The Greater Western Sydney GIANTS would like to congratulate Curtly Hampton and Gerald Ugle on their selection in the AFL Indigenous All Stars squad.
The two GIANTS players will now travel to Alice Springs to play against the Richmond Tigers on Friday February 4, at Traeger Park.
With Hampton and Ugle yet to make their debut at the AFL level, GIANTS coach Kevin Sheedy said that the announcement was an impressive achievement and an exciting opportunity for both young players.
“I am thrilled for the pair of them. These are two of the brightest young Indigenous stars coming through the AFL at the moment,” said Sheedy.
“This is a huge opportunity for them to connect and mix with the most impressive Indigenous players from around Australia. That’s one of the things that I love about the All Stars concept and the AFLPA Indigenous camp; it really connects players from every corner of this country.
“It’s going to be big moment for them both on Friday night, but they’ll have the support of everyone from the GIANTS when we’re all be glued to the TV, cheering them on,” he said.
Hampton was one of the first players signed by the GIANTS and is an athletic forward/midfielder from Alice Springs. He first represented Northern Territory at the 2008 NAB AFL Under”16 Championships as a 14”year”old. Here he displayed exceptional skill, poise, agility, and explosive speed. In 2008 he played two matches at the NAB Under-18 Championships, despite only just turning 15 years of age and he was an AIS-AFL Academy member in both 2008 and 2009.
Ugle, a small midfielder from Beverly in Western Australia, attracted attention in 2009 with his performances at Blacktown Olympic Park for the Under 16 National Championships, averaging 18 disposals a game. In 2010 he played five matches at Colts level for Perth averaging 19 disposals and debuted at League level in round 23 against West Perth. Ugle joined GWS GIANTS on December 2 2010.
The selection came as an added bonus for Ugle who was told he had been selected for Friday night’s match as he celebrated his 18th Birthday over dinner with his GIANTS teammates.
