Australia Day Awards for Poochettes

Gunnedah defeated Inverell in the 2023 AFL North West Women's Grand Final.

THE Gunnedah Shire Council has honoured the Gunnedah Poochettes in its Australia Day Awards.

The premiership winning Poochettes women’s team was named as Gunnedah Shire Council’s Sports Team of the Year.

And to top off a huge awards ceremony held at the Gunnedah Town Hall, Poochettes captain Khobi Devine was named as Gunnedah’s Sports Person of the Year.

In a ceremony attended by ‘The Boy From Oz’ Todd McKenney who delivered a rousing rendition of I Still Call Australia Home, the Poochettes were selected as Gunnedah’s number one Sports Team over the past 12 months not just because they won the women’s premiership but also because “with a playing squad of about 30, the Poochettes provide a safe and inclusive place for women to come together and play AFL”.

The Council said that Devine, who works full-time for the AFL as the North West region’s Development Coordinator, earned her Australia Day Award for being “an advocate for the growth of womens, girls and junior football in Gunnedah”.

It was a strong season on the field for Devine as she led the team to a grand final win, was named in the AFL North West Team of the Year, was fifth on the goal kicker’s list after the home & away matches and finished tied for 8th in the League’s Best & Fairest count.

She also became the first Gunnedah women’s player to reach the 50 game milestone.

Council added that “Khobi is heavily involved in both touch football and AFL in Gunnedah and is recognised as a reliable team member who goes above and beyond both on and off the field”.