World Footy News

It has been a very wet start to the year for many parts of Australia. Areas of WA, Victoria and NSW have suffered from flooding, but Queensland has copped the worst in widespread flooding at extremely high levels.

“On behalf of the AFL I want to extend my condolences to those thousands of people who have been devastated by the floods, especially those who have lost family and friends,” Mr Demetriou said. “It’s also been heartwarming to see so many people give their time and resources to help. In particular, I want to acknowledge the great work by state emergency services and the Queensland Government headed by Premier Anna Bligh.”

The AFL and its 18 clubs have contributed $500,000 to the relief appeal and Mr Demetriou acknowledged the generosity of AFL players in donating a further $150,000 through the AFL Players’ Association. “The AFL, its clubs and the wider football community is committed to helping the people of Queensland get back on their feet over the coming weeks, months and years,” Mr Demetriou said.
The AFL is considering a number of initiatives to help those communities, including local football clubs, affected by the on-going flood crisis in Queensland. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said everyone’s thoughts are with those people affected by the floods and the many volunteers who have worked so tirelessly as part of the recovery effort.

Mr Demetriou said the AFL had appointed Community Facility Development Manager Ken Gannon to work with AFL Queensland to assess the damage caused by the floods to community clubs throughout the state and this work had already started. Mr Gannon performed a similar role after the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.

As it did with Victorian bushfire crisis, the AFL is considering a number of proposals to assist with the relief effort, including an All-Stars match, and these would be announced soon. “I want to thank those AFL players, clubs and members of the public who’ve given us their ideas. We are working closely with clubs, including the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns, AFL Queensland and the Queensland Government to determine the most effective ways to help the recovery effort.”

The chief executive of AFL Queensland Richard Griffiths said the offices of the Brisbane Lions and AFL Queensland remain closed until further notice but everybody in football was committed to helping assist the relief effort. “We know how much sport can bring people together and Queenslanders are very resilient,” he said. “AFL will bounce back and we will work with all our local clubs and leagues to ensure that local competitions and programs like NAB AFL Auskick are back to normal as quickly as possible.”

“The Queensland community has embraced the game of Australian football and now it’s our turn to do what we can to help them rebuild.” The AFL will also monitor the emerging flood situation in Victoria and NSW, as well as the ongoing flood and bushfire threats in Western Australia and stands ready to support those communities who require assistance.