World Footy News

The New Zealand Hawks and the AIS AFL Academy will renew their annual competition at The Westpac Stadium in Wellington, on the 25th of January 2014. Entry into the stadium will be free.
 

The New Zealand Hawks last played the AIS AFL Academy in January 2013, in a match that finished with the Australians emerging with a hard fought win. This year the fixture promises to be equally as competitive. Though NZ do not have the Hawthorn Rookies Kurt Heatherley and Shem Tatupu, Melbourne’s International Scholarship holder Maia Westrupp nor AFL legend Wayne Schwass who made his debut for his country last year there is no doubt the team will be tough competition for the talented juniors at the AIS.
 

The squad will blend youth and experience, and feature New Zealanders based both around the country and in Australia. Contingents of players are currently training in Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Melbourne, and the Northern Territory of Australia.
 

Many of the named New Zealand Hawks have represented their country before including Michael Gregson, Andrew Howison. Andrew Christensen, Sam and James McKenzie, Kade Riddell and Shane Leat who have all played the AIS previously.  2013 AFL New Zealand NPC Player of the Tournament, Otago stalwart Ben Miller, will also play. 

The presence of AFL International Scholarship players Siope Ngata and Joe Baker-Thomas will make for an intriguing contest with their AFL AIS Academy peers. Ngata and Baker-Thomas, of the Hawthorn Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club respectively, are seen as potential future professional AFL players. Their performance against the AIS AFL Academy will be a key measure of their progress.
 

Much of the squad has also been selected from Australian leagues. As more New Zealanders pick up the sport, the number of eligible players involved in high level AFL competitions has grown.
 

One such player is Khan Haretuku, of the Frankston Dolphins. Haretuku will be returning to the New Zealand Hawks after enjoying a strong season, kicking 13 goals across 10 matches for the Dolphins.
 

Members of the New Zealand Hawks also represent the Northern Territory Thunder, with a four man contingent led by Thunder captain Cameron Ilett joining the squad. Their experience will be crucial in strengthening the New Zealand Hawks.
 

Thursday 23rd January will see the annual National Combine which will no doubt see many AFL recruiters in attendance, not just monitoring the AIS players but looking to find the next crop of potential AFL NZ gems joining AFL International Scholarship holders Baker-Thomas, Ngata, Westrupp and the rookie listed Hawks Tatupu and Heatherley.
Participants in the National Combine are the cream of the AFL New Zealand High Performance programme. Attendance at the National Combine is invitation only for participants, though spectators are welcome.
 

40 of the top young athletes from around the country have been invited to attend, and will measured in a variety of tests. Athletic skills are tested in the 20 metre sprint, agility, vertical leap and beep test, while football specific skills are tested in kicking and handballing drills.
 

With the AFL International Cup scheduled for later this year there may even be a bolter or two among the teenagers who might find a spot in the NZ Hawks Senior squad.
 

New Zealand Hawks Squad:
Michael Gregson – Auckland
Shane Leat – Auckland
Matthew Argus – Northern Territory
Michael Boyce – Auckland
Samuel McKenzie – Auckland
James McKenzie – Auckland
Cameron Ilett – Northern Territory
Jay Johnson – Auckland
Andy Christensen – Melbourne
Andrew Howison – Melbourne
Lachlan Argus – Northern Territory
Tim Morton – Auckland
Brendan Clark – Northern Territory
Ben Miller – Otago
Sean Butler – Canterbury
David Rattenbury – Auckland
Jared Court – Canterbury
Kade Riddell – Wellington
Cam Bailey – Canterbury
Will Gregson – Auckland
Siope Ngata – Auckland
Matt Crighton – Canterbury
Khan Haretuku – Melbourne
Joseph Baker-Thomas – Wellington
 

For more please see:-
http://aflnz.co.nz/national-combine-offers-talented-athletes-opportunities/
http://aflnz.co.nz/strong-nz-hawks-squad-named-to-face-australia/