How to find match schedules?

[Schenkeli]

Hi,
I'm an European going to Australia in July and August 2020 and I would love to see an AFL game. Since I will be doing a roadtrip from Perth to Darwin and Cairns my chances on an AFL game are not that good (I will arrive in Perth on Sunday 12.07. at 3 pm and there is a game that afternoon - so I'm just a few hours late for that - I will also be in Syndey 03.-06.09. so maybe there will be some quarterfinals then?)

But I would also like to see a minor game and I have seen there are tons of clubs and leagues all over the place: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football_in_Western_Australia or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Territory_Football_League

So my question is: how do I find out when a club is playing where? Just ask at the local tourism office or is there a better way?

Thanks for your help!
Thomas

 

[Derby103]

Hello Schenkeli

I hope that you enjoy your trip. There are local footy competitions all up the coast of Western Australia, as well as at Katherine in the Northern Territory and Cairns in Queensland. Note that there will be nothing at Darwin because that competition runs in our summer.

Some examples of these local comps are:

Great Northern Football League (based around Geraldton). It looks like its 2020 fixture has not yet been released. However, you can just search for the league website and then click on 'fixtures'. Here is a link to that league's fixture for round 5 2019 - just to show you what I'm talking about:
http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?round=5&a=ROUND&client=1-3218-0-518424-0&pool=1
I'd imagine that they'd add the 2020 fixture soon.

The Gascoyne Football Association is based around Carnarvon and Exmouth:
http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?client=1-6065-0-531912-0&pool=1&action=FIXTURE&round=0
Again, wait for the 2020 fixtures to be posted in the next few weeks.

The West Kimberley Football League is based around Broome and Derby:
http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?client=0-3094-0-517564-0&pool=1&action=FIXTURE&round=0

The Big Rivers Football League is based around Katherine:
http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?round=5&a=ROUND&client=1-4005-0-531059-0&pool=1

And the Cairns Football League is the only one that has actually published its fixture. Here is round 19, which hopefully will be about the time you are there. Just change the round number to see earlier rounds. They haven't yet added the venues, but check last years fixture for each club's home ground:
http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?round=19&a=ROUND&client=1-3392-0-546662-0&pool=1

 

[Schenkeli]

Hi Derby,
awesome - we will certainly find something that fits along the way with that many opportunities.
One question about the Cairns Football League: Is round 19 the last one? I'm asking because on the 15.08. we will be on a diving trip but we will be back to Cairns two weeks later on Saturday the 29.08.Are their some kind of playoffs after the 19 normal league rounds or is the winner of the 19 rounds simply the champion?
Thanks for all your help,
Thomas

 

[Schenkeli]

and one more thing: Any other sports apart from footy you would recommend watching live on our trip that is special for Australia? Is the cricket season also ongoing during that time and would there be any teams / leagues on our way? And what about Surfing competitions? (I guess most of that will be around Sydney and the Golden Cost)
Cheers,
Thomas

 

[Derby103]

Hi Derby,
awesome - we will certainly find something that fits along the way with that many opportunities.
One question about the Cairns Football League: Is round 19 the last one? I'm asking because on the 15.08. we will be on a diving trip but we will be back to Cairns two weeks later on Saturday the 29.08.Are their some kind of playoffs after the 19 normal league rounds or is the winner of the 19 rounds simply the champion?
Thanks for all your help,
Thomas

Yes, its a pretty good standard of footy up in Cairns too, so you should enjoy it.
Round 19 is the last home and away round, but they will go straight into a finals series the following week. That will be played over the next three Saturdays. The top four clubs of the home and away season play in the finals series, with the premier team being the winner of the grand final. Based on last years fixture, all finals will be played at the main ground in Cairns, Cazalys Stadium.
Just keep your eye on that fixture in case it changes though. I notice that the home and away games finished on 31 August in 2019, while as you noted the final round is scheduled for 15 August next season. 15 August is pretty early, so it is possible that they will make changes to the dates over the next couple of months.

 

[Derby103]

and one more thing: Any other sports apart from footy you would recommend watching live on our trip that is special for Australia? Is the cricket season also ongoing during that time and would there be any teams / leagues on our way? And what about Surfing competitions? (I guess most of that will be around Sydney and the Golden Cost)
Cheers,
Thomas

I could be wrong, Thomas, but I think you might be a bit early for any cricket matches. They generally start at the beginning of October - at least in the southern part of Australia. I'll have to leave the other part of your question for other blokes to answer, because I really only know about Australian Rules football and cricket. Other people will know about basketball and soccer and rugby league and rugby union and surfing, etc.

 

[Schenkeli]

Yes, its a pretty good standard of footy up in Cairns too, so you should enjoy it.
Round 19 is the last home and away round, but they will go straight into a finals series the following week. That will be played over the next three Saturdays. The top four clubs of the home and away season play in the finals series, with the premier team being the winner of the grand final. Based on last years fixture, all finals will be played at the main ground in Cairns, Cazalys Stadium.
Just keep your eye on that fixture in case it changes though. I notice that the home and away games finished on 31 August in 2019, while as you noted the final round is scheduled for 15 August next season. 15 August is pretty early, so it is possible that they will make changes to the dates over the next couple of months.

That sounds perfect - we will be in Cairns Friday/Saturday 28./29.08. so either the league will still be going on or we will catch one of the finals series.
I guess the quality of play of the Cairns league is higher than in the smaller leagues in West Australia that you mentioned (especially Exmouth, Broom and Katherine - we will not be in Geraldton around a weekend)