Can AFL make a footprint in NZ?

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There was meant to be a stadium built for the last rugby world cup in the city by the waterfront but that got canned. Could be back on in the distant future with the Warriors NRL team looking to get out of Mt Smart and not wanting to play at Eden Park
 
MortlockWatcher said:
Christchurch is cricket only, winter it is for public access
Eden Park is rugby
Basin Reserve is cricket only
The Cake tin is rugby
Seddon Park is cricket only
Napier is rugby IIRC

Very few of these grounds are suitable for Australian Rules due to their size and/or configurations.
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jd2010 said:
There was meant to be a stadium built for the last rugby world cup in the city by the waterfront but that got canned. Could be back on in the distant future with the Warriors NRL team looking to get out of Mt Smart and not wanting to play at Eden Park
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AFLNZ has released the basic set up for their new 4 team comp.
Some more info not mentioned in the link.....
Each round will be played on Sundays. There will be 2 games in the round.
Pre Season training has commenced for selected players and will run right up to the start of the league. That will include the major centres and regionals as well.
However no mention yet of how many a side.
http://aflnz.co.nz/high-performance/afl-new-zealand-premiership/2016-premiership/
 
TWLS said:
AFLNZ has released the basic set up for their new 4 team comp.
Some more info not mentioned in the link.....
Each round will be played on Sundays. There will be 2 games in the round.
Pre Season training has commenced for selected players and will run right up to the start of the league. That will include the major centres and regionals as well.
However no mention yet of how many a side.
http://aflnz.co.nz/high-performance/afl-new-zealand-premiership/2016-premiership/
Click to expand...
Majority to be made up with Aucklanders and the regional guys will fly in for a parts of it. Would imagine it would be quite large 30-40 in a squad with 20-24 playing any given week
 

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I think the most straightforward answer to the op question, is that the AFL have already made a footprint in NZ, it is just not a very big one at this point. The more pertinent question is, can the footprint grow to the point it adds value to the AFL, and can it grow further to warrant a team.

Not sure. The footprint is growing, just not fast enough to be able to answer in the affirmative to those questions, however, while it is growing, you can never say never.
 
jatz14 said:
I think the most straightforward answer to the op question, is that the AFL have already made a footprint in NZ, it is just not a very big one at this point. The more pertinent question is, can the footprint grow to the point it adds value to the AFL, and can it grow further to warrant a team.

Not sure. The footprint is growing, just not fast enough to be able to answer in the affirmative to those questions, however, while it is growing, you can never say never.
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I'd say if a few of these scholarship boys start making senior lists and playing senior AFL football it is definitely adding value. Have seen a bit of the kids playing it myself and if they can get adult North Americans able then there should be nothing stopping the same thing happening with NZ kids
 
jd2010 said:
I'd say if a few of these scholarship boys start making senior lists and playing senior AFL football it is definitely adding value. Have seen a bit of the kids playing it myself and if they can get adult North Americans able then there should be nothing stopping the same thing happening with NZ kids
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The link below covers the Canberra Press Club speech Gillon Mclachlan made earlier this year. The speech covers a wide range of topics about our great game and is the first to my knowledge where the CEO actually talks about the future of the sport in a open manner.
To anybody new to the game it is recommended they view it particularly the fans from overseas.
The topics mentioned include Womens footy, NZ Development, The International Cup. It appears the AFL is going to let overseas footy grow "organically". The dictionary explanation of organically = with reference to organic structure. It basically means the status quo remains.
Anybody got any comments on the speech.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-19/national-press-club-gillon-mclachlan/6709072
 
TWLS said:
The link below covers the Canberra Press Club speech Gillon Mclachlan made earlier this year. The speech covers a wide range of topics about our great game and is the first to my knowledge where the CEO actually talks about the future of the sport in a open manner.
To anybody new to the game it is recommended they view it particularly the fans from overseas.
The topics mentioned include Womens footy, NZ Development, The International Cup. It appears the AFL is going to let overseas footy grow "organically". The dictionary explanation of organically = with reference to organic structure. It basically means the status quo remains.
Anybody got any comments on the speech.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-19/national-press-club-gillon-mclachlan/6709072
Click to expand...
Pretty pleased to here their focus is on NZ. Dont think it is entirely true that there'll be a new stadium in 2018 for games here but he is right about their being no clear 2nd sport behind union. The All Blacks are what it is all about for all Kiwis. Super Rugby clubs and the Warriors do get ok support but nothing in comparison to them. In Auckland the Warriors get 12-18k most games which is good be NRL standards and the Blues Super Rugby side all depends on how they are going on the park. I don't think they'll ever look to get too many games here but if a stadium ever became available in Auckland they'd definitely be able to get the equivalent numbers to what the two local domestic sides achieve
 
jd2010 said:
Pretty pleased to here their focus is on NZ. Dont think it is entirely true that there'll be a new stadium in 2018 for games here but he is right about their being no clear 2nd sport behind union. The All Blacks are what it is all about for all Kiwis. Super Rugby clubs and the Warriors do get ok support but nothing in comparison to them. In Auckland the Warriors get 12-18k most games which is good be NRL standards and the Blues Super Rugby side all depends on how they are going on the park. I don't think they'll ever look to get too many games here but if a stadium ever became available in Auckland they'd definitely be able to get the equivalent numbers to what the two local domestic sides achieve
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AFLNZ recently announced that a AFL NSW Independant Schools Squad of 24 players will tour to NZ in 2016. This trip continues the series between the two groups. Also whoever thought up this series needs a medal when you think about it.
An AFLNZ Academy Squad visited Sydney earlier this year and played 2 matches. The link for these games below but there is a side story this time.
http://aflnz.co.nz/blog/2015/03/28/academy-nz-hawks-nsw-campaign-review/

The fact that a squad from those Sydney Schools/Colleges exists at all is a success story for the AFL in Sydney. The comp the schools play in was only formed in 2013 and in 2015 has now grown to 10 Schools and 31 teams. Next year Years 11 and 12 from some schools will be added as a trial at their request.
Prior to 2013 our game was not able to be played in most of those schools. However AFLNSW kept persisting in a long campaign that started back in circa 2008. They did get a very small friday afternoon sort of comp going for a while but that was it.
Now this is where the AFL will be smiling -The 2014 AFL Draft saw 2 boys from this school system added to AFL Lists.
Isaac Heeney (Waverly College) and Jack Hiscox (Newington)
This is for the history buffs - One of the Schools involved is St Ignatius College in Riverview in Sydney. It was founded in 1880 and one of the first sports adopted that year - Victorian Rules - It has had good connections since right through to current times and does regularly host the type of matches above.
 
TWLS said:
AFLNZ recently announced that a AFL NSW Independant Schools Squad of 24 players will tour to NZ in 2016. This trip continues the series between the two groups. Also whoever thought up this series needs a medal when you think about it.
An AFLNZ Academy Squad visited Sydney earlier this year and played 2 matches. The link for these games below but there is a side story this time.
http://aflnz.co.nz/blog/2015/03/28/academy-nz-hawks-nsw-campaign-review/

The fact that a squad from those Sydney Schools/Colleges exists at all is a success story for the AFL in Sydney. The comp the schools play in was only formed in 2013 and in 2015 has now grown to 10 Schools and 31 teams. Next year Years 11 and 12 from some schools will be added as a trial at their request.
Prior to 2013 our game was not able to be played in most of those schools. However AFLNSW kept persisting in a long campaign that started back in circa 2008. They did get a very small friday afternoon sort of comp going for a while but that was it.
Now this is where the AFL will be smiling -The 2014 AFL Draft saw 2 boys from this school system added to AFL Lists.
Isaac Heeney (Waverly College) and Jack Hiscox (Newington)
This is for the history buffs - One of the Schools involved is St Ignatius College in Riverview in Sydney. It was founded in 1880 and one of the first sports adopted that year - Victorian Rules - It has had good connections since right through to current times and does regularly host the type of matches above.
Click to expand...

We now go back to the original topic - Footy in NZ.
Before we do we have noticed lots of comments on various footy forums recently about the lack of support from the AFL for International Footy.
We first started reading about International Footy in circa 2000 about the game in the USA. What a good idea was my reaction to spread the game around.
There was little support then from the AFL and not much has changed since. There was a brief venture into South Africa and Auskick was first established in NZ in circa 2005 but it did not go well. Seeding money was sent to Europe and AFL Europe was formed and the International Cup comp was started.
AFL Hawthorn looking for more talent streams decided to go to NZ in 2009 with funding and got into the schools with AFLNZ on board. That has been a great success and leads us to current times.
The AFL CEO`s prior to Gillon Mclachlan concentrated on the "International Rules" Concept because back then it was popular and was bringing a excellent revenue stream. They did not focus on the International game.
Fast forward to 2016 and we have G.McLachlan. at the helm who decided to stick with the International Rules Series "AND" to allocate increased funding to AFLNZ in the Auckland region. He admitted last year in a major speech that the AFL`s International footy policy was a mess, and something had to be sorted.
That sorting has led us to the new comp in Auckland and the North Harbour Oval becoming the HQ of AFLNZ. Not everybody will agree with what they have done but we will take it. Something is better than nothing.
Here is the latest update on the new NZ Comp due to start next month.
http://aflnz.co.nz/blog/2016/01/19/2016-aflnz-premiership-teams-complete/
 
We first started reading about International Footy in circa 2000
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Some of us had heard of the international scene well before that. the BARFL (now AFL London), OAFL (now AFL Ontario), CAFL, MEAFL, USAFL, DAFL, and others were all well and truly going at the time. The AFL didnt really begin paying attention until 2007 - when it began to hijack much of the work laid before it by Aussie Rules International - who were really the architects of the 9 a side game, particularly in Europe.

i ran a series of interviews with some national organisers and coaches for Bigfooty (they are in this forum) over the last two years that have revealed that while the AFLs financial contributions are minimal, the league has definitely assisted at the organisational level. (There are full time AFL staff in Europe, Indonesia, New Zealand and New Guinea doing devevelopment and administation where there was preciously none).
 
The_Wookie said:
Some of us had heard of the international scene well before that. the BARFL (now AFL London), OAFL (now AFL Ontario), CAFL, MEAFL, USAFL, DAFL, and others were all well and truly going at the time. The AFL didnt really begin paying attention until 2007 - when it began to hijack much of the work laid before it by Aussie Rules International - who were really the architects of the 9 a side game, particularly in Europe.

i ran a series of interviews with some national organisers and coaches for Bigfooty (they are in this forum) over the last two years that have revealed that while the AFLs financial contributions are minimal, the league has definitely assisted at the organisational level. (There are full time AFL staff in Europe, Indonesia, New Zealand and New Guinea doing devevelopment and administation where there was preciously none).
Click to expand...

To clarify my comment about 2000 - Our family was at an Eagles Match and an article was in the Footy Record which was the first I knew about it.
However after some research then found out about other areas.
The guy who started Aussie Rules International was Brian Clarke who actually got Sports England on board for Sponsorship at one time.
 
India is an interesting area of growth where it's run by Indian people not expats as well as the Styrian Down Under dogs in Austria. Are there any other areas of the game being organized by locals and not expats?
 
canterbury bulldog said:
India is an interesting area of growth where it's run by Indian people not expats as well as the Styrian Down Under dogs in Austria. Are there any other areas of the game being organized by locals and not expats?
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Don't know what you're trying to find out.
Most clubs are started by expats even a lot of locals returning from Australia.(Including India and Austria)
Australians are desired as coaches, umpires and players but their numbers vary.
What do you mean by organised?
You'll find that is the nationals that tend to sit on committees not blow-in Aussies.
 

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RedV3x said:
Don't know what you're trying to find out.
Most clubs are started by expats even a lot of locals returning from Australia.(Including India and Austria)
Australians are desired as coaches, umpires and players but their numbers vary.
What do you mean by organised?
You'll find that is the nationals that tend to sit on committees not blow-in Aussies.
Click to expand...
What I mean is that the league in India has been grown by locals rather than expat Aussies starting the league and then been grown by nationalist. Of course they have seen the game at the highest level in Australia and have gone back and grown the game back in their own country and of course they source out Aussie coaches umpires and players . But if you read about what's happened in India and with the Styrian down under dogs it's been done differently to how it's normally been started . Just an observation
 
RedV3x said:
How so?
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From: http://www.footyindustry.com/?page_id=539

IN 2008, Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting began promoting the game of Australian football in Kolkata, India. At the time Sudip was in his final year of high school, and he fell in love with the game, forming a team with school friends.

He later got a degree in Sports promotion in England where he also played for some English sides . He spent four years touring England and India while spending a lot of time and his own money learning how other countries run Australian rules. Sudip says his best support has come from the Australian Trade Commissioner in India, Tom Calder (who also serves as the President of the ARFAI)

Sudip was further inspired by watching the footy at live events, including Lance Franklin kicking his 100th goal at Telstra Dome.

Indian football is funded by a grant from the Australian Sports Commission through the Australian Sports Outreach Program at this time, but Sudip says that there has been little to no involvement from expatriate Australians in the games development. Its Australian football, by Indians for India.

Sudip says that that Indian football is City/State based, with one major team supported by district sides. In total, there are roughly 500-600 players in six states in India, which includes 4-5 womens teams. There are 250 players in the state of West Bengal alone. When he started, Sudip had almost no players and a single state. Its fair to say he’s come a long way in four years.

City sides play once a year in a national tournament, due to the distance between cities. Sudip says that to set up the second city in India for development, he had to take a 22 hour bus ride (equivalent of driving from Adelaide to Perth)

Sudip says that the goal at the moment is to develop another two states to meet the eight state minimum required for official government recognition. This is important because some players cant get time off for national commitments as the sport is not officially recognised by the Indian Government.

States are aligned to different AFL sides, including the Giants, Bombers and Tigers. Sudip says Richmond are the top supporters of Australian Football in India, providing the jumpers, and other assistance particularly during the International Cup.

Playing fields are hard to come by, and the competition is 9 a side, played on rugby or soccer pitches throughout India. Sudip does say that they are hoping to get a cricket field in Mumbai this year for the National Tournament.

Coaching is mostly done by experienced players – expat Aussies are almost non existent in the Indian football environment – with the assistance of videos and other materials.

Indian Football drew from rugby players in its early days, and Sudip says that many people still confuse the two games
 
canterbury bulldog said:
India is an interesting area of growth where it's run by Indian people not expats as well as the Styrian Down Under dogs in Austria. Are there any other areas of the game being organized by locals and not expats?
Click to expand...

Most European organisations are - the french competition is run by the french, the german competition is run by germans, the croation competition has zero involvement from expats at all. There are some Australians involved in things in Canada, the USAFL and Britain.
 
The_Wookie said:
Most European organisations are - the french competition is run by the french, the german competition is run by germans, the croation competition has zero involvement from expats at all. There are some Australians involved in things in Canada, the USAFL and Britain.
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Indians are the same as Croatians
 
RedV3x said:
So are all the countries that compete in the International Cup.
Do you know about the Danish league and it's influence in Scandanavia?
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I think he meant those two leagues. Not necessarily the teams. Unlike many competitions which feature expat, the Croatians, Indians, and South Chinese leagues have almost zero expat players involved.
 
The_Wookie said:
I think he meant those two leagues. Not necessarily the teams. Unlike many competitions which feature expat, the Croatians, Indians, and South Chinese leagues have almost zero expat players involved.
Click to expand...
That's right Wookie . A lot of Australians think that international footy are being run by expats but it's not necessary in some cases. Just interested to know who else isn't . So Croatia and India as countries have virtually no expats
 
canterbury bulldog said:
That's right Wookie . A lot of Australians think that international footy are being run by expats but it's not necessary in some cases. Just interested to know who else isn't . So Croatia and India as countries have virtually no expats
Click to expand...

From my interviews in 2014
 
canterbury bulldog said:
That's right Wookie . A lot of Australians think that international footy are being run by expats but it's not necessary in some cases.
Click to expand...
Sweeping statements like "being run by expats" serves just to confuse the reality as well as some statistics.
Take just one country, France, it is run totally by Frenchmen and has virtually no Australians outside of the Paris teams.
Austria, is NOT 100% nationals it is 100% non-Australian the same for the Czech Republic.
If you want insight into the development of Australian Football then you to treat regions differently.
The AFL invests in the Southern Hemisphere yet you're forgetting PNG and Nauru.
Apart from coaching, most expats aren't interested in "running" football just enjoying it.
 
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