MELBOURNE paid tribute to the father of Austin Wonaeamirri with a minute’s silence before training at Gosch’s Paddock on Monday morning.
Wonaeamirri tragically died in a car accident near Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands, November 14.
Club chaplain Cameron Butler spoke to the group, before the players and staff stood in a circle with their arms around each other.
Defender Jared Rivers said it was a moving moment.
“It’s been tough. We’ve got 15 guys from the footy club up there now [in the Tiwi Islands], but it’s just important to have that minute’s silence for Aussie and his family,” he said.
Rivers said the players were already a close group, but a tragedy such as the loss of Wonaeamirri’s father has brought them closer together.
“He’s going through some tough times and so are we, so hopefully we can all get around him and start pre-season again for him. He’s one of those fun-loving guys to have around the footy club,” he said.
“They [club contingent] went up there before the funeral and did some fishing, so you just can’t wait to see him back here and training with the boys again.
“Aaron [Davey] is pretty close with him and it was a bit of a shock first up … but he’s pretty happy the boys have made that effort to go all the way there.”
Wonaeamirri tragically died in a car accident near Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands, November 14.
Club chaplain Cameron Butler spoke to the group, before the players and staff stood in a circle with their arms around each other.
Defender Jared Rivers said it was a moving moment.
“It’s been tough. We’ve got 15 guys from the footy club up there now [in the Tiwi Islands], but it’s just important to have that minute’s silence for Aussie and his family,” he said.
Rivers said the players were already a close group, but a tragedy such as the loss of Wonaeamirri’s father has brought them closer together.
“He’s going through some tough times and so are we, so hopefully we can all get around him and start pre-season again for him. He’s one of those fun-loving guys to have around the footy club,” he said.
“They [club contingent] went up there before the funeral and did some fishing, so you just can’t wait to see him back here and training with the boys again.
“Aaron [Davey] is pretty close with him and it was a bit of a shock first up … but he’s pretty happy the boys have made that effort to go all the way there.”
