World Footy News

Melbourne daily newspaper The Age today reported that a development squad of 22 young Australian Aboriginal footballers would tour South Africa next month, under the leadership of indigenous AFL stars Adam Goodes and Michael Long. The squad will leave on February 19, spending two weeks visiting black communities in the North West Province and playing three matches.

New South African coach Mtutu Hlomela (pictured) was a strong player for the Buffaloes at the 2005 International Cup and afterwards stayed on to learn about AFL operations. He also toured other states, building up relationships in the Australian Football community. During Mtutu's stay the concept of an Aboriginal tour was worked out and it is tremendous news that it is occurring so quickly.

Aborigines to display skills in S Africa
By Stephen Rielly, The Age
January 18, 2006

The AFL is poised to stage a series of exhibition matches in South Africa next month, with Sydney premiership ruckman and Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes and former Essendon champion Michael Long to lead a team of 22 indigenous players on a goodwill tour of the country.

It is understood that Goodes and Long will leave with a team of 16 and 17-year-olds for South Africa on February 19, for a stay of two weeks that will include three matches and visits to a number of the nation's impoverished black communities.

The trip will be the most significant development exercise in South Africa since Brisbane and Fremantle played a pre-season match at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town before a crowd of 10,000 in 1998.

In 2000, Damian Cupido became the first player of South African heritage to reach AFL level and in 2004 St Kilda held a pre-season camp in Potchefstroom but primarily the push to establish the code on the other side of the Indian Ocean has been at grassroots level.

The league, with financial backing from Tattersall's, has been supporting a development program in North West Province where the code has been on the region's Academy of Sport curriculum since 2001.

Eleven district leagues involving more than 3000 registered players at junior and senior level have been established in the province, where four full-time staff, including head coach Mtutzeli Hlomela, who played a season with Sturt in the SANFL, are based.