Hudson’s team wins carnival
Wimmera Whippets and Noradjuhaquantong footballer Sam Hudson took to the oval to compete in a national carnival in October.
Hudson represented Victoria Country at the National Inclusion Carnival.
Each state and territory across Australia was represented, with two teams from Victoria – country and metropolitan – and 16 players in each team.
Hudson said he enjoyed the ‘whole experience’ including making new friends across all of the teams.
“We played a lot of football over the five days and I found the competition was a lot stronger than our local league,” he said.
Hudson is the second-youngest member of the open men’s team, which was selected from country clubs across the state.
The teams played off against each other in a lightning round and, based on win-loss ratios, were sorted into two divisions.
Teams within each division then played against each other, with the top two teams on the final day in each division competing in a grand final.
Hudson said the team played well in the lightning round on the first two days of the carnival.
“We won two games, drew two games and lost three games,” he said.
“This put us in fifth position, which was top of
division two. In the division rounds on Wednesday and Thursday, we won all three games and finished top.
“On Friday we played the grand final against reigning premiers Queensland and won 58 to 25.
“This was Vic Country’s first premiership in nine years.”
Hudson said he played on the half-forward line and rotated in and out of the midfield.
The premiership concludes a big year of football for Hudson who played under-17s with Noradjuha-quantong, captained Wimmera Whippets to a premiership and won best-andfairest.