Red centre bounce: Jurrah makes a big leap in any language
March 17, 2009  Some players who arrive in the AFL can't kick
accurately, or fumble and drop marks. Then there are
psychological impediments: a lack of self-confidence, too much
aggression, not enough concentration.  For Melbourne's Liam
Jurrah, the barrier is the English language, a skill that comes
less easily to him than taking marks. This is understandable,
since English isn't the Warlpiri man's native tongue. The Demons
believe it is his third language.  Mindful of the enormous
challenges Jurrah faces in sharing his thoughts with teammates
and coaches - and of the importance of communication in an
increasingly complex game - the Demons have seen to it that
their No.1 draft pick in the pre-season draft attends English
classes.  Last week, Jurrah began English tutorials under the
AFL Players' Association's literacy and numeracy program. He
isn't the only player in the program - there are several others
of varying capacities - but he is a special c