The game played on Sunday August 26 was organised by Timbarra Auskick Coordinator Nagarjuna Vajrala and was driven by demand from the all Indian Hume Bombers wanting to play more football.

Vajrala who is also a Melbourne Football Club Community Ambassador was thrilled to host the Bombers and enthusiastic about the prospect of more members of the Indian community being introduced to the game, while Inaugural Hume Bombers’ President and two-time AFL Community Multicultural Ambassador Award recipient Avtar Singh attended the match to cheer his side on.

AFL South East Football Development Manager Stuart Clark took a keen interest in the game.

“It was a fantastic day and great to see the smiles on the kids’ faces –  it’s really important to create awareness of pathways once the game has been introduced to new communities – the impact of initiatives like this shouldn’t be underestimated,” Clark said.

“It was an amazing effort from the Community Ambassadors, Avtar and Nag, to put this game together and I know they plan to make it an annual affair which is just fantastic.

“Hopefully we get to see some of the boys and girls from these clubs work their way through the ranks and become AFL footballers one day.”

AFL and Essendon Football Club Community Officer Sudip Chakraborty was also at the game, and was delighted to see the teams exchange Melbourne and Essendon club footballs at the completion of the match.