Where would you target, for growth?

[kid_a]

A bit of hypothetical here, lets say you are in charge of the AFL or at least the AFL' development branch and you're given $1,000,000 per year for five years to develop the game in three locations overseas...which 3 places would you choose(1=$600,000, 2=$250,000, 3=$150,000)

personally i'd go:
1- South Africa (the game experienced a huge boom in the late 2000's, a lot of migration between SA and Australia;WA in particular, a large population)
2- Papua New Guinea (already has an established footy culture in the country even if its a fair bit behind rugby league in terms of numbers, close proximity to Australia)
3- New Zealand

 

[jatz14]

A bit of hypothetical here, lets say you are in charge of the AFL or at least the AFL' development branch and you're given $1,000,000 per year for five years to develop the game in three locations overseas...which 3 places would you choose(1=$600,000, 2=$250,000, 3=$150,000)

personally i'd go:
1- South Africa (the game experienced a huge boom in the late 2000's, a lot of migration between SA and Australia;WA in particular, a large population)
2- Papua New Guinea (already has an established footy culture in the country even if its a fair bit behind rugby league in terms of numbers, close proximity to Australia)
3- New Zealand

Looking at the other countries in competition for the cash.
USA, lots of potential, but huge issues breaking into the college and high school market. Tempting to throw cash at it, but the danger is it all disappears into a black hole.
Canada, similar to the US, but with maybe a head start, more established competitions, less risk.
England, seems to be starting to progress beyond expat community.
Europe, taken as a whole, promising, but fragmented. Like the USA, could suck in a lot of cash for not much reward.
Various pacific Island communities where the money could have a big impact, but the small size means maybe limited reward.
Asian countries, taken as a whole, heavily expat dependent.

Cant disagree with your choice overall
NZ has some funding through the NZ government. The most likely to produce AFL quality players soon, if that is the objective. Might have NZ second, with PNG third. SA the best place to get big numbers involved if you can get into the townships with some real money.

 

[cos789]

1. The RSA already benefits from tripartite investment from the AFL, commerce and the RSA government. (Also a little from the Australian government. Programs there have produced good numbers but a critic would say we're still mainly in the "potential' stage.
2. The PNG also receceives AFL and the AFL is trying to persuade the Australian government to fund some social programs that have been very successful in the NT.
Football in the PNG is slowly recovering and the AFL pathway is getting stronger all the time.
3. NZ already also has seen a large spike in AFL investment with a schools program and an AFL game in wellington to continue.

These are reasonably large investments and I'd assume they will continue.

The AFL also spends a bit of money in Oceania directed more at fast tracking
an AFL pathway than establishing depth.

The AFL has also invested modestly in AFL Europe which has seen great results in organising the once fragmented European football communities. Greater European competition is seeing more local interest in local teams generally.

The AFL has limited investments in North America running their talent camps.
North American football is well organised though a recent survey showed they could still benefit from some help.

IMO the AFL is taking a responsible line in the way it splits up the overseas investment pie atm. IMO if I had access to those (additional) amounts mentioned I would target events rather regions. I would try to lift the profile of Australian International Cup by both assisting the competitors and creating more local promotion. Also I believe there is great benefit in assisting the Euro Cup which is growing strongly and quickly atm with little help and with help it could leverage some impressive growth. There are a lot of countries and teams in Europe all in reasonable proximity. The standards are not too far apart and with national ferver so those conditions produce healthy growth. Thirdly I would put some development officers in North America.

You could invest money in some of the large countries like India. Pakistan, China and Indonesia but they are so large that a small investment might be quickly absorbed with little visible result.

 

[sverik25]

I think the number 1 priority at the moment should be developing the game in Oceania.
1. Papua New Guinea - great potential and I believe there is a good chance the sport would be received better than rugby.
2. New Zealand - obvious choice given the proximity and cultural similarities. Would love to see a team from NZ one day.
3. Fiji/Vanuatu/Tonga/Solomon Islands/Nauru - much like PNG.

 

[cos789]

1. Papua New Guinea - great potential and I believe there is a good chance the sport would be received better than rugby.

Australian Football was the dominant code until they switched to broadcasting rl.
Still the second biggest country in terms of community football and currently on the rebound. There are many PNG players currently playing in Australia in lower leagues because generally they lack the height for AFL. When it comes to the IC, PNG have great depth but still lack the tall match winners that otherwise would make them perenial winners.

2. New Zealand - obvious choice given the proximity and cultural similarities.

When NZ was a colony AF was played there extensively but basically died out after WWI.
As stated before the AFL has only recently made significant investment in NZ from grassroots to staging AFL matches. NZ will always be a long term project but establishing AF in NZ as a main stream sport is probably just a little bit easier than it has been in establishing AF in Sydney with obvious benefits.

3. Fiji/Vanuatu/Tonga/Solomon Islands/Nauru - much like PNG.

They are not much like PNG in size, population or proximity.
You couldn't get a more AF crazy country than Nauru but it's already at it's limitations.
It's great to see the growth of AF on these islands but really for their own benefit.

 

[kid_a]

Australian Football was the dominant code until they switched to broadcasting rl.
Still the second biggest country in terms of community football and currently on the rebound. There are many PNG players currently playing in Australia in lower leagues because generally they lack the height for AFL. When it comes to the IC, PNG have great depth but still lack the tall match winners that otherwise would make them perenial winners.

I saw a couple of the blokes who play in the national team for PNG playing for Cooloongatta a couple of years back. Obviously not elite level talent but there were parts of that game where the three of them would work the ball from defence to attack along the wings, more often than not resulting in goals, breathtaking footy to watch live even if it was in the SEQAFL.

 

[Cmarsh]

I think the number 1 priority at the moment should be developing the game in Oceania.
1. Papua New Guinea - great potential and I believe there is a good chance the sport would be received better than rugby.
2. New Zealand - obvious choice given the proximity and cultural similarities. Would love to see a team from NZ one day.
3. Fiji/Vanuatu/Tonga/Solomon Islands/Nauru - much like PNG.

 

[sverik25]

Cmarsh, I mean a team in the AFL that is successful both off field and on field. Not an amateur side that represents their country at low-level internationals.

 

[cos789]

Cmarsh, I mean a team in the AFL.

That's a possibility.

a team in the AFL that is successful both off field and on field. .

That's what we all hope for.

Not an amateur side that represents their country at low-level internationals.

Well the NZ Falcons represent thier country at the highest world competition for Australian Football and have always been been competitive and successful.
They have been competing with Australian sides with increasing competitveness.

 

[jatz14]

Cmarsh, I mean a team in the AFL that is successful both off field and on field. Not an amateur side that represents their country at low-level internationals.

To get to having people represent there country in high level internationals, we first have to get through a period of low level internationals. Besides, investment in football without an immediate goal of helping the AFL is both worthwhile in its own right, and may well benefit the AFL in the long run.

 

[sverik25]

I know that this would take time (if it ever eventuates), but that doesn't mean we shouldn't aspire to it and also be realisitic about the talent of the national teams. Many of these teams would be comparable in ability to a local football club, not even state-level yet, so there is a long way to go.

 

[cos789]

I know that this would take time (if it ever eventuates), but that doesn't mean we shouldn't aspire to it and also be realisitic about the talent of the national teams.

You seem to be implying the that Australian Football needs some country to effectively compete against Australia which is a very common thought amongst Australians who cannot see past the AFL and their AFL team. This is a possibility right now with the number overseas players playing in the AFL but that idea is for the AFL to decide.

Ibe realisitic about the talent of the national teams.

The AFL International Cup is entirely realistic about the talent of competing countries.
That is why there is no Australian team involved and the IC has divisional structure to allow for the differing standards. The IC is the highest level of international AF competition but I think you were searching for the word "standard". The standard of AF overseas has come a long way in a very short time. There are always new countries learning the game of AF and now we have some countries with considerable experience.
it's probably useful to look at two benchmarks. Nauru is a totally AF mad country that cannot realistically develop any further and PNG has been playing AF for a considerable time. Increasingly we have more top division teams that are competitve against PNG and we have a multitude of teams that are competitve against Nauru.

If you come and watch the the 2014 you will see some great competitve football. It's not the AFL of course but in some ways it's better. Every year the standard of the IC and it will be interesting what develops this year.

 

[jatz14]

I do not think any area should be targeted for growth, if what is meant by that, is the production of AFL quality rookies. Places like PNG and NZ should be targeted for growth in grass roots football. If it is successful, AFL quality recruits will flow on from that.

 

[cos789]

I do not think any area should be targeted for growth, if what is meant by that, is the production of AFL quality rookies.

The AFL has been doing that a while with these ""combines" and talent camps around the world which are virtually for the sole production of rookies.

Places like PNG and NZ should be targeted for growth in grass roots football.

The RSA, PNG and NZ has been the target of large-scale grassroots investment and AFL "pathways" have been successfully established. So that is a two-pronged approach.

If it is successful, AFL quality recruits will flow on from that.

That is the long term solid approach and some AFL pathways have already been established. Even the ""AFL only" approach of targeting overseas athletes promotes the local teams and leagues if only briefly.