he participated in several premiership teams...

. The trip was a chance for Liam's family and friends at Yuendumu to celebrate his achievement and a chance for the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....

 to see where Liam had come from. A story about the visit was aired on Channel 7's Sunday Night
Sunday Night (Australian TV program)
Sunday Night is an Australian news and current affairs program produced and broadcast by the Seven Network. The program airs on Sunday nights at 6:30 pm, and is presented by Seven News Sydney presenter Chris Bath.-Overview:...

program.

Close to the start of the 2010 season, Jurrah required surgery for a dislocation of his shoulder. The injury was caused by an awkward fall during a practice match with the Adelaide Crows. Shortly after, Chris Connolly
Chris Connolly
Chris Connolly is the current Melbourne Football Club football manager as well as assistant coach.-Playing career:...

 from Melbourne Football Club announced that he would be out for approximately 16 weeks.

Jurrah made a successful return to the senior Melbourne team, after spending several weeks playing with Melbourne's VFL affiliate the Casey Scorpions
Casey Scorpions
The Casey Scorpions Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the Victorian Football League . The club was founded in 1903 as the Springvale Football Club and played under the name Springvale. In its history it has won 21 premierships...

, booting two goals in the Demons' round 15 win against Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

.

Football

  • AFL Rising Star nomination: Round 15, 2009
  • Harold Ball Memorial Trophy, Melbourne FC best first-year player, 2009
  • 2010 Mark of the Year
    Mark of the Year
    The annual Mark of the Year competition is a sporting award that celebrates each season's best mark...

    winner
  • 2011 Melbourne FC leading goalkicker (40)

External links

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