Young Bathurst Giants Star, Callum Munns Selected in 2024 Flying Boomerangs Program
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 01: During the 2024 Flying Boomerangs & Worlds Jumper Presentation Function at the State Ballroom, Mercure Albert Park on October 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos)
Photo: Callum Munns (Bathurst Giants) pictured receiving his Flying Boomerangs guernsey from former Hawthorn and Port Adelaide player Chad Wingard
Earlier last month, Callum Munns of the Bathurst Giants was one of ninety players aged 15 or under to take part in a youth and leadership camp in Melbourne.
The camp brought together talented players of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent (Flying Boomerangs) and skillful players with a parent born outside of Australia (World Team).
Both programs offered a great opportunity for talented young players to take part in a host of football, education, cultural and leadership sessions which will further develop their skills on and off the field.
“I was able to connect with many different people and it was amazing, I loved how everyone came together, I loved the opportunity I was given and the brothers I made on the way” said Munns about the overall experience of the camp.
His selection in the Flying Boomerangs program comes after a highly successful 2024 season with the Bathurst Giants in the AFL Central West Under-17s competition.
When asked about Munns’ selection, Bathurst Giants President Kathy Sloan was quick to praise the leader and club person he is around the club.
“The Giants are extremely proud of Callum. He has been a leader within the Club for many years as a player, umpire and overall club person and thoroughly deserves this wonderful opportunity. We look forward to him bringing his experiences back to our Club to share his skills and knowledge”, she said.
At the camp, he and the other talented players were exposed to high level coaching from some current and former AFL stars, with recently retired Port Adelaide and Hawthorn forward, Chad Wingard one of these coaches involved with the Flying Boomerangs squad.
“I learnt about the pathways into the AFL, the challenges, the positives, and how different the experience is for everyone, how you need to dedicate yourself to make it all the way”, said Munns.
The camp concluded with two talent showcase matches played at Tony Sheehan Oval within the La Trobe University Sports Park in Bundoora where the Flying Boomerangs and the World Team squads faced off.
Munns’ selection in the Flying Boomerangs squad can open up more avenues for him to feature in the Indigenous and Multicultural Academies as well as other talent pathway programs in future years.
Congratulations to Callum on this huge achievement! We look forward to following your future footballing endeavours closely.
Replays of the two Flying Boomerangs vs World Team matches can be found at the AFL Play YouTube Channel and are linked below.
