Page 2890 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 17 September 2014

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Tuggeranong United Football Club

MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Planning, Minister for Community Services, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations, Minister for Children and Young People and Minister for Ageing) (6.55): I rise this evening to express my thanks and appreciation to the Tuggeranong United Football Club. Along with over 5,000 others I had the pleasure of attending last night’s game against A-League club Melbourne Victory in the FFA Cup round of 16. I was joined by Minister Burch and also, I understand, by Mr Rattenbury. I saw Mr Smyth at the game as well.

I would particularly like to congratulate the Tuggeranong team coach, Steve Forshaw. He prepared a team of wonderful battlers who, in spite of the 6-0 defeat against a team of full-time professionals, played with great spirit and determination for the entire 90 minutes of the game. It was good to see former Tuggies junior player Carl Valeri playing for Melbourne Victory and being given plenty of vocal support from his father, former footballer and coach Walter Valeri, and the rest of the Valeri family, including all the beautiful grandchildren.

I believe last night’s attendance of 5,150 at Viking Park was the largest-ever attendance for an event at the venue. For a relatively small football club Tuggeranong United staged last night’s game exceptionally well. Hosting an event for a number of people takes some considerable planning and coordination. I would like to thank the club president, Mr Jon Thiele, the committee members and the team of enthusiastic club volunteers for a job very well done. I think the post-match comments of Kevin Muscat, the Melbourne Victory coach, about the Tuggeranong players summed it up well when he said, “That was the biggest game of their careers and the way they conducted themselves was fantastic.”

The Tuggeranong valley can be proud of its football team. I congratulate all those involved in staging such a wonderful match last night and I hope that it will not be too long before Canberra soccer fans have the opportunity of cheering on their own A-League club.

Tuggeranong Hawks Football Club

MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (6.58): I rise tonight to acknowledge the recent success of the Tuggeranong Hawks Football Club women’s team. On Sunday, 14 September I was very pleased to watch the Tuggeranong Hawks women’s team, known as the “Hawkettes”, win their grand final by defeating the Riverina Lions by 41 to 26. I note also that this marked back-to-back premierships for the women’s team.

I would like to congratulate all the players who are part of the Tuggeranong Hawks women’s team this year. The playing roster included Allison Redman, Amy Currie, Angela Ballerini, Angela Winter, Angie Rodway, Annie Ghiradello, Ayla Hennessy, Bernadette Carroll, Eugenie Hickey, Hannah Gray, Jacklyn Bryant, Jess Lang, Karen Hill, Kate Davoren, Katelyn Navarro, Katherine Mcfadyen, Kathryn Ghirardello, Katie King, Katie Stokes, Kellie Brooks, Kerry Matthews, Kristen Langhorn, Melissa Naughton, Miranda Rooke, Natasha Monger, Rachael Berry, Rachel Colbert, Rachel Short, Rebecca Mitchell, Rebekah Currie, Rona Rich, Roni Botterill, Sarah O’Hehir, Sherrie Syrek, Stephanie Boxall, Tayah Mott, Tia Stevens and Wendy Bennett.


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