The GV Stars sit atop the ladder after Sunday’s results.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The stars aligned to produce a carnival day to remember at Shepparton East last weekend.
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On Sunday, nine all-abilities games were played by the Football Integration Development Association’s northern conference clubs, with the GV Stars featuring in three enthralling fixtures.
Games are played in two 10-minute halves, with the round-robin fixture alternating every half hour to squeeze in all nine matches.
The monthly-run carnivals provide people with a disability an opportunity to play their favourite sport and have a fun and fair-spirited experience on the footy field.
GV Stars secretary and team manager Karen Piastri said the excitement on the players’ faces made the hosting of the day well worthwhile.
“They all get really excited and it’s a really great chance for them to play the game they all absolutely love,” Piastri said.
“It’s all played in such a good spirit and they all get a fair opportunity to play with all their diverse abilities.”
The GV Stars fell short in their first two matches, losing 2.2 (14) to 4.2 (27) to Merriwa, as well as defeat by the same margin against Benalla.
But the Stars turned it on in a top-of-the-table clash against Echuca-Moama, with a performance of three goals to one enough to defeat a soaring Rockets team that had won its earlier two matches.
“We think we had a bit of a home ground curse at the start there,” Piastri said.
“The players were feeling a little disheartened, so it was great to finish the day with a win.”
The final FIDA carnival day for season 2025 falls on Sunday, August 24 in Wangaratta, while the GV Stars aim to have an exhibition match at half-time of the Goulburn Valley League grand final, as has been done for the previous two years.
News photographer Megan Fisher caught the action between the Stars and Benalla on Sunday.
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