The UniSport Indigenous Nationals is a week-long multisport competition which aims to bring together Indigenous student athletes from universities across Australia to celebrate the rich sporting culture of Indigenous Australia and acknowledge the heritage and history of the participating student-athletes.
The 2024 Indigenous Nationals was hosted from 23-27 June by The University of Wollongong on Dharawal country in New South Wales, with universities participating in mixed competitions across touch football, basketball, netball, and volleyball.
UWA’s team, the Maaliwah, have an impressive legacy, having won a record seven championships and placed runner-up four times.
Led by team captains Hayley Shadforth and Amos Smith, the Maaliwah travelled to New South Wales sporting a uniform designed by Dr Richard Walley OAM, with a depiction of the University’s location on sacred soil alongside the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja. The team were supported by Dougie Nelson and Rickeeta Walley from the UWA School of Indigenous Studies, as well as UWA Sport staff.
The Maaliwah made a strong start in the competition, winning all three of their basketball group matches and progressing to the quarter finals, facing Australian Catholic University. An unlucky 27-16 loss to saw the Maaliwah eliminated from the basketball competition by the eventual champions, ultimately finishing in 6th place in the sport.
In the netball competition, the Maaliwah started strong with an 18-8 victory over The University of Tasmania. However, a 23-12 loss to the undefeated Queensland University of Technology in their second match saw the Maaliwah knocked out, placing 14th overall in the netball tournament.
The Maaliwah were dominant throughout their volleyball group stage, winning all three matches in straight sets before a loss to The University of Newcastle in the quarter final ended their campaign in the sport, placing 6th.
Finally, a similar story infolded in the touch football competition, with the Maaliwah winning all three group matches before going down in the quarter finals, this time to the eventual runners-up in the sport, Queensland University of Technology. The Maaliwah placed 8th in the touch football competition.
Overall, the Maaliwah’s teamwork, perseverance and hard work resulted in them placing a commendable 8th in a field of 34 teams, winning 11 of their 12 pool games across the competition.
The 2024 Maaliwah squad is: Tsharntai Baker, Charlee Brahim, Tex Garstone, Aaron Gittins, Simon Hayward, Kirby Hobbs, Nisha Morris, Alicia Roe, Hayley Shadforth, Amos Smith, Bayo (Braedan) Taylor, Tara Thompson and Charlotte Walker.