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Fiji

This page is a quick snapshot of the status of Australian Football in Fiji. For further information, browse our news items or use the search facility. If you wish to contact football officials from the country, please search our site for links to their leagues or clubs, including in our Atlas. If unsuccessful, we can normally assist with putting people in touch.

Approx population (2009):   850,000

National side:   Fiji Power

Governing body:   AFL Fiji

Primary contact / link:   none

WFN Census (2004):   nil

WFN World Ranking (2008):   not ranked

History:   Fiji is well known in the Pacific region for producing outstanding athletes, particularly Rugby Union. However this had rarely been harnessed for Aussie Rules. Recent notable exceptions have been AFL players David Rodan and Alipate Carlilse, both of recent Fijian heritage. Attempts were made around 2004 to kickstart the game, but the efforts ultimately were unsuccessful. But within a few years AFL clubs were looking for new avenues to recruit athletes, in part inspired by the promise of Fijian-Australian Nic Naitanui (drafted by West Coast). With assistant from Rodan, Carlisle, Port Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs, AFL Oceania and the AFL, in 2009 AFL Fiji was launched, highlighted by the AFL staging the inaugural youth Oceania Cup there.

Outlook (2009):   Very promising now that support is coming in from the AFL and AFL Oceania.

Other points of interest:   Relations between the military leadership of Fiji and the Australian Government are poor, with Australia one of several nearby nations pushing for a return to democracy.

Last Updated: Tuesday, March 23 2010 @ 06:17 pm ACDT| Hits: 5,208