Australian coverage of AFL ‘heavyweights’ in Tonga
- Friday, December 17 2010 @ 08:50 am ACDT
- Contributed by: Michael Christiansen
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Australian Football in Vanuatu has been taking baby steps for a couple of years – however, over the last 12-18 months momentum has increased and the newly incorporated AFL Vanuatu is sending 5 young boys to Tonga to join the All Stars squad in the Oceania Under 16s tournament starting next week.
AFL Vanuatu has grown on the efforts of some dedicated individuals such as Justin Johnson and more recently Malcolm Thiel.
WFN has reported previously on footy in the Solomon Islands, where RAMSI Special Co-ordinator and former South Melbourne player, Graeme Wilson has taken charge of Solkick and footy in the Solomons - acting as Secretary of the Solomon Islands AFL Federation.
In October this year, Wilson announced that they hoped to send an Under 16 team to Tonga for the upcoming Oceania Under 16s tournament. The good news is that 24 lads are ready to head to Tonga and take up the challenge for the Solomon’s first representative footy team.
The NZ Hawks youth team has been named and will play against up to 7 countries from the Pacific region including an indigenous team from Australia, The Flying Boomerangs. The Kiwis will be looking to improve after last year's very raw squad finished 3rd, behind Nauru and surprise winners Tonga. Competition will be tough with the 2009 tournament favourite, Papua New Guinea, keen to play well after ultimately being unable to attend last time.
Once again talent scouts from the AFL clubs will be in attendance in search of potential International Scholarships from the participants aged between 14 to 17.