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cos789

cos789

Brownlow Medallist
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Feb 19, 2004
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Sunset Coast
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Just to update people with happennings in NZ.
Australian Football is now a sanctioned sport in NZ.
In under three years Kiwikick numbers have grown to 20k.
The first signs of this participation affecting youth leagues is just appearing.
NZAFL now has a well defined AFL pathway with school competition, NZ representation, scholarships and combines.
The Sydney Swans Vs St Kilda match is almost all but bconfirmed for ANZAC Day Wellington 2013.
The St Kilda Saints might play as many as three games in NZ in 2014.
AFL is mainly on Pay TV in NZ.

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Cos do you know anything about what is involved in this "kiwikick" and do schoolkids now have to be involved in it because AF is now a "sanctioned" sport over there? 20000 is alot of participants for a sport that is not well known over there.
 
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Cmarsh said:
Cos do you know anything about what is involved in this "kiwikick" and do schoolkids now have to be involved in it because AF is now a "sanctioned" sport over there? 20000 is alot of participants for a sport that is not well known over there.
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No, I don't know the actual breakdown but one thing is obvious is that these participants are largely made up of kids from the schools programs and it will take time for the effects to felt in community clubs.
 

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I'll say here what I said on the main board -

12k crowd last in Wellington for the A-League match.
It seems not even an International superstar like Alessandro Del Piero was enough to inspire a descent turnout.

Looks like Gil's confidence of a full house in the St.Kilda Vs Swans match next year is misguided.
 
I reckon they'll get between 20-25k. People will want to have a look, fans flying over for the weekend etc. and using ANZAC day and Sydney was smart. I've noticed a bit in the online news too about the GF.

Having said that, it will be interesting to see what sort of promotion the game gets in Wellington. I'm picking the council and the AFL won't be holding anything back and that could lead to an even bigger crowd.
 
AuckMel said:
I reckon they'll get between 20-25k. People will want to have a look, fans flying over for the weekend etc. and using ANZAC day and Sydney was smart. I've noticed a bit in the online news too about the GF.

Having said that, it will be interesting to see what sort of promotion the game gets in Wellington. I'm picking the council and the AFL won't be holding anything back and that could lead to an even bigger crowd.
Click to expand...
What about a curtain raiser between the NZ national AFL side and say, the PNG national side? This would bring to the NZ public an awareness that it indeed does already play AFL and would give the crowd something to identify with.
Problem with this is the AFL would get precious about not mucking up the advertising paint on the ground before the main event, so unfortunatly an idea like this may never get legs.
 
Cmarsh said:
What about a curtain raiser between the NZ national AFL side and say, the PNG national side? This would bring to the NZ public an awareness that it indeed does already play AFL and would give the crowd something to identify with.
Problem with this is the AFL would get precious about not mucking up the advertising paint on the ground before the main event, so unfortunatly an idea like this may never get legs.
Click to expand...

I've always been a big supporter of this idea. Would love to see it happen and would certainly draw a few more in.
 

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Cmarsh said:
I'll say here what I said on the main board -

12k crowd last in Wellington for the A-League match.
It seems not even an International superstar like Alessandro Del Piero was enough to inspire a descent turnout.

Looks like Gil's confidence of a full house in the St.Kilda Vs Swans match next year is misguided.
Click to expand...

He may be an international superstar but until recently he was hardly a household name for the average Australian.
 
Bit of a blast from the way distant past, but possibly a first for footy in NZ, and something i found interesting.

It appears from this clipping that a game of football ( Victorian Rules) was played between Canterbury (NZ) and a visiting English Rugby team, so in effect, the first international outside of this country that did not actually include an Australian team.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cg...--10--11----0victorian+rules+football+kicking--

FOOTBALL.
THE ENGLISH TEAM. THE VICTORIAN GAME. A game of football wa3 played on Lancaster Park yesterday afternoon under the Victorian rules. The players were Seven teen of Canterbury versus a similar number of the Englishmen. To players of Rugby football the game was a bit of a mystery, and even those taking part showed the necessity for a lot of coaching. The game appeared to be pretty fast, and the followers had a warm time. McDonald captained the Canterbury team, and McShane the English. As the teams were not complete according to the Australasian rules, and many of the competitors were not versed in the points, the game was not seen at its best. The majority of onlookers did not fall in love with it. At the same time it afforded them many a laugh. A great feature about the play was for a player to give his side a mark by kicking the ball to his nearest companion. This was soon understood, and when the ball was caught numberless crie3 were raised for a little mark." The Englishmen were in far the best condition, and could easily evade their opponents. The result was that they were able to frequently give themselves little marks," some of which resulted in goals and some in behinds. With a full team and the stationary men keeping their places, there should be fine opportunities for passing to one another and a good contest between the followers, the rovers, the goal sneak, and the right back. Yesterday both sides had a lot to learn. It appeared very hard to avoid introducing a little bit of iiugby. Several times the ball was throwu as in Rugby passing, or a player would touch down instead of kicking, and if one did kick he would as oftt-n as not do so between the wrong iiags. These little deviations from tne true Victorian game raised many a laugh both from players and spectators, of which latter there were a good many. The position of field umpire was not of the most pleasant kind. Mc was-kept continually on the trot. He it was who threw the ball in from touch, bounced it when play was stopped for a breach of the rules, and decided upon every dispute. In fact, his services were ever in requisition. As the game advanced the teams began to better understand it, and the Englishmen were not long in establishing a lead. They defended their own goal admirably, and attacked their opponents vigorously, but it would be almost Impossible to select any one player for special mention, because tha flsld of play is so large compared to the field of play for Rugby, and the ball was so quickly sent from end to end of the ground. The colonials fought very well, despite a few hard knocks, equally as hard as any experienced in a scientific Rugby game, but their condition succumbed, to the hardiness and speed of tbe Englishmen, who passed and kicked "little marks'* with their feet just as smartly as they passed with their hands on Saturday. The result was, England 6 goals to Canterbury's nothing. The goals were scored by tipeakman (4), Eagles and Dr. Smith one each.
 
Some pics from the Hawk Cup tournament won by Kelston Boys. My old school had one of their players named as MVP.

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