World Footy News

Canterbury, the current champions, will be keen to use home advantage to retain their title this coming weekend in Christchurch. In 2012 they won their third National Provincial Championship in a row.

With a strong squad in 2013, Canterbury has an excellent chance to beat the other three leagues sending teams.

Auckland, Wellington and Otago will all be competing at the National Provincial Championship. Otago is the newest team at the competition, and could be the surprise package of the weekend. Wellington and Auckland will both be tough to beat, with squads filled with experienced and tough players. Disappointingly Waikato are unable to make this year’s Championships after a number of years competing at this level. 

The success of the AFL New Zealand High Performance programme can be seen on many levels throughout the squads competing at the National Provincial Championships. The hard work of the AFLNZ staff backed by the AFL, Hawthorn, St Kilda and many local funding agencies and councils has seen growth at every level.

Each squad has junior members who have represented New Zealand at age group level, notably in the recent Under 18 New Zealand Hawks series against the Victorian Amateur Football Association. From Wellington, Kade Riddell, Craig Morgan and Waylon Baker were part of that team, and will take the experience into the NPC. Wellington will also be boosted by the presence of Joe Baker-Thomas, a current International Scholarship player with the St Kilda Football Club. They are joined by current senior NZ Hawks in Wellington captain James Terry and Stan Chung with many of the other squad members having played previously at NZ level or been part of training squads. Wellington will field only one Australian - playing coach Jason Wozniak.

Auckland are packed full of international representatives, at both age grade and open grade level. From Siope Ngata, James McKenzie, Taylor Alealua and Gray Samuels who were part of the recent Under 18 New Zealand Hawks, to international veterans like Michael Gregson, Shane Leat and David Rattenbury, Auckland will have a wealth of international experience to draw on.

Local Canterbury players have also been part of New Zealand teams. Young players like Kyle Smith, Alex Frew and Levi Ingliss, will all have the opportunity to continue their development against experienced players, and are expected to acquit themselves well. International players, the incredibly talented James Bowden and Todd Andrews will also boost Canterbury alongside solid performers such as Court, Crighton and Beaumont.

The Otago team, while lacking in international experience relative to their rivals, still feature players who could be among the best at the tournament. Coach Warwick Kain expects all players to pull their weight on the field, and has confidence that the players he selected will show the form that got them into the provincial squad.

Competing in the National Provincial Championship is a requirement for any players who wish to represent New Zealand, and with the International Cup approaching in August 2014, competition for spots will be fierce. The New Zealand Hawks will also play home fixtures next year, against touring teams from the AIS AFL Academy in January, and the South Pacific Invitational XVIII (many of whom this year were NZ juniors) in April.

With the success of AFL New Zealand Secondary School programmes and the AFL New Zealand High Performance programme, the standard of AFL being played in New Zealand is always increasing. The 2013 National Provincial Championships are expected to be some of the highest quality AFL seen in New Zealand.

Squads

Canterbury
Coach; Harry Peterson, Wayne Sullivan (Asst. Coach), Manager: Jason Beck

Wayne Sullivan, Tom Satterthwaite, Levi Inglis, Kyle Smith, Josh Robles-McGill, Sean Butler, Jamie Exeter, Nick Fisher, Steve McCarron, Todd Andrews, James Bowden, Callum McKenzie, Neil deJoux, Paddy Foley, Jacob-Skye Thomson, Chris Murray, Alex Frew, Justin Kent, James Stevenson, Alban Beaumont, Jared Court, Izaak Williams, Matt Crighton, Mitch Harding, Jonny Fisher

Wellington
Coach Jason Wozniak Assistant Coach Mark Langdon Manager Margaret Lavery Captain James Terry

Andrew Eastwood, Blair Mills, Brady Cates, Craig Morgan, Daniel Annand, Jack Green, Jackson Clince, Jalan Farris, James Terry (Captain), Jarrod Burns, Jason Wozniak, Jason Cox, Joseph Baker-Thomas, Joshua Tickelpenny, Kade Riddell, Liam Townsend, Matthew George, Peter Halstead, Ryan Roselli, Sam Sherring, Stanley Chung, Tony Huxford, Waylon Baker

Auckland and Otago full squads not available as yet.

Senior NPC draw
Saturday December 7th 2013
Game 1) 1.00pm Canterbury vs Otago
Game 2) 2.30pm Wellington vs Auckland

Sunday December 8th 2013
Game 3) 9.30am Wellington vs Otago
Game 4) 11.00am Canterbury vs Auckland

12.30 am Lunch
Game 5) 1.30pm Canterbury vs Wellington
Game 6) 3.00pm Otago vs Auckland