When Tayo Cafarella, the current Regional Development Manager for AFL Northern Territory in the town of Galiwinku, first reported for work he was surprised. The local oval was closed for cultural reasons, which seemed to put a stop to his work before it even started.

Not so, according to the kids in town. Oval or no oval the footy must go on. As Tayo says, “this did not stop the juniors who were at my door every day pleading for footy [so] we played 10 rounds of our U13’s competition in the local park. The boys were running around barefoot, dodging trees, dogs, a sandpit and the odd pig. Not once did they complain of the conditions, they were just stoked to be playing footy!”

So, welcome to the spirit of Elcho Island, and Galiwinku, its largest town. A quick search of the map will show that Elcho Island is located near the north-eastern tip of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. The island is long and narrow, surrounded by the Arafura Sea to the west and Cadell Strait to the east. It is one of the southernmost islands in Wessel Group and Galiwinku sits roughly in the cenre of the island.

I am very lucky that I can travel the stretch of road between Cairns and Townsville many times a year. The drive takes in some of the finest scenery in Australia. Along the way there are the imposing twin mountains, Bartle Frere and Bellenden Ker, with their luxuriant rainforest canopies.

There is the beach at Cardwell with its views across to majestic Hinchinbrook Island. Mile upon mile of sugar cane farms surrounding the towns of Gordonvale, Innisfail, Tully and Ingham in the valleys of the Mulgrave, Johnston, Tully and Herbert Rivers.

Then there are the detours to Mission Beach, Wallaman Falls, Paluma and more. It truly is an amazing part of the world.

At either and of the drive are two growing cities. They are rivals in many ways - complementary in others. Some believe that Cairns is the “tourist capital” of the north and others see Townsville as the “administrative capital”. These descriptions are too simplistic, and are an argument for another day. What is becoming clear, however, is that these two northern cities in tropical Australia are about to become locked in a battle to see an AFL team franchise based there by 2030.

The West Perth Football Club was much like other historic football clubs that find themselves at the mercy of changing demographics and now classified as "inner city".

In 1994 West Perth bit the bullet and moved from their traditional Italian community based Leederville to the populous new city of Joondalup. It was a major upheaval, with clashes between the members wishing to remain “West Perth” and the club’s desire to appeal to the new and wider community of Joondalup.

In 2012 the club successfully promoted the idea of a WAFL International Round with the West Perth F.C. donning Union Jack style jumpers and appealing to the large English immigrant community. The club also undertook an energetic campaign of attending all 65 schools in the area and engaging the media. 6044 people attended, the second largest WAFL H&A of the season against poorly supported Subiaco F.C.

This is a media release from the AFL Northern Territory sheds a new light on the importance of the Northern Territory to Australian Rules football nationally in terms of how many kids are making it through the talent pathways to AFL teams.

“AFL International and National Talent Manager Kevin ‘Shifter’ Sheehan has released some statistics which shows the Northern Territory is in the top three of AFL talent producers between 1997-2011.

“The NT has been a steady contributor to the AFL system over a number of years and these statistics put them in the top three behind Vic Metro and South Australia,” advised Sheehan.

The study conducted by Griffith University, has the Northern Territory producing on average 12.08 players per 1000 participants aged between 13 and 18 as compared to Vic Metro 14.13 and South Australia 12.35.

“When you break it down on comparison and based on population the Northern Territory are clearly doing the right things to foster and develop talent and with a little more refinement I think we can get that number higher.”

“If you look at 2012 the NT had three players drafted which is above the 2.5 average they have had between 1997-2011.”

The return of AFL football in 2013 was today heralded by the launch of the 2013 NAB Cup. This year’s NAB Cup was launched at Etihad Stadium today by three players set to make highly anticipated debuts for new clubs in Friday night’s opening round.

As AFL fans prepare to see how their team is shaping up in 2013, the pre-season competition was ushered in by two of the highest profile off-season free agents, Essendon’s Brendon Goddard and Collingwood’s Clinton Young, along with one of the game’s brightest new recruits, Western Bulldogs rookie Jackson Macrae.

Essendon, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs will kick off this year’s NAB Cup with all three teams taking on each other at Etihad Stadium this Friday, February 15 (from 6.45pm).
Whether it's a rookie selected early in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft or those established players who have moved clubs via free agency in the off-season, this year’s NAB Cup once again provides the first chance to ‘see how they shape up’ ahead of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

On face value this may seem like a strange analogy. Back in the 1850’s, when gold was being dug up all over New South Wales and Victoria, people were leaving behind their home countries to try their luck on the goldfields. If they could find enough gold they could be set for life. Some succeeded, whilst others returned home wiser for the experience.

Well, it’s happening again, in a much smaller way and for a completely unrelated reason. The lure of Australian football is drawing young men (and women) to the spiritual, geographical and historical home of the game to give it a go and, hopefully, be the next big thing. There are players coming from Canada, the USA, Great Britain, continental Europe, Oceania countries and even Africa for a singular, united purpose… just like the days of the gold rushes.

Articles have been written already about the likes of Gideon Simon and Brendan Beno (PNG), Kurt Heatherley, Siope Ngata, Ben Miller, Shem Tatupu and Khan Haretuku (NZ), Shae McNamara and Eric Wallace (USA), Adam Ballard (England) and Anthony Trigg (Wales), Zac Tuohy, Marty Clarke, Pearce Hanley, Caolan Mooney and many others from Ireland as well as Patrick Ndongo (Cameroon) and Yoshi Harris (Nauru). There are more not mentioned, but all are enjoying various degrees of success in the AFL or VFL. It could be strongly argued that this is evidence that international Australian Rules football is becoming more and more attractive as a sporting option. And possibly more than ever, players believe there is a pathway of success that can be followed from the smaller local stage to the greatest Australian Rules stages of all.

In a recent article about Maningrida Footy in the Northern Territory, the Michael Long NT Thunder Learning and Leadership Centre was mentioned as a link to allow young players from remote communities to follow the talent pathways on offer for Australian Rules football. It has proven difficult for young players, indigenous and non indigenous, to make the transition to the demands of life playing football away from home. This centre will greatly assist young players in that transition to hopefully go on to play at the highest level.

“Essendon legend and AFL great Michael Long met Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean and Indigenous Health Minister Warren Snowdon in Canberra to discuss progress on the Michael Long NT Thunder Learning and Leadership Centre in Darwin.

At Parliament House, Mr Long, a dual premiership player and Norm Smith medallist, outlined the construction timetable and unveiled the logo for the centre.

Mr Long said he was delighted to update Mr Crean and Mr Snowdon on the progress of the project.

“I am delighted with the final design of the logo as I believe it encapsulates both the essence of the project and the spirit of the Territory,” Mr Long said.

“The release of the logo and branding is an important step as we progress to commencing construction, as planned, in April.

The AFL has named the final Indigenous All-Stars squad that will take on Richmond Football Club tomorrow, Friday, February 8 in Alice Springs, captained by Essendon star Nathan Lovett-Murray.

Sydney Swans premiership player Michael O’Loughlin will coach the Indigenous All-Stars, assisted by Roger Hayden, Adam Goodes, Shaun Burgyone and Lance Franklin (Franklin, previously named captain withdrew from playing this week due to injury.)

2013 Indigenous All-Stars squad:

The AFL today released the 2013 Indigenous All-Stars squad to play the Richmond Football Club on Friday, February 8 in Alice Springs, captained by Hawthorn star Lance Franklin.

 

Sydney Swans premiership player Michael O’Loughlin will coach the Indigenous All-Stars, assisted by Roger Hayden, Adam Goodes and Shaun Burgyone.

 

2013 Indigenous All-Stars squad:

The AFL is pleased to announce that Hawthorn star Lance Franklin will captain the Indigenous All Stars when they take on the Richmond Football Club on Friday, February 8 at 7pm in Alice Springs.

Supported by the Coles AFL Indigenous program, the match will be played at Traeger Park and will showcase the Indigenous talent in the AFL.

Franklin said he is proud to captain the All Stars for the first time and looks forward to the match against Richmond.

"The Indigenous All Stars match is a really important event as it recognises the Indigenous Australians' contribution to the national competition.  It's a chance for some of the best Indigenous talent from across the country to play together."

It was also reported today in the Herald Sun that Franklin would like to have the Indigenous team play in a three team International Rules competition against the Irish and Australian teams "Personally, I would love to see the All Stars take on the Australia and Ireland teams. That would be great recognition for the indigenous players."