Bombers Crash - But Tiwi Island Football Alive and Well

It was the night that the Tiwi Bombers dived out of the Northern Territory Football League finals. It was the emotional end to their first year in the "big league" - as they described the NTFL - an end to their fairytale run which saw the team dominate early in the season, and win over fans who witnessed their "Island-style" of football with freakish skills, lightening pace and keep-the-ball-alive-at-all-costs play.

But in the end, the Tiwi Bombers succumbed to the far more experienced clubs with their big name players, structured football and hard-trained bodies. Frankly, the Bombers looked puny in their final game against the Warriors. It seems that by the "business end" of the footy season opposition coaches had worked out the Bombers magic formula.

But the Bombers have proven inspirational. They have fans in remote indigenous communities right across remote Northern Australia, and beyond in the suburbs and cities of main stream Australia (and around the globe!). They have proven what can be achieved with hard training and discipline and a will to tackle new challenges.

A documentary "In a League of Their Own" featuring the Tiwi Bombers in their first season will be out mid year (July 2008), and will delve into the lives of the players and the unique aboriginal community of the Tiwi Islands which they call home.

Find out more about "In a League of Their Own" by dropping me an email. And in the meantime, tell me: What do you think about the Tiwi Bombers? Leave a comment.

Tiwi Bombers - thrilling football as new doco takes shape

(Right:The Tiwi Bombers in a half-time huddle)

(Director Steven McGregor. Photos: Mark Bowling)


Lights. Action Camera. Shooting is in full swing for the film "In a League of Their Own". It's an observational documentary tracing the exploits of the Tiwi Bombers - a team of talented and highly skilled Aboriginal footballers from the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin. The Bombers are flying high in their first full season in the Northern Territory Football League. With just a few games until the finals, they are on top of the league table.

But can the Tiwi Bombers go all the way and win the coverted NTFL Premiership? And can the Bombers prove to their fiercely loyal supporters that they are capable of not only matching the best footballers in the TOP END, but they are in fact "In a League of Their Own"?

All will be revealed as this film takes shape - documenting the excitement of the Bombers first season, but also the real lives of the players, their supporters and their island community. I am the Executive Producer of this documentary, and together with co-pro Producers Tony Collins and Carmel Young, I'm proud to have the acclaimed indigenous Director Steven McGregor (pictured above) leading the project. His last major work was the award-winning drama "My Brother Vinnie".
Stay tuned for updates as the Bombers season reaches a crescendo in coming weeks.

See also: Tiwi Bombers blast off