Auskicker Riley bound for The G

Eaton boy Riley Stenhouse’s dream has come true after he won two tickets to the AFL Grand Final as part of the Auskick program.

Riley, 7, is one of three children in Western Australia who will have the opportunity to watch the Grand Final spectacular as part of the junior football program.

He was picked as a nominee for Auskicker of the Year and was given the tickets by Geelong premiership captain Tom Harley during Friday night’s game between West Coast and Richmond.

Riley will be part of the Grand Final parade, play on the hallowed MCG turf during half-time and hand out a player’s medallion after the match.

He will travel to Melbourne with his dad Daron, who nominated him for the tickets via the Auskick website.

In the nomination, Mr Stenhouse described his son, who is part of the Dardanup NAB AFL Auskick group which plays on Thursday nights, as passionate about football.

“If Riley isn’t kicking, handballing or marking the footy, you can find him watching it, reading about it or naming most players in each of the AFL teams, ” his dad said.

“He is constantly pleading for someone to play with him.”

Riley hopes he will be able to watch his beloved Collingwood play in the Grand Final and see his favourite player Jamie Elliot.

However, he already has picked an alternative in case the Magpies don’t make it, believing Sydney will take out the premiership and hoping he will give a player’s medal to Luke Parker.

“If Riley isn’t kicking, handballing or marking the footy, you can find him watching it, reading about it or naming most players in each of the AFL teams” — Daron Stenhouse

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