Brothers Bulldogs Under 12s player Troy Chamberlain kicked some personal goals in his first AFL season, winning a swag of awards.
The passionate footy fan was recently awarded Best and Fairest for the entire Wide Bay competition and for his club.
It's an accomplishment Troy said was extra special for him, with the opportunity to play sport hard to come by during his life on the road.
“My family and I travel around Australia so it was my first time playing a full season because we stayed a long time in Bundaberg,” the 12 year old said.
“It's pretty awesome, I was at the awards ceremony with my family.
“They were pretty happy with me.”
Troy has natural flair for AFL
With an obvious natural flair for football, Troy has also been nominated for Junior Sportsman of the Year.
When asked what made him such a skilled player, modest Troy said it was his passion for the game and his love for being part of a team.
“I've always loved AFL, we come from South Australia and I go for Port Adelaide,” he said.
“Being in a team is great. I play centre half-back which means I get to help out my team a lot during the game.”
Coach of the Under 12s team, Ash Charlesworth, said Troy showed exemplary behaviour on and off the field.
“He is a team-orientated player and very selfless,” Ash said.
“I put him in a position which most young players don't like because they want to be up in front, but he did the job for me so well.
“He is a brilliant player and we are all really proud of him, he never shied away from a game.”
Family proud of Troy's team spirit
Mum Christy Chamberlain said Troy's accomplishments were a proud moment.
She said while travelling around Australia the family decided to stay in Bundaberg for a while, which meant Troy was able to join an AFL team and make some new friends.
“We have been in Bundaberg since February and next we will head to Airlie Beach,” she said.
“Being home schooled, the opportunity to play AFL was great for Troy as it allowed him to mix with people his own age and make lots of friends.
“He really enjoyed it, he puts his whole heart into the game and we couldn’t be prouder.”
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