Tathra Aussie rules duo Neil Rainbow and Naomi Shoebridge have achieved what's believed to be an AFL Masters first.
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![2022 AFL Masters National Champions Neil Rainbow and Naomi Shoebridge with the legendary Ted Whitten Junior. Picture by Shirley Rixon 2022 AFL Masters National Champions Neil Rainbow and Naomi Shoebridge with the legendary Ted Whitten Junior. Picture by Shirley Rixon](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38KKizhZLpuTDCkJAjRb34b/ff5c2a45-df90-4927-a473-f2a6b5171317.JPG/r0_177_2565_1699_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
They were both part of championship-winning teams in their respective age divisions at the 39th AFL Master National Carnival held in Adelaide last week.
For Rainbow, it was his 10th national AFL Masters championship victory - an incredible effort in itself.
However, with fellow Tathra Sea Eagle representative Shoebridge scoring her first Masters championship, it's believed to be the first time in the national championship that a male and female winner have been from the same small regional club.
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It was the first full AFL Masters National Carnival in three years after interruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the biggest in terms of participant numbers since it was first played in 1983.
Players competed across seven age groups as well as 13 divisional draws in both the men's and women's competitions.
![Ian Fletcher, AFL Masters Legend, with Neil Rainbow, life member Vic Metro. Picture by Shirley Rixon Ian Fletcher, AFL Masters Legend, with Neil Rainbow, life member Vic Metro. Picture by Shirley Rixon](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38KKizhZLpuTDCkJAjRb34b/8e005a70-43a5-43e5-a235-5500cf323361.JPG/r0_76_3093_1815_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Rainbow, a life member of the Vic Metro organisation, was again representing Vic Metro in the inaugural Over 65s national competition, with the games being held at the West Beach Barratt Reserve Sporting Complex in Adelaide.
Before the start of the first competition game against a tough and traditional competitor Queensland, Neil Maynard, the Vic Metro coach, laid the law down to all his representative players that a "fair go system" will apply to all players, ensuring equal playing time for each player. Maynard knew he had a talented squad on his hands.
Vic Metro came out on top against Queensland by 22 points in an extremely physical and competitive game. Victories followed against Western Australia by 37 points and against South Australia by 65 points in the championship game.
As a result Rainbow won his 10th AFL Masters National Championship title, a rare sporting feat as the 74-year-old continues to defy the age barrier.
![Neil Rainbow in action during the 2022 AFL Masters championship in Adelaide. Picture by Shirley Rixon Neil Rainbow in action during the 2022 AFL Masters championship in Adelaide. Picture by Shirley Rixon](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38KKizhZLpuTDCkJAjRb34b/a5324826-6ae5-4eec-82d3-6c48e254df6d.JPG/r0_254_1875_1308_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Maynard praised Rainbow for his sportsmanship and his long-term consistent performances in various positional roles at the national level.
An encouraging aspect of the day was the large attendance of younger national divisional players, both male and female, watching the Over 65s championship game.
Several were overheard to say they were surprised the Over 65s could play at such a high standard, providing an unexpected pathway for their football futures at national level.
Shoebridge again represented Vic Country in the Over 35s Womens National Competition and proved her worth by displaying her attacking and defensive roles on the wing.
![Over 65s AFL Masters National Championship-winning team member Neil Rainbow. Picture by Shirley Rixon Over 65s AFL Masters National Championship-winning team member Neil Rainbow. Picture by Shirley Rixon](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38KKizhZLpuTDCkJAjRb34b/8ed0763c-917b-48af-9dfe-4e3534c03410.JPG/r0_0_2247_3812_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In the championship game against ACT in their inaugural presence at a national carnival, the clash for the division title proved to be tough and physical with the score swaying from end to end.
However, Vic Country managed to gain the lead by two goals and held on to win their first AFL Masters National Championship title by 31 points.
Shoebridge, a 2022 Tathra Sea Eagles premiership player, achieved a remarkable goal of winning her first AFL Masters National Championship.
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According to Steve Eurell, national president of AFL Masters, it was believed by the organisation that this was sporting history in the making, that two national AFL champions, a male and a female, come from a small rural setting in NSW even though they played for Victorian state teams.
Recently Isaac Smith, the AFL Geelong Cats 2022 premiership Norm Smith Medallist, in the follow up mass celebration on stage yelled out, "Too old, too slow, too good".
That sentiment was reinforced by Rainbow as a timely reminder "that one should not be defined by age".
![Tathra's Naomi Shoebridge (left) in action during the AFL Masters National Championship. Picture by Shirley Rixon Tathra's Naomi Shoebridge (left) in action during the AFL Masters National Championship. Picture by Shirley Rixon](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38KKizhZLpuTDCkJAjRb34b/a1b1d4d1-3249-43d2-8300-37bda8445750.JPG/r0_161_1350_919_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Age should not be a barrier to your passion and love whatever pathway an individual chooses. If you can actually do it then you should be able to do it whether male or female," he said.
At the Adelaide Convention Centre, the presentation night for the AFL Masters Carnival saw 1700 patrons enjoy silver service, full dance band, Best and Fairest and All Australian awards across all age divisions.
It was officially announced that Sunshine Coast Queensland in Maroochydore will be holding the 2023 AFL Masters National Carnival.
- Article and photos by Shirley May Rixon OAM
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