World Footy News

The AFL Northern Territory and AFL Queensland have reached agreement on the Territorians entering a representative side in the top Queensland league in 2009. The Territorians had targeted the WAFL and SANFL, with the latter preferred. South Australia seemed the perfect choice as arguably the best state league and the lure of a tenth side removing their bye (created when two clubs needed to merge during the early 1990s), along with the fact that the SANFL is telecast into the Top End each week and many of the indigenous AFL stars have made the big time via moving from the Territory to the SANFL first.

The strong connection is in part due to the state's historical links. The then SA colony explored, settled and administered the Territory before handing it over to the Federal government upon Australia's federation in 1901 (you'll often hear of the tragic failed Burke and Wills trek, but less on the multiple and ultimately successful Stuart expeditions). Despite all the synergies, the SANFL rejected the proposal for at least another 12 months, but that assumes the Territorians will wait.

As an aside it was a good sign for local footy in SA to see nearly 12,000 spectators turn out for a recent Glenelg versus Sturt match down at the Bay (Glenelg's home ground) when the Adelaide Crows had the weekend off as part of the split round and Port Power were playing in Darwin. It was the best SANFL crowd for a decade and reminded fans of the pre-AFL era. The SANFL crowd average has increased in each of the last two seasons and one can only wonder how it might have continued to grow with the inclusion of the exciting style of the players from the state's northern neighbour.

AFL NT's chief executive officer, Tony Frawley, was excited by the entry into Queensland, however some Territorians feel they should have waited out another year and tried the SANFL again for 2010. Whether the NT acted too soon or whether the SANFL will come to regret their decision remains to be seen - one suspects that conservatism may prove costly. Note that an official announcement on the NT entry to Queensland has yet to be confirmed as final details are still being settled.