Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If any members were in Canberra last Tuesday, they might have noticed that Canberra's Telstra Tower was glowing an unusual shade of green. Like the rest of Canberra, Telstra Tower had a severe case of Tuggeranong United fever. Last Tuesday, Tuggeranong United—or Tuggies—a team of students, public servants and tradies who train twice a week, took on, arguably, the best team in Australia: professional two-time A-League champions and a team packed with Socceroos, the Melbourne Victory. In front of a record crowd of 5,150 people at Viking stadium in Erindale, this was without a doubt the biggest game in Tuggeranong United's history. Lines were 100 metres long just to get into the ground to watch our part-timers take on the Victory's almost $3 million worth of professional talent. Tuggeranong United was brave and determined but, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was Melbourne who came out on top, winning 6-0 and progressing to the quarterfinals of the FFA Cup. But ask anyone who was there and they will tell you that the real winner on the night was football in Canberra. The game has reignited the calls for Canberra to start a new bid to join the A-League. Congratulations to Tuggeranong United Football Club for your outstanding effort. Canberra is incredibly proud of you. I would also like to thank Telstra for showing its support for Tuggeranong United by lighting up the tower for this special game.