The Kiama Power would like to congratulate Odin Brown, Luke Vallence and Max Whiticker, alongside men’s assistant coach Sean Byrne, on their selection to represent the Royal Australian Navy at the 2025 Australian Defence Force Australian Rules Football Carnival in Melbourne.
The Navy squad consists of servicemen from all over Australia who have arrived in camp at HMAS Cerberus over the weekend, as they begin their week-long preparations for the 40th anniversary of the ADF carnival when it begins this Friday.
Brown, Vallence and Whiticker will take the field for the Navy across the weekend, with Kiama Power assistant coach Sean Byrne appointed to the head coaching position.
Byrne is excited for Kiama to have a big presence within the camp following a huge pre-season for the club which has seen an increase in players at training and the acquisition of key recruits, creating a lot of optimism in Kiama ahead of the AFL South Coast season.
“The Power boys are bringing a lot of energy into the Navy squad, which is important in a short format like this,” coach Byrne said.
“Connection is a key indicator into how well the team will go during the carnival and our boys in Whits, Odin and Val definitely bring that.”
New Kiama recruit Luke Vallence made an instant impression in the Navy camp when he finished equal-first place during the Navy’s endurance testing, after completing a community engagement park run earlier that morning where he finished the 5km course in only 18 minutes.
The ADF carnival will see the Navy face off with the Army on Friday 14th and Monday 17th March in their two-game series for the Jimmy Smail Cup, with former AFL umpire Ray Chamberlain appointed to officiate the fixture.