In the outback community of Alpurrurulam, footy is more religion than sport for these young women

Every week, the players show up at the dusty dirt oval to train.

They don't own fancy uniforms or have special equipment and they run barefoot across the pitch, leaving a trail of red dirt behind them.

Their ages and skill range, but the players all share one thing in common — an unadulterated obsession with footy.

They are the Lake Nash Giants and for them, AFL is serious business.

Alpurrurulam, or Lake Nash as it's known locally, is located on the Northern Territory-Queensland border.

The remote community is around three hours' drive west of Mount Isa and is only accessible via a bone-rattling dirt track.

The far-flung community is one of the Territory's most isolated towns but for the Alyawarre people it's home.

"Footy is good, it keeps us busy, keeps our girls busy, even our fellas," the team's coach Katrina Kelly says.

"We don't normally look forward to things … but we focus on our footy."

A balm for hardship

The girls only team was formed in 2023 after the budding stars grew tired of watching the boys' team play every weekend.

Katrina Kelly says she knew very little about AFL before she took on the role as the Lake Nash Giants coach.

She taught herself by watching the men play.

"You get to know a lot of things by looking at other teams, learn positions, and then I just turned around and coached the girls," she says.

Bush footy is a take on Australian Rules Football, but the rules are slightly looser.

The grassy oval is traded for a red dirt pitch and the game has slightly less structure than the professional code.

But the players are just as tough and skilled as other city clubs.

The town's elders say it's a balm for the everyday hardship residents face in the desert community.

"I reckon footy keeps them away from doing silly things," Katrina says.

Long journey

Alpurrurulam was only established in the 1980s and grew out of a disagreement over land between the owners of Lake Nash Station and the Alyawarre people.

The dispute forced the community to move and relocate to another nearby cattle station.

After a lengthy legal battle, elders eventually won the right to take back some of the land in 1983.

With only a general store, a school and a church for entertainment, children now spend their spare time at the basketball court or at the football oval.

Nearly every young woman and man play.

When a grand final comes to town, all 400 residents flock to the oval.

"When we have nothing to do we kick balls outside," the team's 16-year-old captain LaShona Morton says.

Every weekend, the Giants travel at least 600 kilometres along an empty, straight dirt road to compete against other bush clubs across the Northern Territory.

Distance, nor the price of petrol for the agonisingly long journey, can dent players' enthusiasm.

"The roads are pretty rough and it's a bit difficult on the fuel side," Katrina says.

"It costs a lot of money … but we get help from the shop, and they put money in for food."

Making history against all odds

Against all odds, the Lake Nash Giants made history last year, winning the season's grand final in only their first year of playing.

Star player LaShona kicked eight of the winning goals.

"It was great playing, they're a great team," she says, tossing a ball.

"I hope we win another grand final," the team's vice-captain Sheeneal Bailey adds.

The community came out in force to support the girl's team, coach Katrina says.

"We were all so proud … they couldn't stop taking pictures of themselves with the trophy."

The team's next step is taking on city clubs in Mount Isa, but without a formal sponsor, the cost of getting there will be challenging.

But the players can't be deterred.

"We all get to gather, and we communicate when we play," Katrina says.

"Whatever is happening in community doesn't matter when we got footy."